Lameness is one of the most significant welfare problems in sheep farming globally, causing chronic pain and reducing productivity. Early recognition and prompt treatment dramatically improve welfare outcomes for affected animals.
Sheep lameness is a welfare problem characterised by widespread underestimation and delayed treatment. Farmers accustomed to seeing lame sheep may habituate to what is actually significant ongoing suffering. The three-day treatment rule — treating within 3 days of first observation — is evidence-based and dramatically changes welfare outcomes: sheep treated promptly recover faster and with less antibiotic use than those treated after a week. Farm-level lameness scoring and recording identifies problem flocks early. Vaccination against footrot, zinc supplementation, and selective culling of chronically affected animals form the backbone of flock-level prevention. Stockmanship training in lameness recognition is a cost-effective welfare investment.