Sheep Footrot: A Painful and Preventable Disease in Flocks Worldwide

Footrot is one of the most economically damaging and welfare-harmful diseases in sheep farming globally. Caused by bacterial infection of the hoof, it causes severe lameness and is highly contagious within flocks.

Key Facts

Footrot is caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus in combination with Fusobacterium necrophorum
It affects sheep across temperate and subtropical sheep-farming regions including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand
Severe footrot causes painful hoof tissue separation — affected sheep are reluctant to walk or bear weight
The disease spreads rapidly in wet conditions through soil contamination and direct contact between sheep
Treatment requires foot paring (trimming infected tissue), foot bathing in zinc sulphate, and antibiotic injection
Vaccination against footrot is available and provides partial protection — reducing severity rather than preventing infection entirely
New Zealand has pursued eradication programmes that have successfully cleared footrot from many flocks
Genetic selection for more upright hoof conformation reduces susceptibility in high-risk environments

Welfare Considerations

Footrot causes severe and prolonged welfare harm. Affected sheep walk on their knees to avoid weight-bearing on painful hooves, lose body condition from reduced grazing, and suffer chronic pain that affects every aspect of their daily life. The disease is highly contagious and spreads rapidly through flocks, meaning that one affected individual quickly becomes many. Early detection and treatment is critical: delays allow tissue necrosis to progress and increase treatment difficulty. Footbathing programmes — where sheep walk through zinc sulphate solution — are effective preventive measures but require consistent implementation. The welfare case for routine vaccination in high-risk environments is strong, as is the case for genetic selection toward more resilient hoof morphology. Lameness scoring — regularly assessing the proportion of lame animals in a flock — is the most important welfare monitoring tool and allows early intervention before disease becomes widespread.

What You Can Do

Implement routine lameness scoring in sheep flocks to detect footrot early before it spreads
Establish regular footbathing programmes in high-risk environments, particularly during wet seasons
Vaccinate flocks in areas with persistent footrot problems — vaccination reduces severity even when it does not prevent infection
Seek veterinary diagnosis for persistent lameness rather than assuming footrot — scald and foot abscess require different treatment
Support genetic selection programmes that breed for hoof conformation traits associated with lower footrot susceptibility