Extensive sheep grazing systems can provide excellent welfare but also expose animals to predation, parasite burden, weather extremes, and delayed veterinary attention that intensive systems manage more closely.
Extensive grazing gives sheep freedom to express natural behavior but creates welfare tradeoffs. Regular monitoring for body condition, lameness, and parasite burden is essential. Farms that check animals daily and maintain rapid veterinary access have much better welfare outcomes. Predation can cause severe stress even without direct injury, as fear responses in prey animals are significant welfare experiences.