Kopertox® - 8 oz. or 16 oz. |
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Our Detailed Review of Kopertox®
Kopertox® is one of the most recognized brands for treating hoof rot in sheep. This topical, liquid, antibacterial solution consists of 37.5% Copper Napthenate and one of the advantages it has over its chief competitor, Dr. Naylor's Hoof n' Heel, is that it is water resistant. If you are in a wet environment like the Northeastern United States or you are treating sheep that spend any time in damp or dew-laden pastures the advantage of applying Kopertox to your sheep's hooves is that it bonds to the hooves and keeps out moisture.
Of course this is also why we dinged Kopertox® a half star - green in color, Kopertox will stain skin, clothing and wool which means that you have to be extra careful when applying it. While we love that it's water resistant, and like that you can clearly confirm that you've coated all areas of the sheep's hoof (if it's not green, give it a squirt!), the fact that it can create a bit of a mess is a drawback.
While Kopertox® is more expensive than Hoof n' Heel per 16 oz. bottle we found that each bottle of Kopertox lasted longer and for severe cases of hoof rot or foot scald we found treatment with a combination of both products to be effective (we often started with several applications of Zinc Sulfate from Hoof n' Heel and followed up by sealing the hoof with Kopertox's Copper Napthenate solution. Kopertox seems to not sting quite as much on application (our sheep tended not to jump quite as much when it was applied), but both products were effective at treating foot rot or scald in sheep.
We recommend that shepherds keep both products on hand so that they are prepared in case a hoof rot infection breaks out in their flock, but if you are just choosing one the choice should really be made based on the size of your flock and your farm environment. For smaller flocks or for flocks in wet environments Kopertox is recommended as one bottle will last longer and treatment provides a moisture-resistant seal to the hoof, but for larger flocks the aggressive treatment of Hoof n' Heal (and the fact that you can order more solution for slightly less money) may be preferred. Both Hoof n' Heal and Kopertox® are trusted, recommended brand names for the treatment of hoof rot in sheep - we feel you can't go wrong with either product.
Of course this is also why we dinged Kopertox® a half star - green in color, Kopertox will stain skin, clothing and wool which means that you have to be extra careful when applying it. While we love that it's water resistant, and like that you can clearly confirm that you've coated all areas of the sheep's hoof (if it's not green, give it a squirt!), the fact that it can create a bit of a mess is a drawback.
While Kopertox® is more expensive than Hoof n' Heel per 16 oz. bottle we found that each bottle of Kopertox lasted longer and for severe cases of hoof rot or foot scald we found treatment with a combination of both products to be effective (we often started with several applications of Zinc Sulfate from Hoof n' Heel and followed up by sealing the hoof with Kopertox's Copper Napthenate solution. Kopertox seems to not sting quite as much on application (our sheep tended not to jump quite as much when it was applied), but both products were effective at treating foot rot or scald in sheep.
We recommend that shepherds keep both products on hand so that they are prepared in case a hoof rot infection breaks out in their flock, but if you are just choosing one the choice should really be made based on the size of your flock and your farm environment. For smaller flocks or for flocks in wet environments Kopertox is recommended as one bottle will last longer and treatment provides a moisture-resistant seal to the hoof, but for larger flocks the aggressive treatment of Hoof n' Heal (and the fact that you can order more solution for slightly less money) may be preferred. Both Hoof n' Heal and Kopertox® are trusted, recommended brand names for the treatment of hoof rot in sheep - we feel you can't go wrong with either product.