Lambing is a critical welfare period for both ewes and newborn lambs. Good stockmanship, appropriate intervention protocols, and pain management dramatically reduce suffering and mortality.
Lambing welfare requires attention to both the ewe and lamb simultaneously under time-pressured conditions. Dystocia causes severe pain for ewes — evidence from cortisol and behaviour studies shows pain responses comparable to those in other species following difficult birth — yet routine post-lambing analgesia is rarely administered. Providing meloxicam to ewes following assisted delivery significantly improves recovery, mothering behaviour, and milk let-down. Lamb hypothermia is preventable with shelter provision, early detection of at-risk lambs, and access to colostrum within two hours. Castration and tail docking of lambs — still routine in many systems — cause acute pain that can be substantially reduced with rubber ring application combined with local anaesthesia or meloxicam. Good lambing stockmanship — identifying ewes close to birth, providing appropriate assistance without unnecessary intervention, and supporting bonding — is the single most effective determinant of lambing welfare outcomes.