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Advances in Sheep Welfare

  • 2nd Edition - April 24, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Drewe Ferguson, Rebecca Doyle, Caroline Lee, Andrew Fisher
  • Language: English

Advances in Sheep Welfare, Second Edition provides a detailed reference on advancements in sheep welfare. The book contains the most current knowledge on breeding practices… Read more

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Description

Advances in Sheep Welfare, Second Edition provides a detailed reference on advancements in sheep welfare. The book contains the most current knowledge on breeding practices, animal affective states, management strategies, farming and production practices, and the role of society and consumers in shaping the welfare debate. In addition to updating all chapters from the previous edition, completely new chapters are included on behavioral assessments of sheep welfare, the impact of climate change, and drivers of change for sheep producers. Stakeholders across the wool, dairy, and sheep meat supply chains will also benefit from this resource.

The book brings together a team of international experts to create the definitive resource on sheep welfare. It will serve as a key reference for researchers, instructors, and students at the post-graduate level who are interested in animal agriculture, especially those who study sheep and issues of animal welfare.

Key features

  • Covers global sheep production systems and highlights current and future challenges and risks to sheep welfare
  • Details advances in our understanding of the physiological, behavioral, and affective elements underpinning animal welfare
  • Facilitates more informed and balanced thinking and debate regarding animal welfare

Readership

Researchers, instructors, and students at the post-graduate level interested in animal agriculture, especially those who study sheep and issues of animal welfare, Stakeholders across the wool and sheep meat supply chains

Table of contents

Part One: Introduction to sheep welfare

1. Understanding the natural behaviour of sheep

2. Overview of sheep production systems

3. Consumer and societal expectations for sheep products (wool, meat and dairy)

Part Two: New advances in sheep welfare assessment

4. Physiological markers of welfare state

5. Novel behavioural measures of sheep welfare

Part Three: Current and future solutions to welfare challenges

6. Genetic solutions

7. Reproductive management (including impacts of prenatal stress on offspring development)

8. Nutritional management

9. Predation control

10. Managing disease risks

11. Routine management procedures

12. Transport and pre-slaughter management

13. Advanced livestock management solutions (application)

14. Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for sheep production systems: Implications for heat stress and feedbase

15. Drivers to practice change on-farm

Part Four: Sheep welfare beyond 2030

16. Sheep welfare - beyond 2030

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: April 24, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

DF

Drewe Ferguson

Drewe Ferguson leads the Livestock Systems Program within CSIRO Agriculture and Food. He is recognized for his research in advancing livestock welfare through improvements in livestock resilience and management and husbandry practices.
Affiliations and expertise
Animal Food and Health Sciences (CAFHS) Theme, CSIRO, Australia

RD

Rebecca Doyle

Rebecca Doyle studies animal welfare from fundamental cognition to applied animal welfare research. She is a Senior Lecturer and the Deputy Director of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Lecturer, Animal Welfare/Deputy Director, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, UK

CL

Caroline Lee

Caroline Lee leads the animal behavior and welfare team at CSIRO, Australia. Her research interests include developing novel methods to assess affective states, assessing cognition and learning and improving welfare assessment of farm animals.
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Researcher, Animal Food and Health Sciences (CAFHS) Theme, CSIRO, Australia

AF

Andrew Fisher

Andrew Fisher is Chair of Cattle and Sheep Production Medicine and Director of the Animal Welfare Science Centre at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He has significant experience in animal welfare research, with a particular focus on production animal management, transport and pain management. He is also actively involved in the translation of animal welfare research into public and organizational policy.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor, Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia