Sheep Welfare During Lambing Season

Lambing is a critical welfare period for both ewes and lambs. Appropriate supervision, intervention protocols, and shelter provision dramatically affect mortality and suffering during this intensive period.

Key Facts

UK sheep farmers lose an estimated 4 million lambs annually, with many deaths welfare-preventable
Dystocia affects approximately 5% of ewes and requires prompt intervention to prevent lamb and ewe mortality
Hypothermia is the leading cause of lamb mortality, particularly in outdoor systems with poor shelter
Mastitis in ewes causes significant pain and prevents adequate milk supply for dependent lambs
Pain relief for ewes following difficult births is underused despite evidence of benefit
Electronic identification of individual ewes enables performance tracking that supports targeted welfare interventions

Welfare Considerations

Lambing season concentrates welfare risk into a short, intensive period requiring skilled stockpersonship, adequate facilities, and robust intervention protocols. Farms with high shepherd-to-ewe ratios and good shelter provision consistently achieve lower mortality and better welfare outcomes. The welfare of ewes is often secondary to lamb survival in lambing management, but ewe pain, mastitis, and prolapse all deserve active management. Investment in stockperson training, lambing facilities, and pain relief protocols yields significant welfare returns at scale.

What You Can Do

Support sheep welfare certification schemes requiring shelter provision and stockperson training standards
Advocate for mandatory pain relief protocols for ewes following assisted deliveries
Encourage farmers to publish lambing mortality data as a welfare transparency measure
Support agricultural extension programmes improving lambing management skills in new farmers
Choose lamb products from certified welfare schemes specifying lambing supervision standards