Meet sheep welfare requirements on your farm

If you keep sheep, you have legal duties to protect their welfare. This applies whether you farm commercially, keep a small flock, or graze sheep on rented land. Non-compliance can result in prosecution, unlimited fines, and up to 5 years' imprisonment for the most serious animal welfare offences.

Your obligations come from three main pieces of legislation:

Animal Welfare Act 2006: The principal law covering all animals, establishing the duty of care and Five Welfare Needs
Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007: Minimum welfare standards for all farm animals, with Schedule 1 setting conditions for keeping sheep
Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007: Controls on tail docking, castration, and other procedures

Your responsibilities:

You must read, understand, and have access to the sheep welfare code
Anyone working with your sheep must also be familiar with the code
Welfare codes are not law themselves, but courts can use failure to follow them as evidence of breaching the legislation

The Five Welfare Needs

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 requires you to meet your sheep's five welfare needs. These form the foundation of all sheep husbandry.

Need 1: Environment: Freedom from discomfort - provide appropriate shelter and a comfortable resting area
Need 2: Diet: Freedom from hunger and thirst - ready access to fresh water and a diet maintaining full health
Need 3: Behaviour: Freedom to express normal behaviour - sufficient space, proper facilities, company of their own kind
Need 4: Companionship: Need to be housed with, or apart from, other animals as appropriate
Need 5: Health: Freedom from pain, injury and disease - prevention, rapid diagnosis and treatment

Stockmanship requirements

The single most important factor in sheep welfare is the quality of stockmanship. You must have the knowledge and skills to care for sheep properly.

Required competencies

You and anyone caring for your sheep must be competent in:

Recognising signs of good health (alertness, free movement, active feeding, rumination)
Recognising signs of ill health (listlessness, abnormal posture, lameness, scouring, absence of cudding)
Vaccination and drenching
Prevention and treatment of footrot
Prevention and treatment of internal and external parasites (including scab and fly strike)
Tail docking and castration (if you perform these procedures)
Lambing assistance and care of newborn lambs

Training: Training should be from an experienced person on-farm or through a suitable training organisation. Where possible, pursue training that leads to formal recognition of competence.

Inspection frequency

You must inspect your sheep regularly - at least once daily when welfare depends on frequent human attention. During lambing, more frequent checks are essential. The frequency of inspections should increase in difficult conditions such as adverse weather or disease outbreaks.

Flock health planning

You must prepare a written health and welfare programme for your flock. This is a legal requirement, not optional.

Your written plan must cover:

The yearly production cycle
Vaccination policy and timing
Control of external and internal parasites
Foot care programme
Pasture management for disease control

Develop your plan with:

Veterinary advice
Technical advice from specialists

Review and update: Your health plan must be reviewed and updated annually.

Record keeping: Keep records of basic flock outputs and health interventions. These demonstrate compliance and help you monitor flock performance.

Biosecurity for new introductions

Sheep introduced to your flock can spread disease. New sheep (including rams) should be:

Segregated for at least 4 weeks on arrival
Inspected and treated if necessary for diseases such as sheep scab or footrot
If newly introduced ewes, segregated again for about 4 weeks before lambing
Lambed separately, preferably after the main flock, to avoid introducing infectious abortion agents

Shelter and housing requirements

Sheep kept outdoors need access to shelter from adverse weather. If you house sheep, you must meet specific legal requirements.

Outdoor shelter

Sheep kept on pasture should have access to:

Natural shelter (hedges, trees, walls, banks)
Artificial shelter if natural shelter is inadequate
Protection from wind, rain, and extreme temperatures

Housing requirements

If you house sheep, the following standards apply:

Legal minimum requirements:

Materials used for construction must not be harmful and must be capable of thorough cleaning and disinfection
No sharp edges or protrusions likely to cause injury
Air circulation, dust levels, temperature, relative humidity and gas concentrations must not be harmful
Sheep must have access to a lying area that is well-drained or maintained with dry bedding

Ventilation: Effective ventilation is essential as sheep are particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases. Buildings should permit free air circulation above sheep height while avoiding draughts at sheep level.

