A longitudinal investigation of an outbreak of toe tip necrosis syndrome in western canadian feedlot cattle

This investigation followed a cohort (n = 21) of single-sourced Angus cross yearling heifers diagnosed with toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS). The animals were intensively followed for ∼7 months, over which time 5 animals were euthanized because of intractable lameness or life-threatening sequelae such as cellulitis and myositis. Treatment consisted of systemic antimicrobial and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy, removing the necrotic horn tissue to facilitate drainage, and relocating the cattle to an earthen-floor pen. Sixteen of the 21 heifers recovered uneventfully. Upon sectioning the feet after slaughter, all the foot lesions had healed, but in some instances, the 3rd phalangeal bone had undergone bone remodeling, indicative of an earlier pathological process. This study is unique in that it chronicled the clinical and pathological outcomes associated with TTNS over an extended period.