Foot rot (contagious footrot) is a painful bacterial infection causing severe lameness in sheep. Prevention through vaccination and biosecurity reduces flock-level welfare harm significantly.
Footrot causes severe lameness — one of the most welfare-significant conditions in sheep farming. Affected animals kneel to graze, lose body condition rapidly, and experience chronic pain over weeks to months without treatment. The contagious nature means that untreated cases seed the environment with bacteria that infect further sheep, multiplying the welfare impact exponentially. Eradication programmes offer the most complete welfare solution but require sustained commitment over multiple years. Interim management through vaccination, footbathing, and individual treatment reduces prevalence and individual suffering while eradication proceeds. Monitoring lameness prevalence through regular mobility scoring enables farmers to track progress and identify outbreaks early.