Validating indicators of sheep welfare through a consensus of expert opinion

Publication Type:
 Journal Article
Year of Publication:
 2011
Authors:
 C. J. Phythian, E. Michalopoulou, P. H. Jones, A. C. Winter, M. J. Clarkson, L. A. Stubbings, D. Grove-White, P. J. Cripps, J. S. Duncan
Publication/Journal:
 animal
Keywords:
 , , , ,
ISBN:
 1751-7311 1751-732X
Abstract:

A consensus of expert opinion was used to provide both face and consensual validity to a list of potential indicators of sheep
welfare. This approach was used as a first step in the identification of valid welfare indicators for sheep. The consensus
methodology of the National Institute of Health, using pre-meeting consultation and focus group discussions, was used to
ascertain the consensus opinion of a panel of sheep welfare experts. The Farm Animal Welfare Council’s five freedoms were used
as a framework to organise a list of current on-farm welfare issues for sheep. The five freedoms were also the welfare criterion
used to identify potential on-farm welfare indicators for sheep. As a result, experts identified 193 welfare issues for sheep and
lambs managed on farms across England and Wales. Subsequently, a combination of animal- (n526), resource- (n513) and
management- (n522) based indicators was suggested for (i) adult rams, (ii) adult ewes (male and female sheep, over 1 year old),
(iii) growing lambs (male and female sheep, over 6 weeks to 1 year old) and (iv) young lambs (male and female lambs, 6 weeks
old and under). The results from this study could therefore be used to inform the further development of valid methods of
assessing the on-farm welfare of sheep.

Links:

Back to Resources