Lameness is the second most significant welfare issue in sheep after nutritional disease, affecting millions of animals globally and causing chronic pain that is often under-treated.
Sheep lameness is a pervasive welfare problem whose solution is well understood but poorly implemented in practice. Footrot and interdigital scald cause acute pain during walking, chronic pain during standing, and secondary welfare harms from reduced feeding, social isolation, and body condition deterioration. The welfare burden is compounded by the difficulty of identifying lame animals in large flocks on extensive grazing systems, where daily close observation is impractical. Systematic flock monitoring — including periodic lameness scoring of a sample of animals — helps identify problems early. Evidence-based treatment protocols, vaccination in high-risk flocks, and selective culling of chronically affected animals are the cornerstones of effective welfare management. Farmer training and veterinary support for lameness control programs are essential.