Ovine Footrot: Control, Treatment, and Welfare Deep Dive
Footrot is one of the most welfare-significant diseases in sheep farming worldwide, causing severe lameness, pain, and production loss requiring systematic control.
Key Facts
- Caused by synergy between Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus
- Sheep with footrot experience significant pain, demonstrated by behavioral and physiological measures
- Treatment with zinc sulphate footbathing and systemic antibiotics is effective
- Vaccination reduces disease incidence in endemically infected flocks
- The Five-Point Plan provides a framework for effective footrot control
Welfare Considerations
Footrot inflicts severe welfare suffering through the pain of interdigital tissue destruction and underrunning of the hoof. Lame sheep withdraw from grazing, lose weight, and show behavioral indicators of chronic pain including altered posture and reduced social engagement. The Five-Point Plan (treat, vaccinate, cull, avoid, buy-in testing) provides a systematic approach to welfare improvement at flock level. Farmers who adopt routine footbathing, prompt identification and treatment of lame sheep, and vaccination programs achieve dramatic reductions in footrot prevalence and the associated welfare burden.
What You Can Do
- Implement a routine footbathing program using zinc sulphate
- Train stockpersons to identify and score lameness promptly
- Treat lame sheep within three days of detection — every day of delay worsens welfare
- Use the Five-Point Plan for systematic footrot control in your flock
- Vaccinate your flock against footrot in high-risk situations