The footrot gene-marker test at Lincoln University

Abstract

Footrot is a contagious and debilitating hoof disease of sheep. It is caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus. Research over the last 15 years at Lincoln University has revealed that a MHC gene called DQA2 is associated with sheep having a greater or lesser likelihood of getting footrot. This research has become the basis of a gene-marker test that enables sheep breeders to identify sheep that are considered less likely to get footrot.