Comparison of clinical cure rates from footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis using zinc sulphate foot bathing and topical oxytetracycline: A randomised trial.

Background: This study reports the clinical cure rates of topical oxytetracycline and 10% zinc sulphate foot bathing for treatment of interdigital dermatitis (ID), footrot (FR) and contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) in lambs.
Methods: The study was a randomised controlled trial of 75 lambs. Group A (n = 38) was foot bathed daily for 5 days in 10% zinc sulphate for 15 minutes and group B was treated with daily topical oxytetracycline for 5 days. On days 0, 7, 14, 28 and 42, lambs were scored for locomotion and foot lesions were recorded.
Results: The initial cure rates for ID were 96.20% and 97.00%; for FR, 100% and 95%; and for CODD, 90.09% and 83.33% for zinc sulphate and oxytetracycline, respectively. By day 42, these had changed to 53.16% and 61% for ID; 47.82% and 70% for FR; and 100% and 83.33% for CODD. There were no significant differences in cure rates between the treatments for most time points.
Limitations: The sample size was small, and further studies in larger cohorts and different classes of sheep are required before the findings can be translated into recommendations for clinical practice.
Conclusion: Both treatments achieved cure rates that are comparable to reported cure rates using systemic antibiotics and could be an effective alternative.
(© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)