Chippewa Veterinary Clinic

14961 81st Avenue

Chippewa Falls, WI 54725

Phone: (715) 723-3655

February Dairy Herd Newsletter

Dairy experts are starting to signal the need for a more cautious use of copper sulfate in footbaths to treat hairy heel warts. This form of copper, when discarded into manure pits and spread on cropland, will increase the amount of copper in soils. That, in turn, may damage plant roots and crop yields and eventually raise the copper in forages to harmful levels. There is no crisis yet, experts say. There are very few reports of harmful copper levels on dairy farms and no dairy cattle have been reported sick from high-copper forages. However, now is the time to start doing something about the amount of copper being dumped onto our corplands...before someone else tells us what we have to do.

Last year, a dairy research institution in New York State found that copper levels in its soils had doubled in the three years since it began using copper sulfate in footbaths. By changing the footbath protocol, they were able to cut back copper sulfate use by 70%. As a result, copper levels in the manure have been cut in half...but, the number of cases in hairy heel warts has also risen.

Murray McBride, professor of crop and soil science at Cornell University, is researching the effect of high copper levels in the soils. Existing guidelines are based on studies of pig manure, which is high in copper. There is currently no standard for a copper level that is toxic to crops. A normal level is between 15 and 30 ppm. while they get worried if the level is around 100 ppm, no routine ag samples have come even close to that level. Experts do know that the problem is more severe at the root level, where copper concentrates, than in the leaves and stems. Copper is also more of a problem in sandy soils and those with low pH and low organic matter. Cornell research has shown that high copper levels decrease corn yields.

What can we do to minimize copper build-up in our soils and still effectively prevent hairy heel warts? There are a number of recommendations:

1. Use a 3 to 5% solution of copper sulfate. Know the volume of the footbath and calculate the amount of copper sulfate carefully. In the past we have recommended using 16 pounds per 20 gallons of water. Actually, 5 pounds of copper sulfate in 20 gallons results in a 3% solution. This level should still be effective against heel warts, if other hoof care measures are implemented. This change alone will significantly reduce the amount of copper being spread on your fields, as well as considerably decrease the cost of running a footbath.
2. Use a "clean water" bath in front of the copper sulfate bath. This will help rinse manure and mud from the feet prior to walking through the copper sulfate bath. The copper sulfate bath will work better and stay "clean" longer.
3. Be sure foot bath solutions are well diluted before disposal to avoid "hot spots" where a large volume of copper gets spread over a small area.
4. A footbath should be just a part of your overall hoofcare program. Routine trimming, a clean and well-cared for environment and a well-balanced ration will go a long way in preventing many hoof problems

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