Don't Let Foot Warts Put Your Herd Out of Action...




 

Take a big step in the right direction.

Researchers in our laboratory made some exciting discoveries that led to the development of a much-needed product that helps prevent foot warts. When foot warts are already a problem, our innovative product stops the pain, heals the lesions and helps put lame cows back on their feet again.

Double-Action™ is a nonprescription hoof treatment concentrate proven effective in preventing and treating bovine foot warts in dairy cows.

  • Double-Action quickly delivers its potent germicidal action to destroy the hard-to-reach disease-causing organisms.
  • Patent-pending breakthrough formulation contains special ingredients that work together to kill and prevent the growth of lesion-causing bacteria.
  • Contains no heavy metals, so it’s easy on the environment.
  • Powerful wetting agents clean and bring healing relief to painful lesions.
  • Contains food additive ingredients.
  • Bright orange color effectively marks which hooves have been treated.
  • Double-Action is antibiotic-free, so it eliminates concerns about costly accidental antibiotic milk contamination and antibiotic resistance problems.

 

 

Double-Action™ Links

Research driven and on-farm tested.

How to use Double-Action™

Frequently Asked Questions

NEW! Click here to read a comparison of Foot Rot vs. Foot Warts




 

Research driven and on-farm tested.

Double-Action™ has been tested in a variety of on-farm conditions. By substantially reducing lesions and lameness, Double-Action is proving it is an effective non-antibiotic treatment tool for foot warts.
     
 
When used as a footpath for a 3-month period (Chart 1), dairies showed a marked reduction in the prevalence of foot warts ranging as high as 53%, depending on cows’ exposure to the treatment and farm management. (Note: Hammock Farms 1x/day, 3 days/week; Lindborg Dairy 2x/day, 1 day/week; Blu-Moo Dairy 3x/day, 2 days/week.)   Chart 2 shows that Double-Action ™ significantly reduced lameness in this herd by 64% and provided prevention and control of new infections (2x/day, 3 days/week).
     
 
     
Chart 3 highlights the significant difference between Double-Action™ and a control group. Double-Action™ treated cows showed an impressive 54% greater reduction in pain levels and a 42% advantage in reducing lesion size.   In Chart 4, cows treated with Double-Action™ made remarkable improvements in lowering their pain levels within 21 days. And reduction in pain is the most important sign of healing. Plus Chart 4 also shows that lesion size was dramatically decreased. In just 21 days, Double-Action reduced lesion size significantly.
     
For additional research trial data, Technical Update 1, and Technical Update 2.

 

 






How to use Double-Action™

 

In both footbath and spray-on applications Double-Action™ has been proven efficacious in preventing and treating hairy foot warts in dairy cattle. Choose the method best for your operation and your herd. For maximum effectiveness of any hoof treatment product, rinse hooves prior to treatment; and use Double-Action as part of a complete hoof care program. Consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis of lameness before using this or any hoof-care product.

Important: Double-Action™ is a concentrate and requires dilution with water.

Footbath Application
Footbaths, when managed properly, can be effective in preventing foot warts.

  1. Determine holding capacity of footbath. Mix Double-Action for footbaths as directed, and in accordance with footbath capacity. To calculate footbath capacity, use the following calculation: Inside Length (inches) X Inside Width (inches) X Fluid Height in (inches) ÷ 231 = Footbath Gallons.
  2. Mix thoroughly 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of Double-Action Concentrate with every 49 gallons (185.5 liters) of water used in the footbath.
  3. Rinse or clean hooves prior to footbath treatment. Water baths or spray cleaning in the parlor is recommended.
  4. Walk cows through footbath. Double-Action footbath solution is designed to treat approximately 200 cows. Inspect baths regularly to ensure cleanliness and bath potency. Should baths become soiled, dump and prepare a fresh Double-Action footbath solution.
  5. Maintenance Program: Read and follow label as directed. For foot wart control, footbathing should occur on a weekly basis year round. After initial treatment has been completed as directed above, evaluate cows for foot wart prevalence. Begin a Double-Action maintenance footbathing program of 3 footbaths (minimum) per week or as needed. Exposure to footbaths should be increased if heifers or purchased cows continually enter the milking heard, or during times of inclement weather. Switch to spray application if freezing temperatures restrict use of footbaths.

Spray-On Application
Spray application is highly recommended for difficult to treat lesions or very severe lesion prevalence in a herd. For bio-security programs, spray application treatments are recommended.

  1. Determine holding capacity of sprayer. See sprayer for details.
  2. Mix Double-Action with water as directed. For garden-type sprayers, mix 16.5 ounces (192 milliliters) of Double-Action per gallon (3.8 liters) of water used. For small spray bottle applicators, mix 1.5 ounces (44.4 milliliters) of Double-Action per quart (0.95 liters) of water used.
  3. With, spray clean hooves and in between toes to ensure cleanliness.
  4. Thoroughly saturate foot and/or foot wart lesions with a solution of Double-Action as described above.
  5. Repeat Double-Action spray-on procedure twice daily for 14 days or as needed.
  6. Maintenance Program: Read and follow the label as directed. For foot wart control, spray applications or footbathing should occur on a weekly basis year round. After initial treatment has been completed as directed above, evaluate cows for foot wart prevalence. Begin a Double-Action maintenance spray program of 3 applications (minimum) per week or as needed. Spray applications should be increased if heifers or purchased cows continually enter the milking herd, or during times of inclement weather.
   

