Sheep Foot Rot: Treatment and Eradication

Foot rot is the most painful and economically significant lameness condition in sheep. Effective treatment and eradication programmes dramatically reduce flock-level welfare burden.

Key Facts

Foot rot is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus, producing characteristic foul-smelling separation between the hoof horn and soft tissue
The disease causes severe lameness — affected sheep lose condition rapidly as they cannot walk to graze
Warm, wet conditions promote transmission, with peak incidence in autumn and spring in UK flocks
Treatment involves antibiotic foot bathing, injection with long-acting antibiotics, and foot trimming
Eradication through systematic treatment, footbath, culling of persistently infected individuals, and vaccination is achievable
AHDB Healthy Feet Programme provides evidence-based eradication protocols that have eliminated foot rot from participating flocks

Welfare Considerations

Foot rot causes chronic, severe lameness that profoundly affects sheep welfare. Lame sheep are less able to compete for grazing, lose body condition, have impaired reproductive performance, and experience prolonged pain that is exacerbated by continued weight-bearing. Untreated foot rot spreads rapidly through a flock, creating a welfare emergency at herd level. Eradication is achievable and represents one of the highest-return welfare investments in sheep farming.

What You Can Do

Join the AHDB Healthy Feet Programme or equivalent eradication scheme in your country
Implement a regular footbath programme with appropriate antibiotic solution during wet seasons
Treat lame sheep within 3 days of onset — early treatment dramatically improves cure rates
Vaccinate against footrot and maintain biosecurity when introducing new sheep to prevent reintroduction
Cull persistently infected individuals that fail to respond to treatment
Record lameness incidence by cause to identify trends and evaluate treatment effectiveness