Can I just ask a related question about the purple spray?..... Does it actually do anything?
I have a tin of purple foot spray that says "contains violet", and I certainly can't argue with that claim. But does it actually contain anything else? It doesn't say so!!
There are many different purple sprays, I guess. I used to use Septiclense for general antiseptic needs, and the FootMaster variant for sheep's feet. I do also use straight Gentian Violet sometimes. Gentian Violet (hexamethyl pararosaniline chloride, aka crystal violet) is weakly antibacterial and more strongly antifungal, and I am sure its historical use especially with horses is the reason the manufacturers put a violet dye (although often not any actual Gentian Violet, if you look at the ingredients
in a lot of their antiseptic and antimicrobial sprays
.
According to the Nettex product catalogue, Septi-clense contains Chlorhexidine Digluconate and Chlorophen - so, antiseptic / disinfecting, somewhat antimicrobial., possibly slightly antifungal. I could not find the details of the specific additive in FootMaster, but I know I researched it when farming in Northumberland and the added ingredient made sense to me at the time for sheep's feet.