Dairy sheep production for specialty cheeses and milk raises specific welfare considerations including udder health, lameness, and the fate of male lambs in production systems.
Dairy sheep welfare parallels many dairy cattle welfare issues on a smaller scale — udder health, lameness, maternal separation, and the management of surplus males are all significant welfare dimensions. Male lambs in dairy sheep systems are often considered economically marginal, and their welfare depends on market availability for lamb meat and the willingness of producers to invest in their care. Outdoor grazing access for dairy sheep provides substantial welfare improvement through leg health, natural behavior expression, and reduced stress from chronic indoor confinement.