Ewe and Lamb Welfare During the Lambing Season

The intensive welfare demands of the lambing season for ewes and newborn lambs, and evidence-based management to reduce losses and suffering.

Key Facts

Lamb mortality averages 15-20% in UK flocks, with most deaths in the first week of life
Dystocia (difficult birth) causes significant welfare harm to ewes and is the leading cause of lamb death
Hypothermia kills more lambs than any other single cause in the UK
Adequate colostrum in the first six hours is critical for lamb survival and immune development
Good shepherd presence and intervention can dramatically reduce both lamb and ewe mortality

Welfare Considerations

Lambing represents an intensive welfare period requiring skilled observation and timely intervention. Ewes experiencing dystocia may suffer for hours without assistance. Newborn lambs face hypothermia risk even in mild weather and die rapidly without sufficient colostrum. The welfare demands of lambing season require significant stockperson time and skill. Farms with high mortality rates often show inadequate monitoring and intervention. Reducing lambing mortality through better management simultaneously reduces the welfare harms of disease and death and demonstrates that good welfare and good farm management align.

What You Can Do

Support farms demonstrating low lambing mortality rates through transparent reporting
Advocate for lambing mortality data as a welfare indicator in sheep certification
Choose lamb products from farms with documented welfare-focused lambing management
Support shepherd training programs that improve lambing intervention skills
Raise lambing mortality as a welfare metric in sheep industry discussions