Sheep and lambs are slaughtered in large numbers annually with welfare at the point of kill varying significantly based on stunning method, facility design, and operator training.
Sheep and lamb slaughter welfare depends critically on equipment maintenance, operator training, and facility design. A stunning device that delivers effective unconsciousness on the first application is a welfare positive; one that is poorly maintained and requires multiple applications creates acute suffering. Pre-slaughter lairage management, loading density, and the avoidance of novelty stress all influence the welfare of animals in the period before stunning. Religious slaughter without stunning creates a period of consciousness after neck cutting that welfare science identifies as painful -- the duration varies by species and method, and pre-cut stunning that does not kill offers a middle path accepted by some religious authorities.