Animal disease Aargau launches fight against painful claw disease in sheep

The canton of Aargau has presented its program for combating foot rot, a painful and bacterial claw disease in sheep. In future, all sheep in livestock farms will be tested between October 1 and March 31 using swab samples from the inter-cloven hoof gap.

This also applies to hobby and micro farms. Sampling will be organized by specialists commissioned by the Veterinary Service, as announced by the Department of Health and Social Affairs (DGS) on Wednesday.

The veterinary service will then inform the livestock owners of the laboratory results. If the mouldy bunting pathogen is detected, the veterinary service will close the sheep farm to animal traffic and order sanitation, the statement continued. The veterinary service will check this by taking new samples.

Costs of 350,000 francs per year

The nationally coordinated program to combat rotting bunt starts on 1 October. The canton of Aargau is expecting costs of 350,000 francs per year. To ensure that there is enough money in the "animal health reserve", the cantonal government has increased the livestock owner contributions per livestock unit, for example for a cow, from the current five to nine francs. The new rates will apply from next year.

Footrot is a bacterial disease that leads to purulent inflammation of the claws in sheep and is painful. Affected animals go lame. The bacteria can also be transmitted indirectly via contaminated shoes, uncleaned hoof care tools, shared driveways or uncleaned transport vehicles.

SDA