Genetics of foot health in Merinos

The health of sheep feet continues to be an issue in the Australian sheep industry, particularly in high rainfall zones and in wet years. A recent webinar on foot health hosted online by Sheep Connect received over 300 registrations demonstrating the wide industry interest in this topic, particularly in wet years like the one that has just been experienced.There is therefore great potential to improve the productivity and welfare outcomes of sheep farming in the medium to high rainfall zones of Australia by reducing the susceptibility of sheep to foot ailments. This project will investigate the genetic variation in all of these foot conditions and look to inform the industry on appropriate selection strategies for each of the foot conditions (within the scope of the project).