I use antibiotics as my blanket dry cow therapy. What can I use instead of antibiotics?
Dry cow therapy is a great way to control existing udder infections and to help prevent new intramammary infections from entering the udder at a time when cows are most susceptible to new infection.

T-Hexx Dry is an external teat sealant that is quick drying and forms a thick barrier between the teat and the environment for up to 7 days and is ideally used at drying off.

How does T-Hexx work?
T-Hexx Dry travels up the teat canal forming an impenetrable seal and remains on the teat even during damp weather conditions.

How should T-Hexx be applied?
The product should be applied at drying off and again one to two weeks before calving. T Hexx Dry should be applied after the teats are thoroughly cleaned using an alcohol wipe. T Hexx dry should be applied to the whole teat. After application, cows should be allowed to stand in a clean environment to allow the product to dry.

The main challenge on my farm is contagious mastitis. What can I do
Contagious mastitis is spread at milking times cow to cow via the cluster and milker’s hands. Staph aureus is the main culprit for contagious mastitis outbreaks. If a cow with Staph aureus is milked then the next 8 cows using the same unit are at risk of infection. Using a disinfectant to clean the milking cluster is the best way to rid these pathogens from infecting other animals.

What is the aim of post-milking teat dipping?
Post-milking teat dipping has several aims. The most obvious one is to prevent new infections from entering the udder. Additionally, it should moisturise the skin of the teat to help keep teats supple and aid milk let down at milking.

What is the best active ingredient for post-milking teat dipping?
For effective protection against mastitis, the best option is to use proven and recognised disinfectants.

Which iodine products can be used for teat dipping?
Progiene’s Sprayshield range of iodine teat dips are trusted and effective teat dips able to provide an effective disinfectant to protect cows from mastitis infections and maintain teat health.

Is there a way of using an iodine product as a spray?
Teat dipping can be time consuming and slows the milking routine. Extensive trial work has allowed Progiene to develop Sprayshield Post, a version of its highly effective Uddershield Barrier teat dip which can be sprayed on to teats and still provide the same protective ‘second skin’ benefits as traditional teat dipping.

Can Sprayshield Post be used through all automated teat spraying equipment? The biggest hurdle to overcome was making it possible to pass a viscous liquid through a sprayer. However, this has been done, meaning that the well-recognised skin care benefits of a barrier teat dip are available in asprayable product.

Why is it important to have a good footbathing routine?
Footbathing can help to control infectious hoof diseases such as DD if it is undertaken with care, in the correct location, is the right size for your herd and is undertaken using the correct concentration of product and not using heavily contaminated solutions.

How often should I footbath my herd?
Daily foot bathing is recommended to clean the hooves and to help reduce cross-infection between cows.

How will footbathing save me money in the long term?
Lameness can have a direct impact on the cost of milk production at over 1p per litre of milk produced and can have indirect effects on fertility, mastitis and metabolic illnesses.

What is Digicur Advanced?
Digicur Advanced is a highly concentrated triple action, broad spectrum liquid disinfectant footbath solution containing glutaraldehyde and chelated copper and zinc which can be used for cattle, sheep and goats.

How does the chelated zinc and copper benefit my herd/flock?
Digicur Advanced contains a unique patented chelate that keep the copper and zinc in suspension, meaning that they work very quickly and break down in the environment.

What is the dilution rate of Digicur Advanced?
Digicur Advanced should be used at 2% dilution (2 litres of product per 100 litres water) and is a walk-through product that starts to work on contact and due to the long cling formulation containing heavy duty surfactants, it continues to adhere to the hooves after foot bathing.

How often should the solution be changed?
We would recommend 1 litre of solution per cow and 0.5 litres of solution per sheep e.g. 200 litres of footbath solution should be suitable for 200 cows or 400 sheep and that hooves are fully immersed at least three times whilst walking through the footbath.

Does Digicur Advanced cause cancer?
Digicur Advanced is not carcinogenic but does require the use of PPE (personal protection equipment) when mixing.

Does Digicur Advanced work in cold weather conditions?
Digicur Advanced works well when the air temperature is above 2 deg C whereas formalin doesn’t work well below 8oC.

Has Digicur Advanced been tested under lab conditions?
Digicur Advanced has been tested for efficacy at 2% dilution using EN1276 and has also undergone further tests to prove effectiveness against Treponomes, the bacteria causing DD and CODD.

Is Digicur Advanced corrosive?
Digicur Advanced is corrosive when undiluted and is classed as corrosive for transport. However, when diluted it is not corrosive and does not burn the skin. Digicur Advanced does not contain formalin, antibiotics or QACs so it is ideal for use on dairy, beef and sheep farms.

Is Digicur Advanced biodegradable?
The chemical components in Digicur and Digcur Advanced are defined as Readily Biodegradable under OECD guidelines. It is anticipated we would achieve 80% degradation in 28 days and use Chelated Copper in our formulation which is inherently biodegradeable as opposed to Copper Sulphate which is not readily Biodegradable.

My cows do not like walking through formalin – will Digicur Advanced be any different?
Digicur Advanced does not have such a pungent odour so cow and sheep acceptance is good and should walk through very calmly.

Is it available in larger pack sizes?
Digicur Advanced is available in 5, 25, 200 & 1000 litre pack sizes and as it is a liquid, it can be dispensed using automatic dosing equipment.

Where can I buy Digicur Advanced?
For Digicur Advanced stockists, please contact Progiene on 0808 178 1010.