Sheep Lameness and Footrot Management

Lameness caused by footrot and other hoof conditions is one of the highest-prevalence welfare problems in sheep farming globally, causing significant chronic pain and production losses.

Key Facts

Lameness affects 5-10% of the sheep population in the UK at any given time, with footrot responsible for the majority of cases.
Footrot is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and causes softening and separation of hoof tissue with characteristic foul odour.
Untreated footrot causes progressive pain that eventually prevents normal weight bearing and grazing behaviour.
Treatment with antibiotic spray and, in severe cases, footbathing and parenteral antibiotic administration is effective when prompt.
The Five Point Plan for sheep lameness control, developed by AHDB, provides a practical framework for herd-level lameness reduction.

Welfare Considerations

Sheep lameness is a welfare problem of enormous scale that is substantially normalized in many farming systems. A lame sheep is a sheep in pain, and that pain worsens progressively without treatment. The three-day treatment standard — treat within three days of identifying a lame sheep — is frequently not met in practice, meaning many sheep experience days or weeks of pain before receiving care. Systemic lameness monitoring and treatment protocols are among the most impactful welfare investments available to sheep farmers.

What You Can Do

Implement a regular mobility scoring programme to identify lame sheep promptly — aim to score the whole flock every 2-4 weeks.
Treat identified lame sheep within three days and record treatment outcomes to monitor herd lameness trends.
Participate in a sheep lameness improvement programme if your flock has a prevalence above 2% at any scoring.
Advocate for mandatory lameness recording and treatment standards in sheep farming assurance schemes.