Recognizing and managing pain in sheep is challenged by their stoic prey animal nature, making welfare-positive husbandry particularly important.
Sheep pain management is complicated by the species' evolutionary drive to mask pain - a survival adaptation in prey animals that works against welfare assessment. Sheep in significant pain continue eating, moving, and behaving almost normally until pain becomes overwhelming. This stoicism means welfare problems go undetected for extended periods. The Sheep Pain Facial Action Unit system provides an objective behavioral measure that enables earlier detection. Routine procedures including castration, tail docking, and lambing assistance cause pain that can and should be managed with appropriate analgesia - the welfare and productivity case for pain management is clear.