Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Pre-Purchase Welfare Examination

Pre-purchase examination of sheep identifies welfare problems before animals enter a new flock. Understanding what to assess protects buyers and prevents welfare introductions.

Key Facts

Dental, foot, and udder health are primary examination priorities
BCS assessment identifies nutritional history problems
Testing for Johne's disease in purchased breeding stock is recommended
Eye condition affects grazing ability and welfare in new environments
Locomotion scoring identifies lame animals that should not be transported

Welfare Considerations

Sheep purchased with existing welfare problems - dental disease, lameness, or undetected infectious conditions - bring suffering into new flocks and expose resident animals to new pathogens. Pre-purchase examination that identifies these issues prevents the introduction of welfare problems and ensures purchased animals are fit for transport and the demands of a new environment.

What You Can Do

Conduct or commission thorough pre-purchase examination of breeding sheep
Test purchased stock for major infectious diseases before introduction
Refuse purchase of animals that fail welfare-relevant criteria
Quarantine all purchased animals before flock introduction