Foot rot caused by Dichelobacter nodosus affects a significant proportion of UK sheep flocks annually. It causes severe lameness and is a major source of preventable sheep suffering.
Sheep foot rot causes severe, chronic pain that is often under-recognised and under-treated. Lame sheep show reduced mobility, reluctance to bear weight, and spend less time grazing. In severe cases, sheep may become recumbent, unable to access food and water. The condition is highly contagious within flocks and can spread rapidly without adequate biosecurity. Prompt identification and treatment is both the welfare imperative and the economically rational response - lame sheep lose weight and perform poorly. The Five Point Plan provides a structured, evidence-based approach to flock lameness control.