Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Animal Welfare: Sheep Footrot Welfare Management

Footrot is one of the most painful and prevalent lameness conditions in sheep, causing significant welfare compromise and economic loss in affected flocks.

Key Facts

Footrot is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and is the leading cause of sheep lameness in many countries
Affected sheep show severe lameness, reluctance to walk, and weight-bearing on knees
Transmission occurs through infected pasture and direct sheep-to-sheep contact
Vaccination combined with treatment and culling of chronic cases reduces flock prevalence
Prompt treatment with antibiotics reduces pain duration and prevents chronic disease

Welfare Considerations

Footrot causes intense pain making affected sheep reluctant to walk, eat, and compete for resources. In poorly managed flocks, chronic lameness causes prolonged suffering and secondary welfare impacts from weight loss and social disadvantage. Proactive flock management including vaccination and prompt treatment significantly reduces welfare burden.

What You Can Do

Support farmers adopting responsible footrot eradication programmes
Choose lamb products from farms with documented lameness management protocols
Advocate for lameness as a key welfare indicator in sheep assurance schemes