Condition at housing: Sheep should be both dry and free from footrot when first housed. Treat footrot-affected sheep immediately to prevent it becoming a flock problem.

Ewes (60-90kg) on straw: 1.2-1.4 m2 per head
Ewes (45-60kg) on straw: 1.0-1.2 m2 per head
Hoggets (32-45kg) on straw: 0.7-0.9 m2 per head
Lambs (23-32kg) on straw: 0.6-0.9 m2 per head
Shorn sheep reduction: Space may be reduced by 10% for winter-shorn sheep
Group size for pregnant ewes: Less than 50 where possible for individual attention at lambing

Concentrates trough space (60-90kg): 450-500mm per head
Concentrates trough space (45-60kg): 400-450mm per head
Hay/silage ad lib trough space: 10-12cm per ewe

Lambing management

A large proportion of ewe mortalities occur around lambing time. You need specific expertise to manage this period safely.

Pre-lambing preparation

Scanning: Use scanning to identify barren, single, twin and triplet-bearing ewes for differential management
Condition scoring: Assess body condition and separate thin ewes and those carrying multiples for special feeding
Handling: Handle heavily pregnant ewes with care to avoid distress and injury that may precipitate premature lambing
Treatment: If a heavily pregnant ewe needs treatment (e.g. for lameness), treat her promptly - do not delay until after lambing

During lambing

Shepherds must be experienced and competent before having sole responsibility at lambing
Inexperienced assistance can cause severe damage when helping ewes in difficulty
Consider indoor lambing to provide closer supervision and reduce lamb losses
Maintain clean, dry conditions in lambing areas
Have a plan for orphan lambs, including colostrum supplies and feeding equipment

Colostrum and milk

Classical scrapie can spread through colostrum and milk. If using replacement colostrum or milk:

Source from flocks monitored for at least 3 years and found free of classical scrapie
Do not use pooled colostrum or milk for genetically susceptible animals in intensive systems
Consider using cow colostrum or artificial milk replacers as alternatives

Tail docking

Tail docking is permitted but strictly controlled. You must follow the legal requirements precisely.

Rubber ring method - age limit: Must be under 7 days old
Other methods (e.g. Burdizzo): Anaesthetic required if over 7 days old
Minimum tail length: Must cover the vulva (females) or anus (males)
Who can perform: Trained stockkeeper (rubber ring <7 days) or veterinary surgeon
Prohibited - short docking: Docking shorter than covering vulva/anus is illegal

Practical guidance:

The 7-day limit applies strictly - plan your lambing workload to ensure docking can be completed in time
For hill flocks lambing outdoors, the 7-day window can be challenging - gather lambs promptly
Rubber rings cause pain; research into pain relief during docking is ongoing
Some farm assurance schemes require pain relief for docking - check your scheme requirements

Castration

Castration is permitted but the method and timing are controlled by law.

Rubber ring method - age limit: Must be under 7 days old
Castration without anaesthetic: Permitted under 3 months old (except rubber ring must be <7 days)
Castration 3 months or over: Anaesthetic must be administered
Castration with knife/blade (England/Wales): Stockkeeper may perform on lambs under 3 months
Castration with knife/blade (Scotland): Must be performed by a veterinary surgeon

Methods:

Rubber ring: Constricts blood flow to the scrotum - must be under 7 days old
Combined clamp and ring (Burdizzo with ring): Same age restrictions as rubber ring
Burdizzo (bloodless castrator): Crushes spermatic cords without constricting blood flow - permitted under 3 months without anaesthetic
Surgical (knife/blade): Permitted for stockkeepers in England/Wales on lambs under 3 months; Scotland requires a vet

Note on pain relief: Current legislation does not require pain relief for castration under the permitted age limits. However, research shows these procedures cause pain and distress. The government's Animal Health and Welfare Pathway includes priorities to improve pain management during castration and tail docking.

Shearing

Wool grows continuously and sheep welfare is improved if they are shorn at least every 12 months.

