Hypothermia is the leading cause of lamb mortality in extensive sheep systems, occurring when cold, wet, or windy conditions overwhelm the thermoregulatory capacity of neonatal lambs.
Hypothermic lambs experience a rapid deterioration from cold discomfort to loss of consciousness and death. The suffering in the early stages — shivering, seeking warmth, bleating — is followed by progressive depression as body temperature falls. Prevention is dramatically more effective than treatment: providing shelter, monitoring weather, and ensuring colostrum intake within the first hour of life are the three most important interventions. Stockpeople who can recognize early hypothermia and have the skills and equipment to intervene save lambs that would otherwise die. Lamb hypothermia is a preventable welfare problem — its prevalence is a measure of the care and resources invested in lambing management.