Shearing is necessary for most domestic sheep breeds but carries welfare implications from handling stress, injury, and post-shearing thermal exposure. Evidence-based practice reduces harm.
Shearing welfare depends critically on shearer skill and flock management. Competent shearers minimise cuts and handle sheep quietly to reduce stress. Poor shearers cause abrasions and unnecessary struggling. Post-shearing thermal stress in cold or wet weather requires provision of shelter. The welfare justification for shearing domesticated breeds is sound - unsheared wool causes fly strike and heat stress in summer - but practice quality matters.