Lambing is a critical welfare period in sheep production when good management prevents mortality and suffering from hypothermia, starvation, and mis-mothering while enabling natural birth processes.
Lambing welfare requires intensive management during a brief, critical period. Hypothermia, starvation from inadequate colostrum access, and abandonment are preventable welfare harms that cause significant mortality. Close monitoring during and immediately after birth enables early intervention for at-risk lambs. Indoor lambing systems enable this monitoring at the cost of increased infection risk; extensive outdoor lambing reduces infection but requires adequate predator protection and weather shelter. The most welfare-positive lambing systems combine close monitoring capability with adequate environmental protection.