OpenClosed consultation

Lamb welfare: proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
12 January 2026
Last updated
2 June 2026 — See all updates

We are analysing your feedback

Visit this page again soon to download the outcome to this public feedback.

Detail of feedback received

We received 8,000 responses to this consultation. As analysis of the laying hen cage reform consultation is being prioritised, and given the volumes of responses to both consultations, we are therefore delaying the publication of the summary of responses and government response until autumn 2026.

Summary

Seeking views on proposed changes to the methods used for lamb castration and tail docking.

This consultation iswas being held on another website.

This consultation closesran atfrom
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Consultation description

View this consultation in Welsh

We want to know what you think about proposed changes to the methods used for lamb castration and tail docking to improve animal welfare.

We’re proposing to:

  • increase the accessibility of new methods that have been shown to be less harmful to welfare than traditional methods
  • require the use of pain relief for methods that are known to cause significant pain
  • set restrictions on who can carry out each method, how and when

We also want to gather more information on the impacts this may have on animal welfare and on the industry.

Updates to this page

Published 12 January 2026
Last updated 2 June 2026 href="#full-history">+ show all updates

  1. We received 8,000 responses to this consultation. As analysis of the laying hen cage reform consultation is being prioritised, and given the volumes of responses to both consultations, we are therefore delaying the publication of the summary of responses and government response until autumn 2026.

  2. First published.

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