Sheep Lambing Season Welfare: Supporting Newborn Lambs

Lambing season is the most welfare-intensive period of the sheep farming calendar, with newborn lamb survival and ewe welfare requiring skilled stockmanship.

Key Facts

Lamb mortality in the first 48 hours accounts for approximately 15-20% of total annual lamb losses in outdoor sheep systems
Hypothermia, starvation, and dystocia-related injury are the leading causes of early neonatal lamb welfare harms and mortality
Mismothering and rejection are significant welfare problems particularly in prolific breeds with high multiple-birth rates
Colostrum intake within the first six hours of life is critical for both immune protection and energy provision in lambs
Skilled stockmanship during lambing including night checks significantly reduces preventable neonatal welfare harms and mortality

Welfare Considerations

Lambing season concentrates welfare challenges for both ewes and lambs into a short intensive period requiring constant vigilance. Newborn lambs are extremely vulnerable to hypothermia in cold wet conditions and starvation from mismothering. Ewes experiencing dystocia suffer serious pain and potential death without prompt assistance. Adequate staffing levels for regular checks, appropriate shelter, supplementary feeding for poor-condition ewes, and skilled obstetric assistance are all essential welfare infrastructure. Farmer training in lamb resuscitation, hypothermia management, and ewe assistance significantly reduces preventable welfare harms.

What You Can Do

Ensure adequate staffing for regular night checks during lambing season particularly in indoor systems
Provide appropriate shelter from cold and wet conditions for ewes and lambs during the neonatal period
Learn lambing skills including dystocia assistance, lamb resuscitation, and colostrum tube-feeding
Train staff in recognizing mismothering and implementing fostering techniques to ensure all lambs receive adequate nutrition