Producer Spotlight 
Large scale footbath: simple design, easy to manage, safe for employees, and flat out works! 
Chris and Mary Kraft on their Colorado farm By Chris Van Anne Dairy Project Manager/Regional Sales Manager Diamond V  No wheels, no car. The same applies to cows. Lameness, or the prevention of it, is difficult to quantify in dollars, but Chris and Mary Kraft recognize a great part of their dairies' high production is based on cows with healthy feet. So lameness prevention is a major focus on their two dairies in Northeast Colorado. Hoof trimming Of their 5,000 milking cows, every cow is hoof trimmed at least twice during each lactation, at 110 DIM and at 150DCC. Lists are generated from their Dairy Comp 305 program. They can also be added to the weekly lists if they have abscesses, sole issues or heel warts. Contractors trim 3 days a week on schedule so that the trimming is done each week. Footbaths Cows pass through two 15-foot wide footbaths of formaldehyde three times a week as they leave the barn. The bath system is located outside and away from the dairy barn for proper ventilation and worker safety. Each of the baths is 15' wide x 1' deep x 15' long, ramped in and out, and grooved on each of those ramps. The formaldehyde-filled footbath is preceded by an identical clean water rinse bath to keep the solution viable longer by keeping heavy manure loading out of the second (real) bath. The alley and footbath are 15 feet wide so the cows don't have to choke down to single file; they can go through with their herd mates. This also reduces the number of times the bath must be changed to maintain quality. Both baths are changed half way through an 8-hour shift, and starting pens are rotated to make sure one group of cows isn't always getting the fresh (strongest) solution, which could result in burning. A 15-foot squeegee tire on the loader pushes old solution out, eliminating manual labor to lift temporary baths, and provides further safety by keeping operators away from the chemical. The formaldehyde then decomposes in the lagoons, eliminating the heavy metal issue that might occur with other footbath solutions. Formaldehyde is purchased, delivered and stored in bulk, reducing the cost substantially, while eliminating barrels or sack disposal issues. The formaldehyde tank is positioned on a stand with a smaller measuring tank below to allow for gravity filling and no lifting of buckets or barrels. To further enhance worker safety, the tank is positioned right next to the footbath, so only a valve must be opened to move the formaldehyde to the bath. The measuring tank assists with consistency of solution of the bath. Both the 15-foot pre-bath and the formaldehyde bath are filled from a 2-inch hydrant.For the Krafts, it's the right tool for the job! Standard operating procedures, employee safety, use/handling of formaldehyde Cow flow (15' wide alleys), protocol compliance, i.e. number of times bathed per week, rotation order, measured concentrates and cleaning, and worker safety, per outside placement of baths away from overhangs to avoid inhalation, no lifting and no direct employee contact with the formaldehyde, are all critical components of a successful system. (View additional guidance from Iowa State University) Chris and Mary emphasize that ALL of these components must be in place for an effective program. Mary states, "You are managing a series of protocols, not a foot bath. Compliance in each area is equally critical for success!" Mary continues, "We also do not ask any of our employees to do anything that we as owners would not do ourselves, thus the reason we place such strong emphasis on employee safety on our dairies." Back to main page | 
