Sheep Foot Rot: Prevention, Treatment, and Welfare Impact of a Painful Lameness

Foot rot caused by Dichelobacter nodosus is one of the most painful and welfare-significant diseases of sheep, causing severe lameness. Vaccination, footbathing, and culling programmes can control and eliminate it from flocks.

Key Facts

Sheep foot rot is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus acting synergistically with Fusobacterium necrophorum, causing progressive necrosis of the horn and sensitive laminar tissue of the hoof
Clinical signs progress from interdigital swelling and tenderness to separation of the horn from the sensitive laminar tissue (underrunning), with a characteristic foul smell from necrotic tissue
Severely affected sheep are unable to weight-bear and spend extended periods lying down or walking on their knees — one of the most obvious signs of severe welfare compromise in sheep
Pain scoring studies confirm that lame sheep have significantly elevated pain scores and show behavioural indicators of acute pain including changes in posture, facial expression, and withdrawal from the flock
Treatment with foot-trimming and antibiotic injection (procaine penicillin or oxytetracycline) is effective in early to moderate cases; severely underrun feet may require extensive debridement
Vaccination with Footvax reduces the incidence and severity of foot rot and is an important tool in eradication programmes
The New Zealand and Australian sheep industries have demonstrated that foot rot can be eradicated from individual flocks through a combination of vaccination, antibiotic treatment, culling of persistently affected animals, and biosecurity

Welfare Considerations

Foot rot causes intense, chronic pain that significantly compromises sheep welfare for weeks to months if untreated. Lame sheep are unable to compete for feed or water, lose body condition rapidly, and are at increased risk of predation and flyblown secondary wounds. The welfare cost accumulates daily as untreated animals continue to suffer. Despite this, foot rot is frequently undertreated in extensive systems where affected animals may not be handled frequently enough for prompt diagnosis and treatment. Regular flock inspection specifically for lameness, combined with prompt treatment and preventive vaccination, can dramatically reduce the burden of this disease. Eradication is achievable and offers permanent welfare improvement for future generations of sheep in the flock.

What You Can Do

Inspect sheep at least monthly for lameness and treat promptly — do not allow lame animals to go untreated until the next routine handling
Vaccinate flocks with Footvax according to manufacturer protocol, particularly before periods of high foot rot risk (wet conditions)
Implement a footbathing programme using zinc sulphate or formalin solutions to reduce environmental pathogen load
Cull persistently affected animals that fail to respond to treatment and serve as a reservoir of infection in the flock
Maintain strict biosecurity — foot rot is introduced by carrier animals and can be excluded from clean flocks through quarantine of purchased sheep
Ensure NSAIDs are available on the farm for pain management of severely lame sheep awaiting or receiving treatment
Consider participating in a foot rot eradication programme if your flock has high incidence — achieving freedom from foot rot has lasting welfare and economic benefits