The impact of disease and disease prevention on sheep welfare

Disease causes adverse welfare to the individual or the flock. The ethical and legal basis of our involvement in the duties of care that we owe to domesticated species, are outlined and the relevance of these duties to the implementation of preventive medicine is explored. Sheep are capable of not only feeling pain, but also of learning and displaying emotion and memory. That this represents a level of cognition is unarguable so that the duties we owe to these animals are of importance in a moral context. The ethical approach to the control of disease and its impact on the individual and the flock is a major determinant of the standard for the generally accepted treatment of animals. The impact of specific diseases on the welfare of the individual and the flock is discussed and preventive measures are outlined. The cardinal points of flock health programmes are discussed and the key elements of maintaining a healthy flock and maximising welfare are raised. The outlook for the industry needs to be bolstered by recognition of its contribution to the community at large. Continuing vigilance and early recognition and diagnosis of disease is advocated. Coupled with the proper strategic use of licensed products, preventive measures should be prioritised, as the outlook for the development of new pharmaceutical or biological means of disease control is still a long-term goal. The importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to the exploration and understanding of welfare and the impact of disease is paramount. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.