NSA calls for engagement in consultation to reflect reality of commercial sheep farming

The sheep industry must actively engage with Defra’s long-awaited consultation on castration and tail docking methods to ensure future policy reflects the realities of commercial sheep farming, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has said.

20 January 2026 • 2 min read

The consultation, launched by Defra, aims to move the sector towards lower-pain methods and follows a series of recommendations from the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC). However, the NSA has warned that...

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NSA calls for engagement in consultation to reflect reality of commercial sheep farming

The sheep industry must actively engage with Defra’s long-awaited consultation on castration and tail docking methods to ensure future policy reflects the realities of commercial sheep farming, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has said.

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NSA calls for engagement in consultation to reflect reality of commercial sheep farming

The sheep industry must actively engage with Defra’s long-awaited consultation on castration and tail docking methods to ensure future policy reflects the realities of commercial sheep farming, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has said.

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2001 UK foot-and-mouth outbreak - 25 years on: 'It was a year that changed farming'

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