Footrot caused by Dichelobacter nodosus is the leading cause of lameness in UK sheep, causing severe pain that is often undertreated. Effective management combines treatment, vaccination, and flock biosecurity.
Footrot causes severe pain that significantly compromises sheep quality of life: animals with virulent footrot adopt characteristic three-legged postures, lose weight from reduced grazing, and show physiological stress responses consistent with chronic pain. The welfare significance is compounded by the scale of the problem in UK flocks and by the underuse of analgesia in treatment. Antimicrobial treatment is effective but is often delayed because of difficulties in individual sheep identification and handling frequency in extensive systems. The welfare optimal approach is prompt identification of lame sheep, immediate treatment with antibiotics and NSAID analgesia, and biosecurity to prevent re-infection. Vaccination significantly reduces disease incidence in endemic flocks. The AHDB Five Point Plan provides a structured approach to reducing lameness below 2%, combining these elements with regular flock monitoring.