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A Sticky Solution to Digital Dermatitis: Natural Healing for Lame Cows

By Pammy Riggs – Organic Poultry Farmer, Author & All-Round Good Egg!

With years of hands-on experience as a farmer and practitioner, I’ve had my fair share of mucky cow feet. And like many of us, I’m always searching for simple, natural alternatives to persistent problems — ideally ones I can whip up myself using what’s on the farm.

At Whole Health Agriculture (WHAg), we champion holistic animal health and preventative care — that’s at the heart of our Complementary Health Advisor programme. So when it comes to something like digital dermatitis, which causes 25% of lameness in UK dairy cows, we’re always up for finding another way.

What Is Digital Dermatiti

Digital dermatitis (DD) is caused by Treponema bacteria and often shows up as painful ulcers or warts around a cow’s hoof, especially between the claws. I’ve seen it too many times — cows hobbling, uncomfortable, or just not thriving. It’s tough to manage, mainly because the dairy cow’s daily routine involves slogging through what is essentially a bacterial soup.

Let’s face it — staying clean isn’t exactly an option.

Conventional Treatment: Antibiotics, Bandages & A Prayer?

For non-urgent cases, most herd managers will:

  • Restrain the cow in a foot crush
  • Clean the infected area thoroughly
  • Apply an antibiotic spray (like Terramycin)
  • Possibly bandage the area for protection

But here’s the thing — we’re in an era of antimicrobial resistance, and WHAg is focused on finding alternatives to routine antibiotic use. So… could there be a more natural, cost-effective, and local solution?

My Wishlist for a Natural Treatment

I wanted something that ticked these boxes:

  • Practical & sticky enough to stay on a hoof
  • Natural and safe
  • Easy to make with local or farm-sourced ingredients
  • Inexpensive (because cows have more than one foot, right?)


An aloe vera-based gel with minerals does exist — and it works — but at £40 a pot, I figured I could do better. And do it myself.

Bee-based Healing: Homemade Hoof Salve Recipe

Here’s what we came up with, with help from my friend and medical herbalist Diana Lee:

Pammy’s Sticky Foot Potion

Ingredients:
  • 100ml linseed oil (cheap and available in builders’ merchants!)
  • 5g cleaned propolis (from our hives)
  • 7.5g beeswax (also local)

How to make it:

  1. Gently heat the oil in a bain-marie to around 70°C
  2. Add chopped propolis, stirring for about 10 minutes
  3. Remove the gooey residue (filter if needed)
  4. Stir in beeswax until melted
  5. Pour into a jar and let it cool


Result: A rich, sticky salve perfect for stippling between a cow’s claws. Local, cheap, natural — tick, tick, tick!

Research-Backed Remedies

While playing mad-foot-scientist, I stumbled on this gem of a study:

“Honey and medicinal plants in the management of certain surgical bovine claw affections” It explored the benefits of using honey, calendula, oregano, and thyme — and guess what? Honey came out on top.

You can read the full study here — it’s worth it.

Essential Oils & Expert Tips

WHAg’s own clinical aromatherapist, Sara Kernohan, shared some brilliant additions:

  • Oregano & Thyme – antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal
  • Calendula (Marigold) – anti-inflammatory, wound-healing
  • Tea Tree – a solid standby if you’re short on the others

Safe dilution guide:

  • 1% Oregano
  • 1% Thyme
  • 1–2% Calendula
    (= 9 drops per tablespoon / 3 per teaspoon of your base)


Sara’s tip: Store mixed oils in the fridge to keep them potent. Just maybe don’t keep them next to your butter!

Honey: Sticky Gold at the Bottom of the Garden

Let’s not forget honey — our ultimate sticky healer. It’s antimicrobial, healing, and seriously practical.

  • Sticks to hooves
  • Locally made
  • £6 vs. £40


Honestly, it beats most shop-bought gels — and it’s right there in your hives.

Could This Work for Other Hooved Animals?

I’d love to hear from other dairy farmers — or those working with sheep, goats, or pigs — who try this method. Drop me a note through WHAg. The more we share, the more we learn.

And as a bonus: I’ve now learned to make salves. So move over jams and chutneys — my homemade Christmas presents are sorted this year.

About the author

Pammy Riggs has been an organic poultry farmer for over 30 years, winning numerous awards including Organic Business of the Year. You might recognise her from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s and Rick Stein’s TV programs. She also has turned her hand to writing, co-authoring ‘Keeping Chickens for Dummies‘ and was a regular columnist in “Your Chickens” and “Country Smallholding” magazines.

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