Shearing is an essential welfare intervention for domestic sheep but can cause significant distress and injury when performed poorly or without appropriate handling.
Shearing is necessary for domestic sheep welfare but itself carries welfare costs from handling stress and potential physical injury. The horizontal restraint position used in conventional shearing causes fear and physiological stress even when injuries do not occur. Training shearers in low-stress handling and precision technique reduces both animal distress and physical harm. Some innovative sheep handling systems use graduated restraint that reduces fear responses. The welfare of sheep during shearing depends heavily on shearer skill and attitude — stockpersons who treat animals with care and precision produce measurably less stressed animals.