Case studies have been gathered from major upland areas in the UK highlighting that the loss of biodiversity has reached national unacceptable levels. If everybody decided they only wanted to eat young lambs under a month old, then the skin made available for the leather industry would be very thin, soft and pliable. The younger the animal at the time of slaughter, the smoother and finer the grain structure and the less likelihood of damage due to scratches, parasite damage, ringworm, dung contamination, improper flaying or inadequate salting. The skin of a female is usually finer grained than that of the male and has a looser fibre structure giving a softer, stretchier leather. The animal farming industries produce the leather that manufacturing industries use.
Animals begin by being bred in intensive, semi-intensive or extensive systems.
Even gentle dairy cows who are often admired casually grazing the British countryside during the summer, are housed for 6 months throughout the winter. Some dairy cows are actually housed all year round. However one thing they do have in common is the pain of lameness and mastitis. Lameness is a major health and welfare problem in all sheep producing countries. It is generally regarded as the greatest cause of pain and discomfort in sheep.