Sheep Lameness Detection and Advanced Management

Lameness is the most prevalent and painful welfare problem in sheep farming, yet remains significantly underdetected and undertreated.

Key Facts

Surveys suggest 3-10% of sheep in UK flocks are lame at any given time, with footrot and contagious ovine digital dermatitis as leading causes
Lame sheep show clear pain behaviors including altered gait, reduced grazing time, and weight loss
Farmers often underestimate lameness prevalence in their flocks, partly due to assessment bias and the stoic nature of sheep
The Five Point Plan for lameness control includes early detection, prompt treatment, culling of chronically lame animals, biosecurity, and foot bathing
Antibiotic stewardship is increasingly important as some lameness pathogens develop resistance to commonly used treatments
Technology including sensor-based lameness detection systems is being trialed to assist shepherds in large flocks

Welfare Considerations

Lameness in sheep represents one of the most widespread sources of chronic pain in farmed animals. The pastoral farming context, with large flocks and extensive grazing, makes individual detection particularly challenging. A combination of improved stockperson training, systematic scoring systems, and emerging sensor technologies offers the most promising pathway to reducing the welfare burden of sheep lameness.

What You Can Do

Support organizations providing lameness training for sheep farmers and stockpeople
Purchase lamb and sheep wool from farms with verified health and welfare management programs
Advocate for minimum treatment response time standards in sheep welfare codes
Learn about sheep welfare science and support research into better lameness detection technologies