Sheep are the second most numerous farmed animal in the world. Extensive grazing systems present specific welfare challenges including parasite burden, predator conflict, lambing difficulties, and delayed veterinary access.
Sheep welfare in extensive systems presents particular challenges because large flock sizes and remote grazing make daily individual inspection difficult. Conditions like flystrike and hypocalcaemia can deteriorate from treatable to fatal within 24-48 hours without observation. Welfare-positive extensive sheep farming involves regular flock monitoring using selective breeding for parasite resistance, strategic anthelmintic use based on targeted treatment rather than routine dosing, and training shepherds in pain recognition and emergency lambing assistance. Foot health requires year-round management including appropriate footbathing, foot trimming, and prompt treatment of lame individuals. The welfare gap between best-practice and average-practice extensive sheep farms is very large.