Assessing and managing pain in sheep is challenging because of their prey animal behaviour of masking discomfort, but validated scoring tools now make routine welfare assessment more accessible for farmers.
Sheep are perhaps the most underserved domestic animal species when it comes to pain management. Their stoic behaviour, combined with the large flock sizes that make individual assessment difficult, means that many sheep in pain go undetected and untreated. The development of validated pain assessment tools based on facial expressions has provided practical means for farmers and veterinarians to evaluate individual sheep welfare without requiring detailed behavioural observation. The challenge is now adoption: the tools exist but are not yet routinely used. Veterinary protocols requiring pain relief for common husbandry procedures would represent an immediate and significant welfare improvement for one of the most numerous farmed species globally.