Sheep used in agricultural and biomedical research have complex social and environmental needs that differ significantly from small laboratory rodents and require specialized welfare approaches.
Sheep welfare in research settings requires an understanding of their specific behavioral and social ecology. As prey animals with strong flocking instincts, sheep are uniquely stressed by isolation and unfamiliar environments — experiences that are common in research settings. A sheep separated from its flock for experimental procedures experiences acute fear that elevates stress hormones and compromises both welfare and experimental validity. Maintaining visual or physical contact with conspecifics, providing familiar handlers, and ensuring adequate post-procedural analgesia are minimum requirements for sheep welfare in research. The gap between these requirements and what is routinely provided represents a significant and addressable welfare deficit.