Pain Recognition and Management in Sheep

Sheep are stoic animals that mask pain effectively, making active pain recognition and management essential for welfare.

Key Facts

Sheep show minimal overt pain behaviour even with significant injuries — a prey species adaptation
The Sheep Pain Facial Action Unit (SPFAU) scale allows trained observers to identify pain from facial expression
Lameness affects up to 10% of UK sheep at any time; most receive no analgesia
Footrot and CODD (contagious ovine digital dermatitis) are leading pain causes with effective treatments
Meloxicam (a common NSAID) significantly reduces pain and improves recovery from foot lesions when used early

Welfare Considerations

Sheep welfare is chronically underserved because their stoic nature makes pain invisible to untrained observers. Lame sheep that appear to stand and eat normally may be in significant pain — their behavioural masking evolved for predator avoidance, not veterinary assessment. Facial grimace scales have transformed research capacity to assess sheep pain; translating this to farm practice requires farmer training and affordable, accessible analgesics. The sheep industry faces the same challenge as cattle: recognising that stoic behaviour is not the same as absence of suffering.

What You Can Do

Support farming education programs that include sheep pain recognition training
Advocate for mandatory NSAID provision for painful foot conditions in sheep welfare standards
Choose lamb from certified farms with documented lameness monitoring and treatment protocols
Support veterinary research into practical pain assessment tools for farm sheep
Raise awareness of sheep pain recognition needs in farming and welfare communities