Sheep Health and Vet Care: Condition, Feet, Parasites and Quarantine

Sheep health has its own vocabulary — condition scoring, footrot, quarantine periods — that other backyard species don't really need. This guide draws on an official government welfare code, the same source already behind this site's sheep housing figures, because the usual pet-welfare guidance doesn't cover sheep at all.

Signs of good health, and signs to watch for

DEFRA's code lists general alertness, free movement, active feeding and rumination (cudding), and the absence of lameness, visible wounds or abscesses as signs of good health. On the other side, it names listlessness, abnormal posture or behaviour, lameness, scouring, absence of cudding, persistent coughing or panting, scratching and frequent rubbing, rapid loss of body condition, excessive wool loss, a sudden fall in milk yield, and — worth noting specifically — being apart from the flock as possible signs of ill health. DEFRA, Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Sheep, paragraphs 8–9.

Condition scoring: a hands-on health check

Condition scoring is a quick, hands-on technique for assessing a sheep's body reserves, and DEFRA recommends it as a significant contributor to good husbandry. As a benchmark: a condition score below 2 across a significant number of lowland sheep, or below 1.5 for those on the hill, can indicate inadequate management and the need for corrective action (paragraph 26).

Lameness: one of the most common problems

DEFRA is direct that lameness is one of the most common signs of ill health and discomfort in sheep, with real welfare and production implications. A proper foot-care programme should include regular inspection of the feet, careful paring where needed, treatment of infected feet, foot-bathing at the manufacturer's recommended dilution, and vaccination where appropriate. If footrot is a major cause of lameness, or standard treatment isn't working, DEFRA says to get veterinary advice (paragraphs 27–31).

Parasites: external and internal

For external parasites — scab, fly strike, ticks, lice — DEFRA recommends protection by dipping or an effective preventive chemical agent, with effective treatment given without delay if sheep are clinically infected. For internal parasites, control should combine grazing management with anthelmintic treatment timed to the parasite's life cycle — DEFRA specifically recommends getting advice from a vet or specialist adviser on timing, to avoid the development of anthelmintic-resistant worms (paragraphs 32–33).

Quarantine: at least four weeks for new sheep

Sheep being introduced into an established flock, including rams, should be segregated for at least four weeks and inspected and treated if necessary for diseases such as sheep scab or footrot, since diseases spread easily through a flock. Newly introduced ewes should be segregated again for about four weeks before lambing, and lambed separately from the main flock where possible (paragraph 22).

A written health plan, reviewed annually

DEFRA recommends a written health and welfare programme for each flock, covering the yearly production cycle, developed with veterinary and technical advice and reviewed annually. At minimum, it should address vaccination policy and timing, control of external and internal parasites, and foot care — with pasture management as part of disease control, especially for internal parasites and footrot, where relying on drugs alone is best avoided (paragraph 21).

What this guide doesn't cover

DEFRA's code is written primarily for established commercial flocks, not first-time keepers with one or two pet sheep, so some of it (written health plans, large-flock condition scoring) will need scaling down in practice. It also doesn't name specific vaccines or dosing products, since exact choices depend on your region and vet. For routine cost figures, see our cost guide, and enter your own vet's quote into the cost of keeping calculator.

Source: DEFRA, “Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Sheep” (PB5162) — fetched and read in full, paragraphs 8–9 and 20–41. Sources checked: September 2026. General information, not veterinary advice.

Common questions

What are signs of good and poor health in sheep?

DEFRA's welfare code lists general alertness, free movement, active feeding and rumination, and the absence of lameness, wounds or abscesses as signs of good health. Ill-health signs include listlessness, abnormal posture, lameness, scouring, absence of cudding, persistent coughing, rapid loss of body condition, excessive wool loss, and — notably — being apart from the flock.

How is sheep body condition assessed?

Through condition scoring, a hands-on technique DEFRA recommends as an easy way to assess a sheep's body reserves quickly. As a benchmark, a significant number of the flock scoring below 2 (lowland) or below 1.5 (hill) can indicate inadequate management needing attention.

How is lameness in sheep managed?

DEFRA calls lameness one of the most common signs of ill health in sheep. A proper foot-care programme includes regular inspection, careful paring, treating infected feet, foot-bathing at the correct dilution, and vaccination where appropriate. If footrot is a major cause or standard treatment isn't working, get veterinary advice.

How long should a new sheep be quarantined?

At least four weeks, per DEFRA's code, with inspection and treatment for diseases like sheep scab or footrot during that period. Newly introduced ewes should be segregated again for about four weeks before lambing, and lambed separately from the main flock.