Footrot is a major cause of lameness in sheep globally, causing chronic pain that profoundly affects welfare and is substantially preventable with appropriate management.
Sheep lameness, predominantly from footrot and foot scald, is one of the most significant welfare problems in sheep farming globally. Lame sheep graze less, lose body condition, and show behavioural indicators of chronic pain — yet lameness is frequently normalised on farms where it is endemic. The welfare cost of untreated lameness accumulates daily: each day a sheep is lame and untreated is a day of chronic pain. The five-point lameness scoring system provides a structured framework for detection, and the five-day treatment rule — treating all lame sheep within five days of identification — is designed to limit the duration of suffering. Prevention through vaccination, trace element management, and pasture management reduces incidence. Routine foot trimming of non-lame sheep can worsen rather than prevent footrot and is no longer recommended by most welfare authorities.