Zinpro Corp. recently introduced Availa Plus in Europe, providing dairy and beef producers throughout the region with an innovative, research-proven, nutritional solution to foot health management. Multiple studies have shown that feeding Availa-Plus helps provide protection against digital dermatitis (DD), a common infectious foot disease, when fed as part of a well-fortified diet and according to specific feeding recommendations.

"Research has shown that the combination of essential trace minerals found in Availa-Plus are effective at helping decrease the incidence of DD in cattle, when fed according to specific feeding recommendations," Arturo Gomez, dairy veterinarian — Europe with Zinpro, said. "Improving trace mineral nutrition within a well-fortified diet has been shown to help cattle build stronger skin integrity and a more empowered immune system."

DD can cause painful lesions that often lead to lameness in dairy and beef cattle, and the impact of lameness on animal performance is costly and wide-reaching. Most notably, decreased milk production and poor reproductive performance are observed in dairy cattle.

To promote increased understanding about DD in Europe and to share effective strategies to manage this common infectious foot disease in dairy herds, Zinpro recently hosted a First Step Academy training program near Dusseldorf, Germany. Participants received instruction on the DD Check App, a new Zinpro resource that helps dairy producers identify, record and predict DD. The app is available at no cost on iPhone and iPad devices through the App Store (search “Zinpro”).