Sheep Welfare During Pregnancy and Lambing

Periparturient ewes and newborn lambs face some of the most acute welfare challenges in sheep farming, with careful management of nutrition, shelter, and stockmanship determining outcomes.

Key Facts

Twin lamb disease (pregnancy toxaemia) kills ewes in late pregnancy from energy deficit -- a preventable welfare crisis
Hypocalcaemia around lambing causes muscle weakness and paralysis if not treated promptly
Mismothering -- rejection of lambs by ewes -- is more common in stressed, crowded, or disturbed flocking conditions
Hypothermia is the leading cause of lamb death in the first 24 hours in outdoor lambing systems
Indoor lambing under close supervision significantly reduces lamb mortality compared to outdoor lambing in adverse weather

Welfare Considerations

Lambing welfare is among the most demanding periods in sheep management, concentrating acute welfare risks into a short seasonal window. Ewes in late pregnancy have elevated nutritional requirements that when unmet lead to pregnancy toxaemia -- a metabolic condition that can be fatal and involves significant suffering. Ewes that are stressed by overcrowding, disturbance, or poor body condition at lambing have higher rates of mismothering. Lambs born into cold, wet conditions without prompt intervention and shelter have very high hypothermia risk. Close attention during the lambing period -- good stockmanship, appropriate nutrition, shelter provision, and prompt intervention -- makes a measurable difference to welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Support farmers using close supervision lambing systems with appropriate shelter and nutrition
Advocate for body condition scoring requirements at pregnancy check as a welfare standard
Engage with sheep farming communities about evidence-based lambing management practices
Choose lamb products from producers with documented welfare monitoring at lambing