Lameness is one of the most significant health and welfare challenges facing the UK sheep industry.

Whilst a lame sheep is easy to spot, the hidden cost to flock performance is often underestimated. Reduced fertility, poorer lamb growth, increased labour and treatment costs, and higher culling rates all add up to a considerable financial burden.

AHDB estimates the total cost of lameness to the UK sheep industry runs into many millions of pounds annually.

For breeding ewes, lameness results in reduced grazing time, poorer body condition, and lower ovulation rates. Lame ewes are less likely to achieve their target condition score at tupping, which can reduce scanning percentages and increase the number of barren ewes.

During pregnancy and lactation, reduced feed intake can also affect colostrum production, milk yield and ultimately lamb survival and growth.

For finishing lambs, every day spent lame is a day not spent growing efficiently.

Lambs with painful feet spend less time grazing and convert feed less effectively, resulting in slower daily liveweight gains, delayed finishing and increased production costs.

The impact on tups can be even greater.

A ram with sore feet will cover fewer ewes, travel less during the breeding season and may have reduced serving capacity, potentially affecting conception rates across the flock.

The good news is that infectious lameness can be successfully controlled by following the AHDB Five Point Plan – Cull, Treat, Avoid, Quarantine & Vaccinate.

Lameness isn’t simply an animal welfare issue – it’s a profitability issue.

Tackling it before tupping with a planned control programme can improve ewe performance, ram fertility, lamb growth and ultimately the financial performance of your flock.

Five Point Plan

1. Vaccinate – Before Tupping

Do not vaccinate 6 weeks before or after tupping to avoid stress that can temporarily affect fertility. Now is the perfect time to consider Footvax® as part of your flock health programme.

Timing is important. Vaccinating must take place at least 6 weeks before tupping to allow sheep to develop immunity before breeding and during the higher-risk autumn period.

Footvax® is administered as a 1 ml subcutaneous injection and stimulates immunity against the bacteria responsible for footrot. For the best results, vaccinate the whole breeding flock, including rams.

Consider:

• Avoid vaccinating within six weeks before or after shearing, as temporary injection-site swellings are
• Because Footvax® produces a strong immune response, avoid administering it at the same time as other vaccines or treatments unless advised by your vet.

2. Cull

Persistently lame sheep are often chronic carriers of infection. Culling repeat offenders removes a major source of disease and improves long-term flock health. Mark them so you remember which have been treated.

3. Avoid

Reduce opportunities for infection to spread by improving hygiene around handling areas, gateways and water troughs. Well-drained gravel gateways and the strategic use of lime can help reduce disease pressure.

4. Quarantine

Every purchased sheep should be treated as a potential source of disease. Isolate all incoming stock, inspect their feet, run them through a footbath on arrival and vaccinate, unless they have recently received Footvax® as part of an appropriate programme.

5. Treat

Prompt treatment is essential. AHDB recommends treating lame sheep quickly (within 3 days) with an appropriate long-acting antibiotic injection to improve recovery and minimise spread through the flock.

Call 01765 689666 to speak with the Jameson SQP team for expert advice on Footvax® or support developing an effective lameness control plan for your flock. We’re always here to help.