Shearing requirements:

Shearers should be experienced, competent and properly trained
Inexperienced shearers must be supervised by competent staff
Take care not to cut the sheep's skin - treat any wounds immediately
Clean and disinfect equipment between flocks to prevent disease spread

Weather considerations:

Use weather forecasts to avoid shearing before cold, wet weather
Provide shelter to newly shorn sheep in cold conditions
Winter shearing is only suitable if sheep are housed afterwards
Winter-shorn sheep turned out in spring should have fleece regrown to 15-20mm and favourable weather

Transport of shorn sheep (1 November - 31 March):

Must have staple growth of at least 7mm
Must not have been shorn within 24 hours of journey start

Foot care and lameness

Lameness is one of the most common signs of ill health in sheep. It has serious welfare implications and affects productivity. A significant percentage of chronic lameness indicates poor overall welfare standards.

Your foot care programme

A foot care programme must be part of your written health and welfare plan. It should include:

Regular inspection: Check feet frequently during routine handling
Careful paring: Only when necessary and with proper technique (incorrect or excessive paring damages feet)
Footbathing: With suitable solution maintained at correct dilution
Treatment: Prompt treatment of infected feet
Vaccination: Where footrot is a persistent problem
Culling policy: Remove chronically lame sheep that do not respond to treatment

Expert advice: If footrot is a major cause of lameness or normal treatments fail, seek veterinary advice. Foot paring is a skilled procedure - if in doubt, get specialist training.

Pasture management

Total reliance on drugs to control footrot is not recommended. Pasture management is essential:

Avoid wet, muddy conditions that promote footrot
Rest pastures to reduce infection pressure
Maintain well-drained fields and tracks

Transport restrictions

Chronically lame sheep that do not respond to treatment should be slaughtered on-farm, not transported
Sheep that cannot get up without assistance must not be transported
Sheep bearing weight on only 3 legs must not be transported
Slightly lame sheep should not be sent to market or on journeys likely to worsen the condition

Feeding requirements

You must provide sheep with access to food appropriate to their age, species and in sufficient quantity for good health.

Legal requirements

Adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day
Access to food each day
Diet must be wholesome and appropriate to the species
Feeding equipment must minimise contamination and competition between animals

Special feeding needs

Pregnant ewes:

Ewes carrying multiple lambs have higher nutritional demands
Separate twin/triplet-bearing and thin ewes for special feeding
Condition scoring combined with scanning allows targeted management
Avoid sudden changes in diet, especially in late pregnancy (risk of pregnancy toxaemia/twin lamb disease)

Lactating ewes:

Peak milk production requires adequate nutrition
Ewes rearing twins or triplets need more feed
Poor nutrition affects lamb growth and ewe recovery

Rams:

Must be in appropriate body condition before tupping
Good pre-mating management affects ovulation rate and litter size

Housed sheep trough space

Competition for food causes stress and affects welfare. Ensure adequate trough space:

450-500mm per ewe for concentrates
10-12cm per ewe for hay/silage fed ad libitum

Transport requirements

Transporting sheep requires compliance with specific welfare regulations.

Fitness for transport

You must not transport sheep that are:

In the last 10% of pregnancy (approximately 15 days before due date)
Have given birth within the previous 7 days
Newborn with navel not completely healed
Ill, injured, infirm or fatigued (unless moving to vet or nearest slaughter)
Unable to stand or bear weight on all four legs
Chronically lame

Journey times

Standard vehicle - maximum journey: 8 hours
Higher standard vehicle - sheep: 14 hours travel, 1 hour rest, further 14 hours
Unweaned lambs: 9 hours travel, 1 hour rest, 9 hours further
UK single journey extension: Up to 12 hours without higher standard vehicle (to reach destination)
After maximum journey: 24 hours rest (fed, watered) at approved control post
At final destination: 48 hours rest minimum, or slaughter
Lactating ewes without offspring: Maximum 12 hours without being milked

Transport authorisation

Journeys over 65km and under 8 hours: Type 1 transporter authorisation required
Journeys over 8 hours: Type 2 transporter authorisation required
Animal Transport Certificate (or similar) required for business transport over 65km
Drivers and attendants must hold certificate of competence

Space allowances during transport

Shorn sheep/lambs 26kg+ (<55kg): 0.2-0.3 m2 per animal
Shorn sheep/lambs 26kg+ (>55kg): >0.3 m2 per animal
Unshorn sheep (<55kg): 0.3-0.4 m2 per animal
Unshorn sheep (>55kg): >0.4 m2 per animal
Heavily pregnant ewes (<55kg): 0.4-0.5 m2 per animal
Heavily pregnant ewes (>55kg): >0.5 m2 per animal

Record keeping and inspections

You must keep records and make them available for inspection.

