Seven well-controlled studies conducted under multiple management conditions demonstrated that
ceftiofur, a late-generation veterinary parenteral
cephalosporin, is effective for the treatment of bovine
foot rot in beef and dairy cattle. Two preliminary dosage titration studies using a challenge model compared the efficacy of
ceftiofur (1.1 mg or 2.2 mg
ceftiofur equivalents [CE]/kg administered once daily for 3 days) with placebo. One preliminary clinical study evaluated the efficacy of
ceftiofur sodium (1.0 mg CE/kg once daily for 3 days) in lactating dairy cows. Two clinical trials evaluated the efficacy of
ceftiofur sodium versus placebo for naturally occurring
foot rot, and two trials compared the efficacy of
ceftiofur sodium or hydrochloride (1.0 mg CE/kg) with
oxytetracycline (6.6 or 10 mg/kg), each administered once daily for 3 days, for treatment of acute
foot rot in beef cattle. All trials demonstrated the efficacy of
ceftiofur for treatment of acute bovine
foot rot.
Ceftiofur and
oxytetracycline were comparable in efficacy, with
ceftiofur having excellent injection-site tolerance and short or no milk discard or preslaughter withdrawal.