Animal Health and Welfare

Our Commitment to Animal Care 

Animal care is our top priority. Ontario sheep farmers are committed to providing the best care to ensure the health and welfare of their animals and follow the National Farm Animal Care Council’s Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep. Everyone involved in the raising and processing of sheep for meat, dairy, and wool is required to adhere to good animal handling practices in accordance with industry guidelines, serving as stewards of the animals entrusted to their care. 

AMU/AMR

Antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are issues affecting both human and animal health. Antimicrobials are still effective for treating, controlling and/or preventing disease. They have also been used to improve animal production or growth and help to protect animal welfare. However, every time they are used, there is the potential to select for resistant bugs, ultimately making the drugs less and less effective.

Read Ontario Sheep Farmers positions on AMU and AMR

Ontario Sheep Farmers comments on the proposed changes to Regulation 730 under the Ontario Livestock Medicines Act (2018)

List of medications that will requirement a veterinarian prescription as of December 1, 2018

Animal diseases

On July 1, 2018, Regulation 567 under the Health Protection and Promotion Act will require that all livestock "for which a rabies vaccine licenced for use in Canada is available" shall be immunized against rabies with the exception being made only for livestock "that [are] accessible to only person or persons who are responsible for the care and control of such animal." This includes all dogs, cats, cattle, sheep and horses intended to come in contact with the general public. Farmers, farm workers, veterinarians, ultrasound and AI technicians, sheep shearers, and abattoir staff are all defined as "persons who are responsible for the care and control" and therefore only animals that are intended to come into contact with the general public are required to be vaccinated.

OSF believes the vaccination requirements would not apply to the vast majority of sheep in Ontario.

For more information about Regulation 567, please see the frequently asked questions document below.

the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's frequently asked questions document regarding Regulation 567 under the Health Protection and Promotions Act