If you’ve been around cows long enough, you’ve likely dealt with ringworm. It’s a frustrating little fungus that shows up uninvited and overstays its welcome, spreading through barns like gossip at a county fair. Whether you raise beef cattle, dairy cows, calves, or older stock, no one is immune.
The good news? With the right tools and knowledge, you can treat and prevent ringworm before it wreaks havoc on your herd or your show season. There are many products available and myths floating around about how to treat ringworm in cows and prevent it from spreading. Read on to learn about the best way to treat ringworm in your herd and to get a better understanding of what it is.
What Is Ringworm, Really?
So let’s talk ringworm. It’s that frustrating, red, circular skin rash that seems to linger forever. But what exactly is it?
Ringworm isn’t actually a worm at all, it’s a contagious fungal infection that causes itchy, scaly, ring-shaped patches on the skin. It can affect humans and all kinds of domesticated animals, and it’s stubborn enough to hang around on surfaces like halters, gates, and grooming tools for months, even years.
Also called “tinea” or “dermatophytosis,” this infection has many names depending on where it shows up: athlete’s foot (feet), jock itch (groin), tinea barbae (beard area), and tinea manuum (hands). No matter the name, it’s a nuisance, especially when it pops up right before show season.
Will Ringworm Go Away on Its Own?
Technically, yes but not anytime soon. Untreated ringworm can take up to nine months to fully clear, which is less than ideal when you’re prepping for a show. The good news? With consistent treatment, it can heal in just 2 to 4 weeks. That means if you spot it early, there’s still time to get your cow back in shape before they step into the ring. Treat it early, treat it often, and you’ll be back to a nice smooth look before you pop in the ring.
Rule Out Other Factors
Before you begin ringworm treatment, make sure your cow’s ailment is not caused by a different factor. Sometimes, flies, lice, ticks, cattle grubs, and mites cause irritations on the animal’s skin that may look like ringworm at first. Ensure you can clearly see a red ring on their skin and not bumps or dry patches that can be caused by other parasites.
No matter what parasite your animal has, bathing them is a good first step. However, depending on the external parasite your animal may have, you will need to treat each type of parasite differently. Therefore, besides a bath, do not complete the rest of the following steps until you are positive ringworm is what your cows have.
Consult with a vet if you are unsure what is causing the symptoms your cow is displaying.
Treat Ringworm in Cattle
Once you determine ringworm is what is afflicting your cattle, you can begin treating it. Start by washing your animal with an antifungal soap to remove scabs from the ringworm. Afterward, you can use povidone iodine and/or topical creams 1-2 times daily until the ringworm is gone. Then, be sure to disinfect your barn to prevent the spread of ringworm.
Here is a quick step-by-step guide to help you through the process.
- Wash the animal
- Remove scabs from the ringworm
- Apply povidone iodine or topical creams 1-2 times daily
- Repeat the above process until ringworm shows signs of healing
- Clean the surrounding environment to stop the spread of ringworm
When you have an animal with ringworm, it is best to isolate them to prevent them from giving it to others. Make sure they have their own halter, feed tubs, buckets, and scrub brushes used only on them. Once the animal is clear of ringworm, you can disinfect these items to use them with other animals again.
1 Wash Your Animals Frequently
Many farmers do not have the time to do this step. However, if it’s a show animal you want to take to the next show, we highly suggest taking the time to complete this step as often as you can.
When washing your animal, you can use an all-natural fungal shampoo like Terminator. These types of shampoos can also be used to prevent the spread of ringworm if your animal does not have it yet but has been in contact with one that does. Scrub the fungal shampoo on your cow, being sure to really scrub the ringworm, and then leave it on for ten minutes before rinsing it out. Check with your vet to make sure the fungal shampoo you are using is legal to use on food-producing animals.
We recommend giving your cow a good wash every day, or as often as you can, with an all-natural antifungal shampoo. The more you scrub those ringworm spots, the quicker they’ll clear up. Just be careful: don’t use the same brush or bucket on cows that aren’t infected. That’s the fastest way to spread it around the herd. After treating a cow with ringworm, make sure to thoroughly disinfect your brushes and buckets before using them again. A little extra caution goes a long way in keeping the rest of your animals ringworm-free.
