Authors: Best Caroline M, Roden Janet, Phillips Kate, Pyatt Alison Z, Cogan Tristan, Grogono-Thomas Rosemary, Behnke Malgorzata C
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Dichelobacter nodosus, the bacterium responsible for ovine footrot, poses significant animal welfare and economic challenges globally, yet subclinical infections in structurally compromised feet can perpetuate transmission undetected. Best and colleagues monitored 85 ewes across four commercial UK flocks over 12 months, collecting 972 foot swabs and conducting detailed hoof conformation assessments to quantify the relationship between structural defects and pathogenic bacterial load. Feet exhibiting poor sole and heel conformation carried significantly higher D. nodosus loads (β = 0.19), whilst wall overgrowth in infected feet was associated with even greater bacterial burdens (β = 0.27)—a concerning finding given that poor hoof conformation traits were identified in 92.5% of all foot observations. These results demonstrate that misshapen and damaged feet function as silent reservoirs of infection, meaning visual disease scoring alone will miss substantial numbers of carrier animals shedding the pathogen. Implementing preventive foot management protocols that address conformation defects—such as targeted trimming schedules and selective breeding for hoof quality—should form a cornerstone of footrot control strategies, as addressing structural vulnerability may be as important as treating clinical cases in breaking transmission chains.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Regular assessment of hoof conformation (sole/heel, wall shape, and overgrowth) should guide flock management strategies to reduce footrot transmission
- •Damaged feet with poor conformation may appear subclinical but harbour high bacterial loads—visual inspection alone is insufficient to identify all infection sources
- •Prioritize hoof trimming and management protocols that address wall overgrowth and sole/heel deformities as part of footrot control in commercial flocks
Key Findings
- •Poor sole and heel conformation was associated with higher D. nodosus loads (β = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04-0.35) compared to good conformation
- •Wall overgrowth on D. nodosus-positive feet was associated with significantly higher bacterial loads (β = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.01-0.52)
- •Poor hoof conformation traits were present in 92.5% of foot-level observations across commercial UK flocks
- •Feet with poor conformation act as covert carriers and reservoirs of D. nodosus infection, enabling disease spread