Foot rot is one of the most painful and economically costly conditions in sheep farming, causing severe lameness that affects the welfare of millions of sheep globally and is often undertreated due to the labour demands of regular hoof care.
Foot rot causes severe acute pain that substantially impairs sheep welfare. Lame sheep are reluctant to move to food and water, lose body condition and have impaired immune responses. Ewes with lameness at lambing have reduced milk production and poorer lamb survival. Despite this, foot rot frequently goes undetected and untreated in large extensive flocks because regular individual handling is labour-intensive. Early identification and treatment prevents the progression from initial infection to severe tissue destruction. The condition is also significantly underreported due to the normalisation of low-level lameness in some production systems, representing a systemic welfare failure.