Digital Dermatitis in Dairy Cattle: Lifecycle, Staging, and Control

What Is Digital Dermatitis?

Digital dermatitis (DD), also known as Mortellaro's disease, is the most common infectious hoof condition in housed dairy cattle worldwide. It causes painful lesions on the skin of the heel bulbs and the interdigital space, leading to varying degrees of lameness. Once established in a herd, digital dermatitis is very difficult to eradicate — it persists in the herd and requires ongoing management rather than a single treatment course.

The causative agents are primarily Treponema species (anaerobic spirochete bacteria) that colonize the skin of the heel, particularly when skin is macerated by moisture, manure, and physical pressure.

The M-Staging System

Digital dermatitis lesions are classified using the M-staging system, which describes progression from early to chronic infection:

• M0: no visible lesion — healed or no current infection; skin appears normal
• M1: small, early active lesion (less than 2 cm diameter) — red, erosive; animal may not yet be lame
• M2: classic active lesion (greater than 2 cm) — bright red, strawberry-like, very painful; most contagious stage; animal is visibly lame
• M3: healing stage, covered with dark scab — less painful; animal improving
• M4: chronic proliferative lesion — thickened, rough skin, or papilliform growths; may show periodic M2 flare-ups if untreated

Identifying the M-stage is important for deciding between individual treatment (M2 lesions) and footbath program management (M1, M3, M4, and M0 prevention).

Footbath as the Herd-Level Control Tool

Individual treatment of M2 lesions with topical product is necessary for affected animals. But herd control of digital dermatitis requires regular footbath treatment of all cattle — including those at M0 and M1 stages — to prevent progression and reduce the transmission from M2 animals to unaffected cows.

Footbath products effective against Treponema species include:

• Anderma Hoof Liquid: footbath and spray application
• Pescande: copper sulfate-based footbath
• Prodin: iodine-based footbath alternative

A footbath at the parlor exit treating all cows 2–3 times per week is the standard control recommendation. In active outbreaks, daily treatment for 2–3 weeks is appropriate.

Contact AgroLyne for footbath product guidance specific to your digital dermatitis challenge level.