Foot Rot Control - OKSU

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

ANSI-3901

Foot Rot Control

Gerald Q. Fitch

Extension Sheep Specialist

Foot rot is a disease that has been around the sheep
industry for decades. Foot rot is one of the most economically
devastating diseases of sheep. Although death loss due to foot
rot is low, losses in production, labor and treatment is very costly.

Diagnosis
Lameness is the most obvious symptom of foot rot.
However, sheep with an early infection of foot rot may not
be lame. The infection will move under the sole of the hoof
through a cut or break in the hoof. The quickest way to detect
a bad case of foot rot is smelling of the hoof, foot rot has a
very easily detected foul odor.

There are several other diseases sometimes confused
with foot rot, such as foot scald, founder, injuries, arthritis
and others. The point to remember is that foot rot is the only
disease with an easily detected foul odor.

Prevention

Where foot rot is concerned, an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure. Producers should quickly realize this
disease is much easier and less costly to prevent than to treat.
There are several management practices to help a producer
remain foot rot free.
1. Never buy sheep infected with foot rot.
2. Isolate new additions to the flock for a minimum of two
weeks.
3. Avoid using corrals or other equipment that have been in
contact with infected sheep within a two week period.
4. Insist that commercial vehicles are properly disinfected
prior to transporting sheep.
5. Run all newly arrived sheep through a foot bath.

Remember, foot rot is a disease normally the feet of newly
purchased sheep. Quarantine new sheep for a minimum of
two weeks. Trim feet immediately upon arrival, treat feet following trimming, and re-examine prior to putting new sheep
with your flock.

Treatment

Elimination of foot rot requires continuous dedication to
a systematic treatment schedule. Examine all sheep for foot
rot and move all infected sheep into a quarantine area. Trimming the feet of uninfected sheep is not necessary, but a good
management practice. Run the uninfected sheep through a
foot bath and move to a clean area.

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets
are also available on our website at:
http://osufacts.okstate.edu

For infected sheep, trim the feet. It is important to remember
exposure of diseased areas often results in some bleeding of
the feet. This may be the most crucial part of foot rot control.
If the diseased areas are not totally exposed, there is a good
chance that the disease will progress. For effectiveness, the
entire foot rot diseased area must be opened up for the foot
bath treatments. After completing hoof trimming, direct application of topical medication should be sprayed on, then
animals should then be foot bathed.

Treated animals should be moved to a dry area isolated
from the rest of the flock. A dry area is very important. Research
has shown the effectiveness of topical treatment is increased
by 60 percent to 80 percent.

These infected sheep should then be rechecked every
three days to five days, regardless of lameness. Opening up
the foot rot will allow for quicker healing. Most veterinarians
recommend running infected sheep through a foot bath at
least twice per week. Quicker healing will result if sheep are
moved through a foot bath each day.This can be accomplished
by positioning the foot bath in an area that ewes will move
through from food to water, or from the barn to pasture.

Once a ewe has healed she should be moved from the
infected group to a third area for 14 days. This will allow rechecking before turning her in with the uninfected flock. Keep
this procedure in force until foot rot is eradicated in the flock.
There are a certain number of ewes that will be chronic carriers of foot rot (approximately three percent to five percent).
Those ewes should be separated and considered for culling
from the flock.

Foot Baths

There are several types of foot baths that will work. Fiberglass foot bath troughs are available that fit inside a working
chute. These units are well constructed and durable, but can
be somewhat expensive. Other producers have constructed
their own foot baths using a 4 feet by 4 feet sheet of plywood
and 2-inch by 6-inch boards forming the sides. The seams are
then sealed with caulking. Putting a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of
wool in the bottom of the foot bath will accomplish two goals.
First, sheep tend to move through the padded bath better and
secondly, the wool will tend to keep the solution from splashing
out of the foot bath.

The best medication used by most sheep producers today is zinc sulfate. This solution is mixed with 8 pounds zinc

Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

•

Oklahoma State University

sulfate to 10 gallons of water. This solution can be left in the
foot bath and added to or replaced as is necessary. Other
compounds that can be used are copper sulfate (8 lbs to
10 gallons water) and formalin (1 gallon formaldehyde in 19
gallons of water). Zinc sulfate has some distinct advantages
over the other medications. It is much less toxic than copper
sulfate, and will not become progressively less concentrated
in an open foot bath as will formalin. Zinc sulfate may be
purchased through most vet supply stores.

A vaccine called Footvax is on the market for the
prevention and control of foot rot. This product has been
shown to be most effective when used in conjunction with
other foot rot control measures, such as hoof trimming and
foot bathing.

REMEMBER—ISOLATE, TRIM
AND TREAT!!!

Foot rot is a serious problem for all sheep producers, especially during wet, muddy weather. Oklahoma is no exception, Foot
rot should be treated quickly or a major outbreak WILL occur.
For help in implementing a cooperative drive against foot rot in
a particular area, contact a local veterinarian, state Extension
veterinarian or county educator.

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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
Service, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the Vice President, Dean, and Director of the
Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of 20 cents per copy. Revised 0715 GH.

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