Sheep Ovine Footrot Welfare and Control

Footrot is one of the most painful and economically damaging diseases of sheep, caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and causing severe lameness that is preventable through vaccination and management.

Key Facts

Footrot affects up to 10-20% of sheep flocks in temperate climates during wet seasons
The condition is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus interacting with Fusobacterium necrophorum
Affected sheep experience severe pain causing characteristic kneeling posture when grazing
The disease can be eradicated from individual flocks through systematic footbathing and culling
Vaccination reduces footrot incidence and severity in endemic flocks
Footbathing with zinc sulfate or formalin solution is the primary control and treatment measure
Lame sheep should be identified promptly and treated or culled to prevent prolonged suffering

Welfare Considerations

Footrot causes extreme lameness that is clearly and visibly distressing. Severely affected sheep kneel to graze to avoid bearing weight on painful feet, and may be unable to keep up with the flock, leading to isolation and further stress. The pain is severe enough that affected sheep lose body condition through reduced feeding and the metabolic cost of chronic pain. Footrot spreads through flocks during wet weather, potentially affecting large proportions of animals simultaneously. The condition is both preventable and curable, making prolonged untreated footrot in flocks a welfare failure that reflects inadequate monitoring or management.

What You Can Do

Inspect sheep feet regularly during wet seasons and treat lame animals promptly
Implement regular footbathing programs with zinc sulfate or formalin in footrot-endemic flocks
Vaccinate against footrot in persistently affected flocks
Cull chronically affected or treatment-resistant sheep to reduce flock disease burden
Quarantine and inspect new sheep before introduction to prevent importing virulent D. nodosus strains
Ensure adequate grazing management to avoid prolonged periods of wet, muddy conditions