Digital Dermatitis in the Digital Age
We most commonly associate the word “digital” with computers but among cattle breeders it has a different meaning. In the minds of most dairy cow owners, it is associated with the disease known under the name digital dermatitis.
Digital dermatitis is well-known among dairy cattle farmers. The disease is not lethal but seriously reduces performance of the cattle and causes significant losses in milk production. It is caused by the Treponema genus of bacteria and outbreaks usually occur in highly humid environments and poor hygienic conditions.
The disease is highly contagious and spreads rapidly in the herd. Affected cattle limp and consume less feed and milk production drops significantly.
Affected cattle must be isolated and treated to prevent the spread of the disease. The stall must be cleaned and disinfected. As the disease is contagious, cattle tracking and identification plays a crucial part of the fight against digital dermatitis. One affected cow may spread the disease not only in one herd, but also in the whole area.
And here comes a “digital” we know, a computer software which enables milk production monitoring and animal movement tracking that contribute enormously to a quick response in the case of this and other diseases. Software enables us to monitor milk quantities and to know the exact location of the outbreak of the disease, so we can quickly isolate affected animals or herds and start treatment of the disease in its latent phase. All data can be entered via a mobile application on the smart phone and is synchronized with software on the personal computer in the farmer’s office, which means quick and easy access to up-to-date information about the condition of our cattle.
The PANTHEON Farming software also includes a module for veterinary data where all health data about individual animals are stored. This software can be connected to the PANTHEON Vet application made for veterinary professionals who work outdoors or in the clinic, since it provides all data about the medical history of an animal, diagnoses, treatments, pedigree and other important data.
PANTHEON Farming and PANTHEON Vet software is the perfect combination for disease prevention and management of farming and veterinary tasks.
Sources:
- British Dairying
- Journal of Dairy Science, Available online 28 February 2016
- Research in Veterinary Science, Volume 104, February 2016, Pages 64-70
- Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Volume 122, Issues 1–2, 1 November 2015, Pages 107-120
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