Lambing is the most welfare-critical period in sheep production, with outcomes for ewes and lambs determined by genetics, nutrition, supervision, and stockmanship.
Lambing is the concentrated welfare event of the sheep farming year, compressing high-stakes decisions about ewe and lamb health into days or weeks of intensive management. The welfare outcomes for both ewes and lambs depend on the cumulative quality of preparation including ewe nutrition through pregnancy, lambing shelter provision, and skilled stockmanship during and after parturition. Lambs born to thin ewes may receive inadequate colostrum, be born with low energy reserves, and face competitive disadvantage against stronger siblings. Ewes in poor condition are more vulnerable to prolapses and metritis. The welfare improvements available during lambing are largely accessible to producers without additional capital investment: improved body condition scoring and nutrition management, increased supervision hours at peak lambing, and basic shelter provision address the majority of preventable welfare losses.