The lambing period is one of the most welfare-intensive phases of sheep production, involving high risk of mortality for both ewes and lambs, significant stockperson time demands, and numerous opportunities for welfare improvement through management practice optimization.
Pre-Lambing Preparation and Welfare
Ewe body condition at lambing directly affects lamb vigour, colostrum quality and quantity, and ewe recovery. Ewes in poor body condition (below 2.5 on a 5-point scale) have reduced colostrum production, impaired mothering behavior, and higher rates of metabolic disease including pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) and hypocalcaemia (milk fever). Body condition scoring through pregnancy and appropriate nutritional management is a fundamental welfare preparation for lambing.
Pre-lambing vaccination against clostridial diseases and pasteurella protects lambs through maternal antibody transfer in colostrum, preventing disease welfare costs without requiring individual lamb treatment.
Lambing Supervision and Dystocia Management
Lambing supervision frequency is a key determinant of welfare outcomes. Farms with more frequent checks — including night checks — have lower lamb and ewe mortality from undetected dystocia, hypoglycaemia, mismothering, and hypothermia. Dystocia (difficult birth) causes significant pain and distress for ewes and endangers both ewe and lamb lives; prompt, skilled obstetric assistance reduces welfare costs and mortality.
Correct examination and gentle correction of malpresentations, with appropriate lubrication and obstetric skill, minimizes trauma to both ewe and lamb. Excessive force during assisted delivery causes maternal trauma and lamb injury. Training stockpeople in appropriate lambing assistance technique is a direct welfare intervention.
Neonatal Lamb Welfare
Hypothermia is the leading cause of neonatal lamb death and represents a preventable welfare problem. Recognizing hypothermia risk factors — low birth weight, adverse weather, large litters, poor ewe colostrum — allows targeted intervention. Rewarming of hypothermic lambs using controlled warming boxes, combined with colostrum provision, is an effective welfare intervention that prevents substantial mortality.
Fostering lambs onto ewes who have lost their own lambs reduces both ewe and lamb welfare costs. Effective fostering techniques including skin grafting, scent masking, and adoption pens allow ewes to accept foster lambs while minimizing stress of repeated handling.
Mothering Behavior and Bonding
The maternal bond between ewe and lamb is critical for lamb survival and welfare. Disruption of bonding — through premature separation, excessive human intervention during birth, or high-density lambing environments where ewes mismatch with wrong lambs — causes significant welfare consequences. Providing adequate pen space during bonding, minimizing disturbance in the first hours after birth, and monitoring for mismothering are important welfare management practices.