Sheep lice cause significant welfare harm through intense pruritus and fleece damage, requiring integrated management strategies beyond simple chemical treatment.
Sheep lice create sustained welfare harm through the chronic pruritus they cause. Affected sheep rub against fences and structures, tear their own fleece, and show behavioral signs of persistent discomfort. The itch-scratch cycle is distressing and impairs normal feeding and resting behavior. Wool quality damage is an economic incentive for control, but individual animal welfare should be the primary driver. Integrated louse control — combining quarantine of purchased sheep, strategic treatment timing, and resistance monitoring — provides better long-term outcomes than reactive chemical use alone. Genetic selection for louse-resistant traits and improved fleece characteristics is a valuable long-term complementary strategy.