Sheep Foot Disease and Welfare Management

Footrot and foot scald are among the most prevalent and painful conditions in farmed sheep worldwide, requiring systematic herd management and early intervention to minimize suffering.

Key Facts

Footrot affects up to 10% of sheep in affected flocks and is the second most common cause of lameness
The bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus is the primary cause of footrot in sheep globally
Lame sheep have significantly reduced food intake, body condition, and reproductive performance
Regular foot bathing and vaccination programs can reduce footrot prevalence by over 70%
Early detection and treatment is critical — untreated footrot causes progressive tissue damage and chronic pain

Welfare Considerations

Foot disease in sheep causes chronic pain that affects virtually every aspect of welfare. Lame sheep struggle to compete for food and water, lose body condition, and produce less milk for lambs. In flocks where foot disease is endemic, the suffering is normalized and often goes unaddressed for extended periods. Welfare-centered approaches to sheep foot health include regular inspection of all animals, prompt isolation and treatment of lame individuals, whole-flock vaccination programs for footrot, appropriate footbathing protocols, and selection for genetic resistance to foot disease. Minimizing the delay between onset of lameness and treatment is the single most important welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Implement regular flock lameness scoring to identify lame sheep early
Treat lame sheep promptly — consult your veterinarian on appropriate antibiotic and footbathing protocols
Vaccinate against footrot in endemic regions according to your vet advice
Select for genetic resistance to lameness in your breeding program
Report high lameness prevalence to your veterinary adviser and work to identify the underlying cause