Sheep are predominantly kept outdoors year-round in extensive systems, but many producers house ewes during the periparturient period or in poor weather conditions. The welfare implications of housing — and of housing design — merit careful consideration to ensure that the protection from weather provided by housing does not introduce new welfare compromises.
When Housing Benefits Sheep Welfare
Housing pregnant ewes provides welfare benefits in specific circumstances. In cold, wet climates, housed ewes experience less cold stress, particularly in the final weeks of pregnancy when nutritional demands are highest. Housed ewes can be observed more frequently for signs of illness or imminent lambing, allowing faster intervention when complications arise. In harsh weather, neonatal lamb survival is significantly higher for housed ewes than those lambing outdoors without shelter.
For high-yielding sheep in improved systems with twins or triplets, housing allows targeted nutritional management that prevents pregnancy toxaemia and supports appropriate body condition at lambing. The ability to provide individual attention to ewes with welfare problems is greater in housed systems.
Housing Welfare Risks
Poorly designed or managed housing introduces significant welfare risks. Inadequate ventilation is the most common and serious housing welfare problem for sheep: sheep require excellent air movement to prevent respiratory disease. Closed or poorly ventilated buildings accumulate ammonia and moisture that predispose sheep to pneumonia, footrot, and other infectious diseases. The principle that sheep should not feel a draft but should always have fresh air is the appropriate design target.
Overcrowding in housing reduces lying time, increases aggression, raises disease transmission rates, and prevents subordinate animals from adequate feed access. Space allowances of at least 1.2-1.5 m² per ewe (more for ewes close to lambing or with lambs) reduce overcrowding welfare costs.
Bedding and Foot Health
Adequate deep bedding in housing supports sheep welfare through thermal insulation, cushioning for lying, and moisture absorption. Wet or inadequate bedding is associated with footrot and scald transmission, as wet conditions promote growth of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus, the causative organisms of these painful foot conditions. Regular bedding management — adding fresh bedding, removing soiled areas — maintains hygiene and reduces foot disease welfare costs.
Transition from Housing to Pasture
The period of transition from housing back to outdoor grazing requires management to prevent digestive upset from dietary change. Gradual introduction to spring grass — providing access to pasture for limited periods initially — reduces the risk of bloat, acidosis, and hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers) that can occur with abrupt dietary change from housed to grazing systems.