Lamb welfare consultation on proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods

13 January 2026

Lamb

Defra, and the Welsh and Scottish governments and Northern Ireland Executive have published proposals to reform the rules for castrating and tail docking lambs. Keep track of the consultation on this page.

Any future change in policy would be implemented on a UK-wide basis. 
 
Routine castration and tail docking is carried out within the sheep sector for range of reasons; to ease management, prevent unwanted pregnancies and fly strike, a significant welfare issue. Defra, however, believes these painful procedures should be reduced.  

NFU position

Responding to the proposals, NFU Livestock Board Chair David Barton said: “These proposals will be of concern for sheep producers right across the UK. We carry out these essential management tasks for many reasons to protect the welfare of the animal and to ensure we can continue to sell lamb throughout the year.

“This proposal while well-meaning could actually be detrimental to animal welfare.”

NFU Livestock Board Chair David Barton

“In a survey of our members two years ago, 87% of respondents said they use rubber rings to routinely castrate lambs and 93% to routinely tail dock lambs. 82% said the welfare of the lamb over its full lifetime would be negatively impacted if they could not castrate or tail dock.

“The industry must have these tools available and, while I’m open to the use of pain relief, we don’t currently have a licenced product for young lambs. Injecting young lambs risks introducing diseases and will be adding yet another task in sometimes difficult working environments.

“We must also consider the added cost to the supply chain, making the UK less competitive when compared to those that import thousands of tonnes of lamb into the UK each year. Our survey also found that 77% of respondents said if they could not castrate or tail dock lambs it would lead to a reduction in business profitability. 91% said they would need to increase the segregation of stock, 89% said it would result in unwanted pregnancies, and 75% said it would increase management and labour costs. 97% said the impact of not tail docking lambs would lead to an increased risk of fly strike and would require greater use of preventative medication and dipping.

“I’m proud that the UK already produces lamb to some of the highest standards in the world. This proposal, while well-meaning, could actually be detrimental to animal welfare, will reduce our ability to compete, damage confidence even further and impact potential for growth in a sector that has a strong future supplying quality lamb for the domestic and export market.”

 

12 January 2026

Government launches consultation

The government has launched its consultation seeking views on proposed changes to the methods use for lamb castration and tail docking. The consultation will run for 8 weeks until 9 March.

What is the government proposing?

The AWC (Animal Welfare Committee), an independent committee of Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments, considered the implications of castration and tail docking for the welfare of lambs. It produced three reports, in 1994, in 2008, and in 2022.
 
The government has proposed that routine castration and tail docking should be minimised and if used it is carried out with pain relief. The consultation also promotes new methods (clips) currently used in Scotland to be allowed without pain relief, which the government says have been shown to be less harmful to welfare.

Another key proposal is allow castration and tail docking only in lambs over 24 hours old to 3 months by a suitably trained person, and by a veterinary surgeon only if the lamb is over 3 months of age.

Rubber ring castration and tail docking can at present be carried out by anyone over 18 on lambs under 7 days.

Defra is proposing that rubber ring castration and tail docking of lambs up to 3 months is carried out with anaesthetic and analgesic. The 3 months with pain relief would also apply to the use of clamps (Burdizzo), the Numnuts device, impregnated bands and short scrotum method and a hot iron with pain relief for tail docking.
 
Surgical castration and tail docking of lambs using a knife or blade may only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon with an effective anaesthetic and analgesic.
 
The use of clips, (clipfitter) for castration and tail docking will be permitted in lambs up to 3 months. Defra suggests the device is less painful than the rubber ring and therefore is not proposing to mandate the use of pain relief.
 
Other proposals include the provision of suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training for those carrying out these tasks.  

Read about the consultation in full at: GOV.UK | Lamb welfare: proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods.

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