1. Foot Rot
By: Endre Fink, UK Research Specialist

2. Foot Rot
Bacteria enters the hoof and digests the hard tissue that protects the soft fleshy tissue inside the hoof
Requires foot trimming
There is often gray scum and a very pungent smell
No vaccine available in the U.S.
Caused by:
Fusobacterium necrophorum
 Always present in soil/manure
 Affects soft part of the hoof
 Helps Dichelobacter nodosus enter
Dichelobacter nodosus
 Only lives in the soil for days
 Can survive in the hoof given the
right anaerobic environment
 Affects soft and hard part of the
hoof
 Can be eliminated

3. Foot Scald

4. Foot Scald Caused by: Also called benign foot rot Can lead to foot rot
Swollen, red skin between toes
It does not affect the hard part of the hoof, unless left untreated
Starts due to damage to the interdigital skin caused from tall
grass, muddy conditions, weed stubbles, etc.
Caused by:
Fusobacterium necrophorum
 Anaerobic bacteria which inhabits the large intestine of
small ruminants
 Always present in soil and manure

5. Foot Rot Foot Scald Prevention ~ Never buy infected sheep
~ Inspect and isolate new animals
~ Trim feet
~ Use foot baths

6. Foot Rot / Foot Scald Treatments ~ The goal is to dry out the infected
feet and introduce oxygen
~ Trim feet; always remove all
necrotic tissue when trimming an
animal known to have foot rot
~ Isolate affected animals
~ Cull chronic limpers

7. Foot Rot / Foot Scald Treatments
~ Rotate pastures every days, important to move right after trimming and walking through a foot bath
~ Use of chemical drying agents
Copper Sulfate
 Hardens the hoof
 Can be toxic to sheep
 Stains the wool
 Good for scald as there
is not a lot of trimming
 8 lbs in 5 gal water
Zinc Sulfate
 Does not harden the
hoof
 Animals have to stand
for up to 15 minutes
 Can be hard to dilute
 Good to use if having
to do a lot of trimming
 4 lbs in 5 gal water
Dry Foot Bath
Good preventative
Need to put in area where sheep will walk through it
10 lbs Zinc sulfate mixed with 90 lbs limestone