Hormonal reproductive synchrony protocols in sheep — including progesterone sponges and prostaglandins — concentrate lambing into tight windows. Welfare implications depend on protocol choice, insertion technique, and the lambing management they enable.
Poorly inserted or forgotten sponges cause vaginitis and localised tissue damage that results in chronic pain and systemic infection if undetected. Welfare-centred protocols require trained personnel, sterile lubricant, accurate record-keeping of insertion and removal dates, and post-removal vaginal inspection. Compact lambing can improve welfare by increasing human supervision during birth, but only if staffing levels are sufficient to respond to dystocia promptly. Systems that concentrate lambing without adequate shepherd coverage may paradoxically worsen welfare outcomes.