Sheep Lameness Management and Prevention

Lameness is the second most important welfare problem in sheep after dystocia. Understanding the causes, Five-Point Plan for control, and welfare impact is essential for improving sheep welfare on UK farms.

Key Facts

Lameness affects approximately 3-8% of UK sheep at any given time, with higher prevalence in wet winters
Footrot (Dichelobacter nodosus) and CODD (Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis) are the two primary causes requiring differentiation for effective treatment
CODD, an emerging disease first identified in 1997, causes severe lameness with rapid progression and is poorly responsive to footbathing
The Five-Point Plan for footrot control includes footbathing, culling, vaccination, antibiotic treatment, and biosecurity
Lameness scoring allows systematic identification of lame sheep that require treatment
Lame sheep show reduced grazing time, reduced body condition, and impaired reproductive performance
Untreated footrot causes chronic suffering as infection progresses and destroys hoof tissue
Prompt treatment within 3 days of lameness onset significantly improves cure rates and reduces suffering duration

Welfare Considerations

Sheep lameness is a pervasive welfare problem that is under-treated in many UK flocks due to the labour intensity of individual sheep management and the difficulty of identifying lame individuals in large flocks. Lame sheep in pain reduce their grazing, fall behind the flock, and experience progressive deterioration if untreated. CODD in particular progresses rapidly and causes severe suffering through deep tissue infection. The welfare obligation is to identify lame sheep within 3 days and treat appropriately - delays significantly reduce treatment success and prolong suffering. Systematic lameness scoring, prompt individual treatment, and vaccination for footrot are achievable improvements that could prevent enormous suffering across UK sheep flocks.

What You Can Do

Implement routine lameness scoring in your flock - assess all sheep at least fortnightly
Treat lame sheep within 3 days of identification for best welfare and outcome results
Learn to differentiate footrot from CODD as treatments differ significantly
Vaccinate against footrot as part of a Five-Point Plan control strategy
Implement strict biosecurity for new sheep introductions to prevent CODD introduction
Support farm welfare standards that require lameness monitoring and prompt treatment protocols