Lameness is one of the most common and welfare-significant conditions in sheep, with footrot, contagious ovine digital dermatitis, and other causes affecting millions of animals and requiring active management.
Sheep lameness represents one of the most widespread and underappreciated sources of chronic pain in farmed animals. A lame sheep experiences continuous pain from foot infections that makes every step uncomfortable, reducing the ability to graze, compete for food, and care for lambs. Despite the high prevalence, treatment is often delayed — farmers may not notice individual lame animals in large flocks, or economic pressures may delay veterinary intervention. The Five-Point Plan approach demonstrates that lameness can be dramatically reduced with systematic prevention and prompt treatment, achieving welfare and economic benefits simultaneously. Flock-level lameness monitoring using standardized scoring allows farms to benchmark against national targets and identify when management changes are needed. Achieving consistently low lameness prevalence is one of the most impactful welfare improvements achievable in sheep farming.