Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Lameness Pain Management Advances

Advances in pain management for sheep lameness have improved welfare outcomes for a widespread condition.

Key Facts

Lameness affects 5-10% of sheep in many UK flocks at any given time
NSAID treatment including meloxicam provides effective pain relief for footrot
Local anaesthetic nerve blocks allow pain-free examination of severe lameness
Pain recognition using the Sheep Pain Facial Action Units scale enables objective assessment
Combining pain relief with antibiotic treatment improves recovery rates

Welfare Considerations

Sheep lameness causes significant chronic pain that is often undertreated. Effective analgesic tools and pain assessment methods mean that treating lameness without pain management is no longer justifiable.

What You Can Do

Support sheep farms providing pain management alongside antibiotic treatment for lameness
Advocate for pain assessment and treatment standards in sheep welfare certification
Choose wool and lamb from farms with documented lameness treatment welfare protocols