Agriculture Mange limp in sheep: infection rate falls to just under half
The nationwide control of foot rot in sheep between fall 2024 and spring 2025 has had an effect. The infection rate in sheep flocks fell from 21 to twelve percent. The aim of the program is to reduce the rate to below one percent within five years.
24.04.2025, 11:21
SDA
In the fight against foot-and-mouth disease, the first testing period ran from October 2024 to the end of March, as announced by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) on Thursday. The Office and the cantonal veterinary services inspected all 12,432 sheep farms. Samples had to be taken from 11,000 of them.
These revealed an infection rate of 21 percent. The authorities initiated treatment on the affected sheep farms. The most important measures are claw trimming and regular claw baths for six to eight weeks. Biosecurity and animal movement regulations are also key.
After six months of implementing the control program, the infection rate had fallen to twelve percent. According to the FSVO, it is likely to fall further, as certain farms are still in the process of being reorganized. Of the 2,250 farms that tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease, 828 have successfully treated their herds. 719 of them succeeded at the first attempt.
According to the FSVO, despite the success achieved primarily thanks to sheep farmers, biosecurity measures and animal movement regulations must continue to be implemented consistently. The next investigation period runs from October 1 to March 31, 2026.
Foot rot is a contagious and painful bacterial hoof disease. At the beginning of the nationwide fight last fall, the FSVO assumed that every fourth sheep in Switzerland was affected - around 130,000 animals. The diseased sheep can no longer walk normally and graze on their knees.
