Footrot in Sheep: Welfare Management at Flock Level 2026

Footrot is a contagious bacterial infection causing severe lameness in sheep, with significant welfare and economic consequences for flocks.

Key Facts

Footrot is caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus and spreads between sheep
It causes progressive rot of the hoof tissue, severe pain, and reluctance to stand or move
Wet, warm conditions favour the spread of footrot within flocks
Treatment involves topical antibiotics, footbathing, and in severe cases parenteral antibiotics
The Five Point Plan for sheep lameness aims to reduce prevalence to below 2% of the flock at any time

Welfare Considerations

Footrot causes acute pain that profoundly compromises sheep welfare. Affected animals struggle to graze, lose body condition, and are vulnerable to fly strike over the affected foot. The chronic nature of footrot in poorly managed flocks means many sheep experience prolonged suffering before treatment is administered. Adoption of the Five Point Plan, regular flock scoring for lameness, and prompt treatment of affected individuals substantially improve welfare outcomes and reduce the overall burden of lameness in sheep farming.

What You Can Do

Support sheep farmers implementing structured lameness reduction programmes
Choose lamb and sheep products from farms with lameness prevention commitments
Advocate for lameness as a priority welfare indicator in sheep assurance schemes
Encourage adoption of electronic identification to enable targeted treatment records