Sheep Welfare in Intensive and Extensive Farming Systems

Sheep are among the most numerous farm animals globally yet receive relatively little welfare research attention compared to pigs or poultry. Their welfare needs and farm-level challenges deserve greater focus.

Key Facts

Global sheep population exceeds 1.2 billion individuals across meat, dairy, and wool production systems
Sheep are highly social animals that experience separation anxiety when isolated from flock members
Lameness is the most prevalent welfare problem in UK sheep, affecting an estimated 3 million animals at any time
Footrot and scald are the leading causes of sheep lameness — both are preventable with correct management
Annual lamb mortality on UK farms averages around 15 to 20% — primarily from exposure, starvation, and mismothering
Mulesing — removing strips of skin around the breech of Merino sheep to prevent flystrike — remains common in Australia
Wool production has declined in economic importance, raising questions about its future viability
Sheep show clear signs of positive emotional states including play behaviour in lambs and apparent joy at reunion with companions

Welfare Considerations

Sheep welfare suffers from a combination of neglect, difficult working conditions on hill farms, and lack of economic incentive for improvement. Lameness is the dominant welfare challenge — it causes chronic pain, reduces food intake and body condition, and impairs reproduction. Proactive lameness management including regular inspection, early treatment, and footbath protocols can dramatically reduce prevalence. In Australia, alternatives to mulesing including selective breeding for bare-breech genetics and targeted fly control are increasingly viable. Raising sheep welfare standards requires both farmer support and consumer demand for welfare-assured wool and lamb products.

What You Can Do

Choose RSPCA Assured or equivalent certified lamb and sheep dairy products
Support wool labelling schemes that distinguish mulesed from non-mulesed and recycled wool
Advocate for veterinary-led lameness reduction programmes to be incorporated into farm assurance schemes
Support farmers with subsidies and training for proactive sheep health management
Engage with the wool industry on alternatives to mulesing for Merino producers
Donate to sheep welfare research programmes addressing lameness, mortality, and positive welfare indicators