 




Frequently Asked Questions

     
     
1.  

How does Double-Action™ work?

Double-Action™ is formulated with ingredients that are shown to provide germicidal activity in tough environments. Double-Action is formulated with fast acting residual ingredients that quickly deliver germ-killing ingredients to where bacteria live and cause lesions to develop.

     
     
2.  

What makes Double-Action different from other products on the market?

Hooves of dairy cattle are difficult to treat due to the environment in which they are constantly exposed: mud, manure, water, and urine. Products applied to hooves need to include ingredients that are not immediately rendered "inactive" upon contact with organic materials. An ideal hoof product preferably needs to have some residual activity, prolonging the germicidal effect. Double-Action does just that. Its synergistic blend of active ingredients, not only kill germs upon contact, but provide residual activity, as well as create an environment unfavorable for bacteria to live. Other products on the market have unstable formulas, which reduces their germ-killing power; are ineffective in presence of organic matter; or they do not include germicides at all.

Double-Action has also been specifically formulated to treat hairy foot warts. Many products on the market are designed for foot rot, and have not been formulated, tested and research proven to treat the organisms that cause hairy foot wart.

     
3.  

How quickly will my cows get back on their feet?

Each farm will respond differently, depending on the severity of lesion stage and management procedures implemented on the dairy. In on farm trials, Double-Action has been shown to quickly reduce the pain caused by hairy hoof warts. We have seen a significant reduction of pain and lesion size.

     
4.  

Is Double-Action safe for my farm labor and me?

Double-Action is considered corrosive, but it is safe to use when reasonable safety precautions are taken. Double-Action does not contain any carcinogens like formaldehyde or heavy metals such as copper sulfate.

     
5.  

What is the cause of foot warts?

As foot warts are a relatively new disease, much research is being conducted to determine the actual causative organism. To date, the primary organisms are believed to be a group of spirochetes (bacteria) called Treponema spp. Like mastitis on a dairy farm, good sanitation management practices can aid in the prevention and spread of the hoof disease. Good hoof management practices include: clean loafing and bedding areas, clean alley-ways, regular hoof trimming, implementing bio-security measures for bought cows, balanced rations etc.

     
6.  

Why is Double-Action orange in color?

The bright orange color of Double-Action clearly allows the producer/manager to quickly identify which cows have or have not been treated.

     
7.  

Will Double-Action corrode metal parts it may come in contact with?

Our research has shown no degradation of stainless steel or concrete.

     
8.  

In a footbath, why should I expose my cows to Double-Action for up to 2 times a day for 7 consecutive days?

Research is showing that the faster and harder we attack the foot wart disease, the faster we reduce its existence on the cow, quickly reducing the pain and getting her back on her feet again. For example, in humans we typically will apply a topical cream to a wound more than once so that the healing process will occur faster. Without the cream or only a one-time application, the healing process takes longer and could possibly allow for secondary infections to occur. For the most severe cases of foot warts or tough living conditions for the herd, we recommend longer treatment times as well as the implementation of a consistent lameness management program.

It is important to remember, that once the foot wart disease has entered your herd, control becomes key. The disease is much like mastitis, in that at times you will have higher infection rates due to new animals, weather conditions, etc. To prevent mastitis infections, producers use teat sanitizes on a continual basis, every milking. Controlling foot warts will take similar management practices: a regular and consistent prevention program will assist in controlling lesion outbreaks and the severity of those outbreaks.

     
9.  

Has Double-Action been tested?

Yes. To date, 5 footbath and 2 spray-on application trials have been completed, with 2 footbath trials to be complete first quarter 2001. Click here to see research.

     
10.  

Is Double-Action environmentally safe?

Yes. Double-Action’s components will breakdown to carbon dioxide and water. It does not contain heavy metals that can pose marine hazard risks.

     
11.  

Should I rotate the use of Double-Action with my current hoof-care program?

Product rotation is not required when using Double-Action.

     
12.  

Can I mix Double-Action with my other hoof-care products?

Because the components of the other products are unknown, for safety and effectiveness reasons we recommend that products not be blended.

     
13.  

Will Double-Action treat foot rot?

We have not specifically tested Double-Action in foot rot prevention trials. However, several of the foot wart research farms have commented that they have seen fewer cases of foot rot while they were using Double-Action.

     
14.  

Where can I learn more about Double-Action?

Double-Action is currently sold through West Agro, DeLaval, Universal and Chemland brand dairy sanitation dealers. If you are unsure of a dealer near you, please call toll-free 1(800) 485-0782 or visit the dealer locator sites below.

     
 
West Agro Dealers  
         
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