Painful procedures in sheep tail docking. An overview

Medical standards and guidelines for the welfare of sheep differ considerably across sheep-farming countries. This is particularly the case for painful procedures, including tail docking in lambs. In Germany, painful procedures on animals are regulated in the National Animal Welfare Act. Despite these regulations, indication as well as methods of tail docking are greatly debated, concentrating on the differences between theoretical requirements and execution in the field. Therefore, the indication and methods of this painful process must be reconsidered and, if necessary, re-regulated by law. In a short- to medium term perspective, changes in methods, including the use of painkillers, should be considered. In this respect, the approval of painkillers for sheep in general is indispensable to release practicing veterinarians in Germany from all legal liabilities. In a long-term perspective, the implementation of breeding programs is required. To establish a mutual solution, which meets the needs of animals, shepherds and veterinarians alike, the relevant literature was compiled and possible approaches developed.