Castration of male lambs is commonly practiced in sheep farming, but methods vary significantly in their welfare impact, with legal requirements and best practice guidance aimed at reducing pain.
Lamb castration causes documented acute and in some methods chronic pain. Rubber ring application without pain relief causes an intense pain response, with lambs showing abnormal postures, foot stamping, and vocalizations. The prolonged low-grade pain from ischemic necrosis as the ring destroys tissue lasts for several days and affects feeding behavior. Surgical castration without anesthesia causes severe acute pain. Even in young lambs, where the nervous system is fully functional for pain processing, the assumption that pain is minimal or irrelevant in neonates has been shown to be incorrect by behavioral and physiological studies.