Foot rot is a leading cause of lameness in sheep and significantly reduces welfare and production. Eradication is achievable through systematic flock management.
Foot rot causes significant suffering through painful lameness that reduces grazing ability, social interaction and lying comfort. Lame sheep experience reduced feed intake, condition loss and reproductive failure. Chronic cases that are insufficiently treated act as reservoirs that continuously re-infect the flock. Eradication programmes that combine vaccination, footbathing, culling of chronic non-responders and careful biosecurity when introducing new animals achieve sustained flock freedom and dramatic welfare improvement. Handling lame sheep requires careful attention to minimise additional stress.