Farm Animals

Sheep Welfare and Pain Recognition Advances 2026

Pain recognition in sheep has advanced significantly, with the Sheep Grimace Scale now validated for clinical and research use.

Key Facts

The Sheep Grimace Scale reliably identifies pain from 0-2 in clinical assessments
Ear position and tension are highly reliable pain indicators in sheep
Sheep showing pain signs during lambing have 40% higher mortality in their lambs
NSAIDs given at lambing reduce pain scores and improve maternal behaviour
Automated facial action detection can identify sheep pain in commercial systems in 2026

Welfare Considerations

Pain recognition is prerequisite to pain treatment. Advanced pain assessment tools now enable farmers and vets to identify and treat sheep pain more effectively.

What You Can Do

Advocate for pain recognition training in sheep stockperson certification
Support research on automated pain detection in sheep
Choose lamb from farms with documented pain management protocols