Dairy sheep are milked for popular cheeses like Manchego and Pecorino, and their welfare is shaped by milking frequency, lameness, and mastitis rates.
Dairy sheep welfare shares many challenges with dairy cattle but receives less scientific and policy attention. Mastitis causes pain and systemic illness, yet treatment rates are lower in sheep than cattle in many regions. Lameness from hoof diseases is widespread and causes chronic pain that reduces productivity and welfare simultaneously. The transition from twice-daily to once-daily milking improves cow welfare substantially in dairy cattle research, and similar benefits likely apply to sheep — an underexplored area. Grazing access is a particularly important welfare factor for sheep, as it allows natural behaviors including selective grazing, social interaction, and exercise.