Foot rot is a common disease of sheep that severely limits the well-being of sickened animals. The disease can cause massive economic losses due to lower dairy and fattening performance. At the political level, the problem was recognized and a motion was filed that argues in favour of a Switzerland-wide herd sanitation program. To evaluate possibilities to combat foot rot in Switzerland, the economic comparison of the costs and benefits of possible sanitation measures is necessary. To accomplish this task, we plan to carry out a cost-benefit analysis. In a first step, we will make use of an animal experiment to measure the economic damages caused by foot rot. In a second step, we will match the damage estimates with information on the prevalence and incidence of foot rot in Switzerland. We will collect this information by means of a farm-level survey. This will allow us to evaluate the current damages caused by foot rot. Our research approach pays particular attention to the role of animal welfare. In a further step, we plan to simulate the future prevalence and incidence of foot rot, using an epidemiological model and comparing different spread and sanitation scenarios. Lastly, the costs and benefits of the different sanitation programs are calculated. This evaluation is carried out at the farm level. The results will provide the justification for national and cantonal measures to combat foot rot.
