Shearing is a necessary welfare intervention for domesticated sheep who cannot shed their wool naturally, but poor technique and rough handling cause unnecessary pain and injury that evidence-based training can prevent.
Shearing occupies an unusual welfare position — it is simultaneously a welfare necessity and a welfare risk. Unshorn sheep suffer from the consequences of overlong wool; improperly shorn sheep suffer from handling injuries and cuts. The welfare goal is shearing that is done skillfully, with minimum restraint time and gentle handling that reduces stress as much as possible. Evidence shows that stockpeople trained in low-stress handling techniques achieve equivalent shearing speed with measurably reduced animal stress responses. Making humane shearing technique training widely available and required within welfare certification would improve the welfare of hundreds of millions of sheep annually.