Records required

Holding register: All sheep on the holding, movements on and off, births and deaths
Annual inventory: Count of sheep on holding as at 1 January each year
Movement records: Date, number of animals, origin/destination CPH
Medicine records: Veterinary medicines administered
Mortality records: Deaths and the number of animals found dead
Health records: Supporting your health and welfare plan

Livestock Record Keeping Requirements

How long to keep holding registers and movement records

Cattle records: 10 years - holding register and movement records
Sheep records: 3 years minimum
Goat records: 3 years minimum
Pig records: 3 years minimum
What to record: Date, animal ID, number of animals, origin/destination CPH, births and deaths
Inspection requirement: Records must be available for inspection by APHA or local authority officers

Inspections

APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) and local authority officers have powers to enter your premises and inspect:

Your holding register and movement records
Ear tag compliance
Animal welfare conditions
Disease control compliance
Medicine records

Records must be available for inspection for the retention periods specified above. Obstructing an inspector is a criminal offence.

Scrapie monitoring

Scrapie is a notifiable transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting sheep and goats. You must report any suspicion of scrapie to APHA immediately.

Signs of scrapie

Changes in behaviour or temperament
Altered gait (high-stepping, hopping, lack of coordination)
Trembling
Scratching and rubbing against objects (hence "scrapie")
Weight loss despite normal appetite
Usually appears in animals 2-5 years old

If scrapie is suspected

Contact APHA immediately on 03000 200 301
Do NOT move sheep or goats until APHA gives clearance
If the suspect animal dies, report this immediately
APHA will impose movement restrictions pending investigation

If classical scrapie is confirmed

Your holding joins the Compulsory Scrapie Flocks Scheme (CSFS)
Movement restrictions apply for at least 2 years
APHA may order genotyping of your flock
Genetically susceptible animals may be culled
Milk/milk products from affected animals cannot be used as feed for animals on other farms

Prevention through genetics

You can reduce scrapie risk by breeding for genetic resistance:

Sheep with ARR/ARR genotype are highly resistant to classical scrapie
Genotype testing identifies resistant and susceptible animals
When buying replacements, request genotyping certificates
The Scrapie Monitoring Scheme (SMS) provides flock certification

Penalties for non-compliance

Animal welfare offences carry serious penalties, substantially increased by the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021.

Causing unnecessary suffering (section 4): Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or unlimited fine
Performing prohibited procedures (section 5): Up to 5 years imprisonment and/or unlimited fine
Failing to ensure welfare (section 9): Up to 51 weeks imprisonment and/or fine up to level 5
Level 5 fine (current): Unlimited
Trial venue: Either Magistrates Court or Crown Court for serious offences
Additional penalties: Disqualification from keeping animals, deprivation orders, destruction orders

Fixed penalty notices: Under the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act, fixed penalty fines of up to £5,000 can be issued for certain welfare offences without court prosecution. This closes the gap between warnings and criminal prosecution.

Reporting concerns: If you are concerned about the welfare of livestock on another holding, contact APHA:

England: 03000 200 301 or customeradvice@apha.gov.uk
Wales: 0300 303 8268 or apha.cymruwales@apha.gov.uk

Next steps

To ensure you meet your sheep welfare obligations:

Read the welfare code: Download and read the Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Sheep
Write your health plan: Develop a written health and welfare programme with your vet
Check your records: Ensure your holding register and movement records are up to date
Assess your skills: Identify training needs for you and your staff
Review your facilities: Check housing, handling and feeding equipment meet requirements
Plan for lambing: Ensure competent staff and adequate facilities are available