Annual shearing is essential for welfare of wool sheep, but shearing stress and handling quality vary enormously, and industry has developed welfare guidelines to improve practices.
Shearing welfare is fundamentally about handling quality and operator skill. Expert shearers with appropriate techniques and properly maintained equipment cause minimal harm to sheep. Poor shearing causes lacerations, fear from rough handling, and exhaustion from prolonged restraint. The shearing context often involves high animal throughput and economic pressure that can compromise welfare. Industry welfare training programs have demonstrably improved shearing quality where adopted. Mulesing remains a significant unresolved welfare challenge in the fine wool industry.