Sheep Lambing Welfare and Neonatal Care

Lambing season is a critical welfare period for sheep, with neonatal lamb mortality and ewe complications representing major welfare challenges requiring proactive management.

Key Facts

Neonatal lamb mortality accounts for 15-25% of lambs born in some extensive systems
Hypothermia is the most common cause of neonatal lamb death, typically within 24 hours of birth
Ewes with insufficient milk, or triplets and quads, require supplementary or artificial feeding management
Assisted lambings must be performed with lubrication and care to avoid uterine damage
Mismothering - where ewes reject lambs - is a significant welfare problem requiring intervention
Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease in newborn lambs in deficient areas
Adequate shelter, nutrition of pregnant ewes, and supervision intensity all affect lambing outcomes

Welfare Considerations

Lambing represents a concentrated period of welfare risk. Neonatal lambs are highly vulnerable to hypothermia, starvation, and injury from ewes or other animals. A lamb dying slowly from hypothermia experiences prolonged cold distress and weakness. Ewes experiencing dystocia suffer acute pain, and unassisted difficult lambings can cause death of both ewe and lamb. The welfare investment during lambing - adequate supervision, prompt assistance with difficult births, appropriate neonatal care - has high leverage because the critical window is short and interventions are highly effective at preventing suffering and death.

What You Can Do

Increase supervision frequency during peak lambing periods, especially overnight in high-risk weather
Learn to recognize signs of impending lambing and early dystocia requiring assistance
Provide hypothermia treatment including stomach tubing with colostrum for weak lambs
Supplement selenium in deficient areas through ewes or via lamb injections at birth
Ensure adequate shelter is available to protect newborn lambs from wind, rain, and cold
Ensure ewes are in good body condition at lambing to support adequate colostrum and milk production