Dairy sheep are milked commercially across the Mediterranean and beyond. Their welfare needs are distinct from cattle and goats and are often inadequately addressed in regulations.
Dairy sheep welfare is an understudied area that deserves greater attention given the millions of animals involved globally. Lameness from footrot and foot scald causes chronic pain that is often inadequately treated due to the perceived low value of individual sheep compared to treatment cost. Mastitis in high-producing ewes causes acute pain and systemic illness. The early removal of lambs causes separation distress for both ewe and offspring. Welfare improvements require developing dairy-specific monitoring protocols, integrating lameness scoring into routine flock management, and breeding programmes that balance production with health and longevity. Consumer and retailer pressure on dairy sheep supply chains to adopt welfare standards is largely absent but would be highly effective.