Bovine digital dermatitis in the Brazilian Amazon biome and topical treatment with Copaifera reticulata oil

ABSTRACT: Bovine Digital Dermatitis (BDD) was studied in crossbred dairy cows grazing in Rondon do Pará, in the state of Pará, as well as in Açailândia and Cidelândia, in the state of Maranhão, Brazilian Amazon biome. The digits inspection from the dairy cows during milking was performed in ten farms comprising four visits (August and November 2016; April and July 2017). The cows were kept all year in pastures, and were mechanically milked on concrete floors and the animals were protected against the rains in eight farms, maintaining a daily cleaning, however, it could not be found a concrete floor in pre- or post-milking to ensure milking parlor on three farms. Manual milking on no concrete floors was performed in two farms. No preventive measures against hoof lesions were adopted. The BDD prevalence was 1.3% (22/1664), and no statistical difference among rainy or no rainy season was obtained (p = 0.72). The BDD lesions were classified according to “M system” (M0 = no lesion, M1 = active ulceration <2cm, M2 = active ulceration >2cm, M3 = healing stage, M4 = chronic stage, M4.1 = M4 with active ulceration). Regarding the 22 BDD lesions observed, 22.7% (5/22) were M1 stage, 36.4% (8/22) M2, 22.7% (5/22) M3, 13.6% (3/22) M4 and 4.5 (1/22) M4.1. Hypertrophic hairs at the edges of the lesions caused by fly larvae of genus Cochliomyia spp. as well as alterations on the hoof were also observed. Topical treatment was performed in six BDD lesions with a raw extract from trees of the genus Copaifera reticulata (Copaiba oil) and compared with the treatment of salicylic acid paste in five BDD lesions. The lesions were protected with a bandage for seven days and followed weekly until recovery. The complete therapeutic responses were 83.4% (5/6) and 75% (3/4), respectively, with an average time of seven weeks. The BDD in the Amazon biome occurs in low prevalence, not seasonal, and presents macro and microscopic features similar to BDD lesions from dairy cattle kept in free-stall housing. The treatment with copaiba oil showed similar results to the treatment of salicylic acid paste and can be used in control measures to BDD in the Amazon biome.