Sheep Welfare During Lambing: Best Practice

Lambing is a critical welfare period for ewes and lambs. Effective stockmanship and timely intervention can prevent the significant suffering caused by difficult births and inadequate lamb care.

Key Facts

Approximately 20% of UK lamb mortality occurs in the first 24 hours of life
Hypothermia is the single largest cause of lamb mortality, accounting for up to 50% of deaths
Dystokia (difficult birth) affects 5-15% of ewes and causes significant suffering without intervention
Colostrum intake within the first 6 hours is critical for lamb survival and immunity
Twin and triplet lambs are at higher risk of starvation if unable to compete for teats

Welfare Considerations

Difficult births cause severe pain and distress in ewes, and oxygen deprivation in lambs whose delivery is prolonged. Hypothermic lambs experience the suffering of core temperature collapse — progressive weakness and eventual loss of consciousness. Starvation in lambs unable to access colostrum causes immune failure and increasing weakness over days. Good lambing management — shelter, supervision, prompt intervention for difficult births, warming hypothermic lambs, and supplementary feeding — can prevent the majority of these welfare harms. Stockmanship at lambing is one of the highest-welfare-impact skills in sheep farming.

What You Can Do

Support sheep farming training programmes that prioritise lambing welfare skills
Advocate for adequate staffing levels at commercial lambing units
Donate to the Moredun Institute and other sheep health research organisations
Choose lamb from certified producers with demonstrated welfare standards
Engage with your local sheep farmer about their lambing welfare practices