2005 MLA Sheep Prize Winner

Routine husbandry procedures, such as castration and tail docking, are known to induce pain and distress in lambs (Grant, 2004; Kent et al., 2001). This raises important welfare concerns and has attracted debate on the acceptability of such practices. The most common method of castration and tail docking involves the application of a rubber ring to the scrotum or tail, usually without anesthesia or analgesia. An accurate assessment of the welfare impact of this procedure will allow for informed debate on the ethics of its routine practice. In addition, such assessment provides the basis for the trial and implementation of alternative husbandry procedures and pain minimisation strategies. This paper will examine several recent studies that have investigated the behavioural responses of lambs to castration and tail docking.