Sheep maintained outdoors through UK winters need adequate body reserves, shelter access and supplementary feeding during prolonged adverse weather. Understanding their thermal requirements prevents welfare failure.
Sheep in poor body condition at the start of winter lack the fat reserves to maintain body temperature during cold spells. Wet, windy conditions impose much greater thermal stress than cold alone, and ewes carrying multiple fetuses have particularly high energy demands. Thin ewes exposed to prolonged wet and cold without supplementary feeding develop hypothermia and pregnancy toxaemia simultaneously, creating rapid welfare deterioration. The absence of sheltered areas from prevailing wind and driving rain means sheep cannot choose to reduce their thermal burden. Daily body condition assessment, proactive supplementary feeding and provision of windbreaks or natural shelter are the core welfare management responses.