We were pleased to be joined by Dr. Hannah Varnell from Heritage Vet Partners to learn about the history and progression of ovine footrot prevention and treatments. Dr. Varnell began her presentation with a disease overview and discussed a breakdown of the Epidemiologic Triad involving a susceptible host, a pathogen, and a conducive environment. She then discussed how footrot must be managed within flocks with a combination of control, prevention, and treatment rather than vaccination alone. Dr. Varnell provided an in-depth history of the progression of footrot and its preventions and treatments starting from the early 1900’s to the present.

After providing an excellent overview of the disease, Dr. Varnell identified the economics of footrot. This topic involves qualitative losses, quantitative losses, production losses, labor resources, and treatment products. Solar graziers also have the added cost of public perception as they tend to be more public facing than traditional sheep markets.

Dr. Varnell rounded out her presentation on a positive note by discussing the work she’s done with Cambridge Technologies to accomplish a recent breakthrough on the development of an autogenous footrot vaccine specific to strains found in US sheep. This geographically specific vaccine can be a valuable solution to ovine footrot for the solar grazing and traditional sheep industries.

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