Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) remains one of the most challenging and costly hoof diseases in dairy herds, impacting animal welfare, milk production and herd longevity. Driven primarily by Treponema spp., BDD contributes to lameness, reduced milk yield, and premature culling. Despite extensive research, consistent herd-level control strategies remain elusive.

In this prospective, multicenter intervention study, Weber et al. evaluated a Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP) designed to reduce BDD prevalence through structured farm-level interventions. The study enrolled 9 intervention (INT) and 10 control (CTR) Swiss dairy farms and monitored outcomes over one year. Each INT farm received tailored management recommendations addressing internal and external biosecurity, immediate treatment of active lesions, and improved hygiene and claw-care practices.

Researchers treated lesions with salicylic acid (SA) and methyl salicylate paste, applied under a multilayer protective bandage until clinical cure. Routine monitoring included visual scoring of lesions, anti-Treponema ELISA testing of bulk milk, and histopathological and molecular analyses of skin biopsies.

Over the one-year observation period, INT farms demonstrated a significant decline in bulk milk anti-Treponema antibodies compared to CTR farms. Follow-up analysis using histopathology and 16S metagenomic sequencing showed clinical and bacteriological resolution in 85.7% of lesions—highlighting the treatment’s effectiveness and potential for long-term disease control.

While full eradication wasn’t achieved, this study offers the first multicenter, controlled evidence that RAMP is a scalable, reproducible model for BDD control—with implications for national and global herd health programs.

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