Sunlight Heals Ringworm
Ringworm doesn’t stand a chance against sunlight. U.V. light is one of its natural enemies. That’s why giving your infected animals plenty of time outside can help speed up the healing process. If your cows are usually kept indoors, bath time is a perfect opportunity to boost their sun exposure.
The more sunlight your cow gets, the faster that stubborn ringworm fades. So take them for a stroll, let them lounge in the pasture, or simply tie them up outside while you give them a scrub. A little sunshine goes a long way in the fight against fungus!
2 Remove Scabs from Ringworm
As you’re washing your cow, be sure to gently scrub away any flaky skin or scabs covering the ringworm spots. If the treatment can’t reach the infection, it won’t do much good since those scabs act like a shield, slowing healing time.
Even if you decide not to give your cow a full bath, this step is still a must. You’ll need to carefully remove the scabs before applying any treatment. And once they’re off, don’t leave them lying around. Infected scabs can spread ringworm to other animals. Some experts recommend burning them to stop the spread completely, but sealing them up in a garbage bag and tossing them out safely works too.
3 Best Ringworm Topical Creams
Once you have removed the scabs from the ringworm-infected area, it is time to apply a topical cream. Povidone-Iodine has been proven to help fight off ringworm, so if you have some of that laying around, you can use it. You can also use a chlorexidine solution.
Your local veterinarian may have suggestions for what they believe is best to fight off ringworm. It is always good to talk to them about what their suggestions are. However, we recommend using the all-natural fungal remover Dr. Habs Ringworm Cure. Again, check with your vet first before using any fungal products on your animal to ensure legality of use on your specific animal.
4 How to Know Ringworm Is Healed
Be sure to remove all scabs and apply the antifungal cream daily for a few weeks. With consistent care, you’ll start to see the ringworm clear up, the scabbing will stop, and the infected area will begin to fade.
One of the best signs that the infection is healing (and is no longer contagious) is hair regrowth inside the ring. When new hair starts filling in, that’s your green light. Most cattle shows will allow animals with ringworm as long as there’s visible regrowth in the affected area, but it needs to be more than just a few wispy strands to pass the vet check.
5 Removing Ringworm from Your Barn
Did you know ringworm can linger on surfaces for months, just waiting to infect another cow or even you? That’s why it’s so important to isolate infected animals and thoroughly disinfect everything they’ve touched once they’re healed. Common culprits include:
- Gates
- Halters
- Feed tubs
- Wash buckets
- Pens
- Scrub brushes
- Water buckets
To properly sanitize these items and the areas your cow lived in, you’ll need to scrub them down with a strong disinfectant and/or use a pressure washer. Pressure washers are especially helpful for large or enclosed areas like pens. A foaming sprayer attached to your hose works great to coat surfaces with disinfectant, and a good rinse with a power washer ensures everything is truly clean.
Effective disinfectants for killing ringworm spores include:
- Household bleach (at least 1:32 concentration — ½ cup bleach per gallon of water)
- Rescue™ Disinfectants
- Virkon S
And don’t forget the final step: rinse thoroughly! This not only washes away the disinfectant but also removes any lingering fungal spores. Clean gear means healthy cows and no surprises later.
Can Cows Get Ringworm Again?
There is a myth that once you get ringworm, you can’t get it again. Many farmers believe this to be true and are therefore not concerned about decontaminating their barns after a ringworm outbreak. However, the truth is that the cows may become immune to the strand of ringworm that they had, but not all strands.
There are about 40 different species of fungi that can cause ringworm. Becoming immune to one does not protect from becoming infected by others.
This is why it is so important to isolate infected cows and decontaminate the environment to prevent the spread. Cows that have had ringworm in the past could be re-infected if the strand the currently infected animals have is different from the one they had.
Don’t Let Ringworm Ruin Your Day
Don’t let ringworm derail your hard work. You’ve spent countless hours preparing your animals, make sure you get the chance to show them off in the ring. At the same time, be courteous to fellow exhibitors. If your cow’s ringworm hasn’t healed, think twice before bringing them to the show. No one wants to be the reason another competitor has to sit the next one out.
Around The Ring 