Sheep Code update: priority welfare issues for the Scientific Committee report

The Code Committee and Scientific Committee collectively identified the following list of priority welfare issues. The Scientific Committee is developing a synthesis of research on these topics, and their report will provide valuable information to the Code Committee as they update the Code of Practice. 

Pain Control

• Main principles
• Prevention and methods to avoid painful conditions and procedures, evidence-based review of producer perceived negative effects of the use of pain control, sheep-specific social science on barriers to adoption/implementation
• Painful conditions (lameness, mastitis, infectious diseases)
• Methods to avoid and mitigate pain and suffering
• Procedures (lambing, castration, tail docking)
• Relevant updates to our understanding of the pain associated with lambing
• Evidence-based strategies to avoid and mitigate pain

 Endoparasitic and Ectoparasitic Infection

• Potential welfare implications of parasites
• Use of chemicals/drugs to control parasites
• Genetic selection for resistance to parasites
• Grazing management strategies and forage species to control parasites 

Neonatal Care

• Ewe-lamb relationship
• Importance of the bond for the lamb (survival, development, and welfare) and ewe (health and welfare)
• Fostering, artificial rearing and weaning of lambs 

Housing and Environment

• Key considerations for indoor confinement
• Social and behavioural deprivation, feed behaviour, effects on health, opportunities for exercise, enrichment
• Key considerations in extensive systems
• Feed quality and access
• Monitoring and early warning

Priority welfare issues are those that are particularly important for the welfare of the animals and that will particularly benefit from a review of the available research. Some animal welfare topics may not be selected for scientific review for any number of reasons (e.g., insufficient research). Welfare issues that are not selected for scientific review—yet fall within the scope of the Code—will still be addressed in the Code of Practice.