Livestock

Pain Assessment and Management in Sheep

Sheep are stoic prey animals that mask pain behaviour, making timely pain assessment and treatment critical to welfare in conditions such as foot rot, lamb castration, dystocia and urolithiasis.

Key Facts

The Sheep Pain Facial Action Coding System (sheep grimace scale) has been validated for pain assessment
Foot rot causes significant chronic pain and accounts for major welfare and production losses
Routine husbandry procedures such as castration and tail docking require appropriate anaesthesia and analgesia
Untreated pain in sheep leads to reduced feed intake, impaired immune function and reduced survival

Welfare Considerations

Pain management in sheep has historically been inconsistent, with routine procedures often performed without analgesia. Scientific consensus now firmly establishes that procedures such as castration, tail docking and dehorning cause significant pain requiring mitigation. Legislative frameworks have tightened, but implementation remains variable across production systems.

What You Can Do

Ensure all routine painful procedures in sheep are performed with appropriate analgesia
Implement the sheep grimace scale as a practical farm assessment tool
Work with a vet to develop pain management protocols for common conditions
Support initiatives that promote pain recognition training for shepherds and farm workers