Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Footrot Management and Welfare

Footrot causes severe lameness and welfare harm in sheep, with eradication possible in closed flocks through systematic culling and vaccination.

Key Facts

Footrot is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus and causes severe lameness in sheep
The disease costs the UK sheep industry an estimated 24 million pounds annually in treatment
Virulent strains cause complete separation of hoof horn from underlying tissue
Vaccination with Footvax reduces incidence in vaccinated flocks
Eradication is achievable in closed flocks through strict culling of chronically affected animals

Welfare Considerations

Footrot causes severe lameness that dramatically reduces quality of life for affected sheep. Treatment must include appropriate antibiotic use, hoof trimming and dry conditions for recovery. Eradication programmes that remove chronic carriers prevent ongoing welfare harm more effectively than treatment alone.

What You Can Do

Support farms implementing footrot eradication rather than management-only approaches
Advocate for footrot status transparency in sheep biosecurity and movement records
Choose certified sheep products with documented lameness management standards