Preliminary assessment of an adhesive gel barrier for the treatment of udder cleft dermatitis in dairy cows

Background Udder cleft dermatitis (UCD) is increasingly recognised in dairy cows. Severe lesions present with foul odour and open wounds, resulting in pain and discomfort. There is no established treatment for UCD. This open‐label pilot study aimed to investigate the potential for an adhesive gel barrier to treat UCD. Methods Two veterinary centres undertook the study on four farms. First, in five cows on one farm, proof‐of‐principle was sought in terms of benefit with weekly applications over 4 weeks, followed, second, by a small open‐label study on a total of 25 cows on three other farms with weekly applications for up to 9 weeks. Results In the initial five cows, adverse events were not observed and there was marked improvement in the lesions. The subsequent 25 cows had UCD lesions ranging from grade 2 to 5 on day 0, and consistent improvements were seen over time, especially in terms of malodour, discharge, lesion depth and re‐epithelisation. Limitations This is a small, uncontrolled, open‐label study. Conclusion Adhesive gel barriers appear to offer a solution for the treatment and management of UCD and should now be tested in a larger controlled trial.