Sheep in extensive systems face welfare challenges including predation, parasitism, difficult births, and extreme weather. Good husbandry practices significantly reduce preventable suffering.
Extensive sheep farming carries inherent welfare risks that require active management rather than hands-off approaches. The most significant welfare challenges including parasitism, fly strike, dystocia, and hypothermia in lambs are all preventable or treatable with appropriate monitoring and husbandry. Good shepherding requires regular inspection of individual animals even in large flocks.