Overview of integrated welfare assessment approaches for sheep combining multiple indicators.
Integrated sheep welfare assessment combines multiple input and outcome measures to provide a comprehensive welfare picture. Body condition scoring reflects nutritional welfare across the year. Lameness scoring identifies welfare compromise requiring treatment. Behavioural indicators including social behaviour and fear of humans provide welfare status information. Human-animal relationship assessment tests reflect stockmanship quality. Integrating these measures into a composite welfare assessment enables farms to identify priority welfare areas and track improvement.