Control, Treatment and Eradication
Note that virulent footrot in sheep is a notifiable disease in most states (NSW, SA, WA, Victoria) and must be reported to the state department of agriculture
Control of spread involves footbathing (for long or short term actions)
Footbathing in zinc sulphate helps treat existing lesions and reduce the spread of bacteria, improves the health, welfare and production of sheep, enhances the effect of a footrot vaccination program if used and provides precautionary quarantine treatment for introduced sheep
Eradication programs involve the identification and removal of all infected sheep from a flock when footrot is not spreading
All feet on all sheep must be inspected, and infected sheep or those requiring extensive foot trimming should be culled
In some cases salvage treatment with foot paring, footbathing and antibiotic treatment can be used.
Repeat inspection is made four weeks after the initial inspection and continued with regular surveillance