SAC Research

This vision is clearly stated in Defra’s recent strategy document:

" Our vision of the future is a world in which … the promotion of animal welfare and protection against animal disease is at the core of the way in which we farm and live." Defra (2002a).

At the same time demand for red meats continues to decline and the policy protection against this trend is rapidly being eroded in the transition towards free world trade in agricultural commodities. This is likely to reinforce the trend towards larger sheep flocks in the UK:

This will give a corresponding reduction in labour input per sheep. An important aspect of this research is to explore the possible animal welfare implications of this trend.