Lamb production in pastoral systems involves welfare challenges at key life stages including birth, weaning, and cold weather exposure. Understanding these enables better management.
Pastoral lamb welfare requires greatest attention in the neonatal period and around mulesing. Newborn lamb hypothermia and starvation are largely preventable through shelter provision, ewe nutrition in late pregnancy (ensuring adequate colostrum), and shepherd monitoring during lambing. Pain management for mulesing — when it is practiced — is increasingly recommended by welfare bodies and required by some markets. Alternatives to mulesing, including breeding for bare breech or use of clips and adhesives, are available and increasingly adopted. End-to-end pastoral lamb welfare certification is a growing market driver.