Mustering sheep across large areas and yarding them for husbandry procedures involves significant handling stress that can be minimized with low-stress techniques.
Mustering and yarding represent concentrated welfare events in extensive sheep production. The transition from vast open paddocks to crowded yards involves multiple stressors: fear of unfamiliar humans, dogs, and aircraft; crowding; noise; and forced rapid movement. Cortisol studies confirm significant acute stress responses. Low-stress mustering practices minimize these impacts: moving sheep at a calm walk rather than a run, using dogs that respond precisely to handler commands, avoiding helicopter approaches that cause panic, and designing yards with curved races and solid sides that prevent sheep from seeing ahead and balking. The welfare benefit of skilled low-stress handling is not just humane but also practical: calmer sheep are easier to handle and suffer fewer injuries.