Sheep pneumonia, particularly in housed lambs and young sheep, causes significant welfare harm and economic loss that can be substantially reduced through ventilation and management improvements.
Sheep pneumonia causes progressive respiratory distress, fever, and systemic illness that is painful and debilitating. Affected lambs show laboured breathing, reluctance to move, and reduced feed intake that compounds weight loss and welfare decline. The condition progresses rapidly in poorly ventilated housing where ammonia concentrations cause ongoing respiratory tract damage. Mass outbreaks in housed flocks cause widespread suffering. The relationship between housing conditions and pneumonia incidence means that welfare improvements and disease prevention are the same intervention.