Abstract

Virulent footrot of ovines is caused by a mixed infection of Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum; anaerobic, non-spore forming Gram negative bacilli. Footrot has a significant economic impact on the farming industry within New Zealand (Hickford et al. 2005). When the interdigital skin of the ovine foot is damaged, or wet for a prolonged period, it may be infected by F. necrophorum, a member of the gut flora, which causes ovine interdigital dermatitis. The skin becomes red and swollen and bacterial toxin production results in necrosis in the upper layers of the skin enabling D. nodosus to establish if the organism is present in the flock or the environment. ... continued

S, Mros, MA Ali, A Ghosh, A El-din Bekhit, and M McConnell

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 72, Christchurch, 196-198, 2012