Sheep welfare in commercial meat production involves challenges across the production cycle from intensive lambing systems through to transport and slaughter.
Sheep welfare is characterised by high preventable mortality at the neonatal stage and significant procedural pain from routine husbandry practices. Neonatal mortality in lambs represents both a welfare problem for the individual animals and an economic problem for producers, creating alignment between welfare and productivity improvement incentives. Castration and tail docking without pain relief are increasingly difficult to justify as pain management tools become more accessible and affordable. The welfare of cull ewes — older animals sold at the end of their productive life — requires particular attention as this group is most vulnerable during transport.