Sustainable Liquid Barrier Dressings: A Revolution for management of wounds and topical infection in livestock

2018年，在剑桥大学兽医系工作的NoBACZ医疗保健公司的创始科学家们被介绍到与跛行相关的感染“数字皮炎”，这种疾病主要折磨奶牛。事实上，传染性跛行是牲畜的一个主要福利问题，它反过来影响动物的生长速度和/或饲料转化效率，并可能需要早期扑杀或导致流产。事实上，这些都是公认的牲畜养殖效率和可持续性方面的问题。基于这些事实，科学家们开始开发创新技术，这种技术不仅有助于管理数字皮炎和类似的牲畜问题，而且价格合理，由香草安全成分组成，并且是可持续的——特别是减少对绷带和敷料（被填埋或焚烧）以及抗生素的需求。结果是发现了一种快速凝固的液体涂抹屏障敷料，这种敷料是由饲料和食品级成分制成的。这些都是受专利保护的，分拆出来的公司NoBACZ Healthcare特别关注牲畜。NoBACZ的屏障敷料在许多兽医的“使用研究”中显示出强大的潜力，否则可能需要抗生素、敷料和绷带。这项创新不仅关乎可持续性和实用性，还关乎有效性，因为试点工作表明，NoBACZ的原型产品是更好的敷料和绷带，效果更好。我们还表明，简单的皮肤消毒剂，如碘，可以作为我们的液体屏障敷料的预先应用，这可能是管理和预防伤口和局部感染以及疾病后遗症和福利问题的有力组合。尽管迄今在原型产品和对牲畜的使用研究方面取得了很大进展，但产品本身、最佳制造路线和实际应用过程（包括与碘共同应用）尚未实质性确定。该项目旨在充分开发这些技术改进，使产品更接近市场。特别是，我们将优化凝胶和喷雾配方及其包装，展示在农场环境中的最佳应用程序，并根据当前的护理标准衡量健康结果的质量和效率。牛手指性皮炎和乳裂性皮炎，以及羊脚腐病和牲畜的一般“急救”应用将是主要焦点。

In 2018 the founder scientists of NoBACZ Healthcare, working in the department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, were introduced to the lameness-associated infection 'digital dermatitis', which mainly afflicts dairy cows. Infectious lameness is, in fact, a major welfare issue for livestock which in turn affects animal growth rates and/or feed conversion efficiency and may require early culling or cause abortion. Indeed these are recognised problems in terms of efficiency and sustainability in livestock farming. Based on these facts, the scientists set out to develop innovative technology that would not only aid in the management of digital dermatitis and similar livestock problems but would be affordable, composed of vanilla-safe components and be sustainable- particularly reducing requirements for bandages and dressings (which go to landfill or incineration) as well as antibiotics. The result was the discovery of rapid-setting, liquid-apply barrier dressings, created from feed and food grade components. These were patent protected and the spin out company, NoBACZ Healthcare, was born with its focus especially on livestock.NoBACZ's barrier dressings have shown strong potential in many veterinary applications in 'use studies' on animals that may otherwise require antibiotics, dressings and bandages. The innovation is not just about sustainability and practicality, its also about effectiveness as pilot works suggests that NoBACZ's prototype products are better dressings and better bandages leading to better outcomes. We have also shown that simple skin disinfectants, like iodine, are compatible as pre-applications for our liquid barrier dressings and this may be a powerful combination in the management and prevention of wounds and topical infections as well as the sequalae of disease and welfare issues.In spite of great progress to date with prototype products and use-studies on livestock, the products themselves, the optimal manufacturing routes and the processes of practical application (including co-application with iodine) are not yet substantially established. This project aims to fully develop those technical improvements, moving the products much closer to market.In particular, we will optimise both gel and spray formulations as well as their packaging, show what best application procedures are in the farm environment and measure the quality and efficiency of health outcomes versus current standards of care. Bovine digital dermatitis and udder cleft dermatitis, alongside ovine foot-rot and general 'first aid' applications in livestock will be major focal points.