Animal Welfare Policy | Sheep Producers Australia

Animal Welfare

Last Updated:

March 2025

Position statement

Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) believe good animal health, welfare and husbandry practices are integral to the productivity, profitability and sustainability of our industry. SPA is committed to continuous welfare improvement through national policy and programs, and through our role in overseeing investment of industry levies in targeted research, development and extension. SPA is also committed to open communication about sheep welfare with customers and the community and is a founding partner of the Sheep Sustainability Framework, which delivers transparent reporting on a range of indicators, including welfare practices.

SPA acknowledge that sheep are sentient beings that can feel and perceive the world around them. Sheep can be considered to be in a good state of welfare if, as indicated by unbiased scientific evidence, they are maintained in an environment where they are healthy, comfortable, safe, well nourished, and able to express important social and other behaviours appropriate to their age.

Good animal welfare is supported by skilled management, implementing recognised Australian industry best practice regarding handling, transport, slaughter and where appropriate, euthanasia. Consistent adoption of best practice welfare management underpins market access and the industry’s social licence to operate, and results in healthy and productive sheep.

What's the issue?

Australian sheep producers are aware of their responsibilities towards their animals and recognise that livestock care is fundamental to the success and sustainability of every farm, and every supply chain business. Sheep producers are also aware that markets and the community more broadly have an interest in what happens on farm and through the supply chain and increasingly require producers to demonstrate their welfare credentials.

Compliance with animal welfare requirements is a legal requirement in Australia. The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines address livestock needs including access to feed and water, appropriate handling and management, and provide the basis for consistent regulation and enforcement of minimum livestock welfare standards across all states and territories. Sheep producers meet the Standards through industry accreditation systems, best practice guides and risk management tools. Producers are also increasingly adopting and demonstrating higher standards of welfare, in response to changing consumer and community expectations and advancements in knowledge and technology.

The industry’s demonstration of good animal welfare is measured through its community-focused Sheep Sustainability Framework (SSF) in which Australian producers have made a commitment to continuous improvement and transparent reporting on industry practices.

SPA policy principles

As the peak body representing Australian sheep producers, SPA is committed to best practice animal health and welfare, to driving continuous improvement in welfare outcomes, and to transparent reporting on welfare performance. To deliver on this commitment, SPA endorses the following principles and priorities.

Welfare Standards and Guidelines. SPA supports the 2016 Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep, and is committed to:

Review of the Standards and Guidelines being conducted in close consultation with industry and relevant scientific experts.
Nationally consistent adoption of the 2016 Australian Animal Welfare Standards for Sheep into state and territory legislation.
Amendment of the 2016 Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep to mandate the use of pain relief for mulesing.

Australian Animal Welfare Strategy. A renewed Australian Animal Welfare Strategy is needed and should re-establish effective national leadership on animal welfare policy and regulation, including a formal and ongoing role for industry.

Development of national policy and regulation. Development of national animal welfare policy and regulation must be informed by science, developed in consultation with industry and fit for an Australian context.

Sentience. Sheep are sentient beings that can feel and perceive the world around them.

Industry responsibility. Livestock industries maintain responsibility for managing the welfare of production animals and driving continuous improvement in welfare practices, including through programs like Livestock Production Assurance that demonstrate welfare credentials to the community and the market.

Research, development and extension (RD&E). Industry should continue to guide levy investment in welfare R&D to ensure producers have access to up-to-date and practical tools to understand and improve sheep health and welfare management. Extension and adoption of levy-funded research outcomes should be prioritised.

Aversive procedures. Industry is committed to reducing, replacing and refining aversive husbandry procedures, some of which can be painful, to create better animal welfare outcomes.

Pain relief. Use of pain relief for lamb marking procedures is best practice. SPA supports:

Investment in R&D to expand the range of pain relief options and strategies available to producers undertaking painful husbandry procedures.
Providing producers with up-to-date tools to support uptake of pain relief, including the Pain relief decision support for lamb marking developed by SPA, WoolProducers Australia and Animal Health Australia.
Mandatory pain relief for mulesing.

Mulesing. SPA encourages all sheep producers to phase out mulesing as soon as practical. Where mulesing is used, SPA policy is that:

SPA supports measures to mandate the use of pain relief for mulesing in the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep and in industry-led compliance programs.

Prime lambs should not be mulesed. Producers should be supported to introduce genetics and management changes to enable prime lamb mothers not to be mulesed.

Sheep Sustainability Framework (SSF). SPA is committed to transparent reporting on industry welfare performance and prioritisation of sustainability issues through the SSF.

Independent Office of Animal Welfare. SPA does not support an Independent Office of Animal Welfare.

SPA's role

SPA is committed to working with producers, the broader livestock industry, supply chain and governments to ensure animal welfare is optimised, and national welfare regulation and policy is fit for purpose. As the peak body representing Australia’s sheep industry, SPA’s role is to:

Deliver policy and advocacy that supports:

industry leadership in welfare management
high standards of welfare and continuous improvement to maintain market access and industry’s social license
a consistent national approach to animal welfare regulation
the development of new pain relief products for husbandry practices.

Provide advice to MLA and AHA on the investment of compulsory industry levies in animal welfare R&D programs, ensuring projects result in tools and practices that improve animal health and welfare outcomes and are practical for producers to implement.

Work with AHA, livestock industry bodies and all levels of government to monitor and control endemic disease and improve the health of the national flock.

Contribute to the National Sheep Health Monitoring Project which gathers disease data from participating abattoirs and provides feedback through the Livestock Data Link. This system is improving feedback to producers on the health of animals sent for processing.

Represent sheep meat industry interests and priorities in national forums that have oversight of key aspects of national animal welfare policy, science and regulation, including renewal of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy, and review of Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for sheep and for land transport.