“Contagious foot rot” in small ruminants is often a purchased disease. To decrease the chance of introducing footrot into a group of animals, avoid purchasing animals that are lame. New animals should be segregated for two to three weeks and observed for lameness. Feet should be trimmed and soaked in foot baths of zinc sulfate or copper sulfate. Regular foot trimming (at least one to two times per year) reduces the number of crevices where bacteria can live, removes infected hoof, and exposes the organism to air and various medications. Always disinfect trimming instruments between animals to prevent spreading footrot.
Both cattle and sheep are susceptible to this disease due to interdigital trauma. Management practices that help reduce interdigital trauma will help decrease the incidence of foot rot. Drainage should be maximized around water tanks and feed bunks to decrease muddy conditions that soften the interdigital space and predispose to footrot. Mounds of soil can be created in feedlots help to help promote drainage and give cattle a dry place to lie. Walk-through foot baths can be used in alleyways where cattle must walk in dairy operations. These are only effective if the feet are not muddy and the medicinal concentration and cleanliness of the bathes are maintained. Caution should be used, as footbath solutions may cause chapping or cracking of the teats if not washed off at milking.
There is a vaccine for Dichelobacter nodosus, with users reporting a 60-80% success rate. Vaccination should begin before the start of the wet season, followed by a booster six weeks later, then once every ten to twelve weeks while conditions that promote spread persist (e.g. wet season). Abscesses are common at the injection site, but usually rupture and drain on their own with no negative impact on the animal. However, for this reason, vaccination of show animals or animals that may be going to slaughter soon may not be practical.
Source: http://www.vet.ksu.edu