Diseases that cause lameness in sheep

Find out about the main causes of lameness to help you to identify, prevent and treat disease.

There are six main causes of lameness in sheep. These are:

1. CODD (contagious ovine digital dermatitis)
2. Footrot 
3. Scald
4. Toe granuloma
5. Toe abscess
6. Shelly hoof

Effective management of lameness depends on correct identification. Our descriptions and illustrations on the pages below will help you to assess lameness.

You can also see our decision tree for lameness to help to in diagnosing the cause.

CODD initially occurs at the top of the hoof (coronary band) and often results in severe lameness. It is essential to seek veterinary advice for the latest recommendations as soon as CODD is suspected.

Footrot, like scald, is caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus, which lives on sheeps’ feet. The bacteria are present on about 97% of farms.

Scald is an early presentation of footrot and sheep can be very lame with only minor lesions. Find out more about the symptoms and how to treat it.

Toe granulomas are more likely to occur on farms where footrot and CODD are also present. Read how to treat and prevent this disease.

Puncture of the hoof, or separation of the white line, can lead to infection and abscess formation in the foot.

The cause of shelly hoof has not been identified. However, associations with damage from rough or wet ground, stony standings or nutritional imbalance have been implicated.