Lambing is the highest welfare-risk period in the sheep year. Management quality during lambing directly determines neonatal mortality rates and the welfare of thousands of lambs annually.
Lambing is a period when excellent stockmanship makes a direct, measurable difference to the welfare of thousands of individual animals. A hypothermic lamb that is found and warmed promptly survives; one found too late does not. A dystocia that is assisted early prevents prolonged pain; one identified late leads to lamb or ewe death. The frequency and quality of lambing checks is the single most important variable in neonatal welfare outcomes.