Lameness is the most significant health and welfare problem in sheep worldwide, with footrot and CODD causing chronic pain in millions of animals each year.
Sheep lameness causes significant chronic pain and is often undertreated because sheep stoically mask pain and farmers may not recognise the severity. Lame sheep have impaired grazing ability, lose body condition, and have reduced reproductive performance. Evidence-based treatment protocols including footbathing, trimming, antibiotics, and vaccination against footrot can control lameness effectively. Mobility scoring systems help farmers identify lame animals early when treatment is most effective.