Lameness is one of the most common welfare problems in British sheep farming, affecting an estimated 10% of ewes at any time and causing significant chronic pain.
Sheep lameness causes chronic pain that affects feeding, social behaviour, and productivity. The nature of sheep management — large flocks, extensive grazing — means lame individuals may go undetected for extended periods. Research consistently shows that farmers who set and track lameness targets achieve dramatically better welfare outcomes than those who treat lameness as inevitable. Effective lameness management requires regular flock inspection, rapid response, and accurate diagnosis.