Evaluating the Welfare of Small Ruminants: Practical Management Advice

Paul J Plummer; Melissa N Hempstead; Jan K Shearer; Taylor M Lindquist

doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.11.001

Evaluating the Welfare of Small Ruminants: Practical Management Advice

Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2021 Mar;37(1):33-54. doi: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.11.001.

Authors

Paul J Plummer¹, Melissa N Hempstead², Jan K Shearer², Taylor M Lindquist²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 2426 Lloyd Vet Med Center, Ames, IA 50011, USA. Electronic address: pplummer@iastate.edu.
² Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 2426 Lloyd Vet Med Center, Ames, IA 50011, USA.

PMID: 33541701
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2020.11.001

Abstract

This article discusses key welfare issues for small ruminants and gives practical management advice. Welfare assessment is vital to ensure that optimal conditions are provided. Practitioners can play a key role in identifying areas of potential welfare compromise and implement interventions. With the knowledge and careful identification of indicators of welfare, practitioners and producers can develop a management plan that can ensure proper nutrition, environment, and health to allow for natural behaviors and a positive affective state; identification of animal health and management issues; and (3) allocation of adequate resources to improve the welfare of sheep and goats.

Keywords: Animal-based indicator; Goat; Husbandry; Management; Sheep; Small ruminant welfare; Welfare assessment; Welfare indicators.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animal Husbandry / methods*
Animal Husbandry / standards
Animal Welfare / organization & administration*
Animal Welfare / standards
Animals
Goat Diseases / prevention & control
Goats*
Ruminants
Sheep Diseases / prevention & control
Sheep*