Why it's important to have footbaths in farm

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Dear Dr Othieno, Thank you so much for your weekly column, which provides us with valuable information on various topics. I am a dairy farmer in the Kinangop area and have never considered constructing a footbath on my farm. However, I recently attended a field day where I learned about the importance of footbaths in maintaining animal health. Could you please explain what I need to do while setting up a footbath and what factors to consider to ensure it is effective? [David Kariuki.]

Thanks, Kariuki, for reading Smart Harvest and for your excellent question. Footbaths on farms are becoming increasingly popular as farmers strive to minimise disease outbreaks. In light of antimicrobial resistance, footbaths provide a solution by reducing the need for drugs through the prevention of disease. Proper use of footbaths has been shown to significantly reduce cases of Digital Dermatitis in individual animals and prevent its spread through a herd.