Lambing is a critical welfare period for both ewes and lambs, with intensive indoor systems and outdoor systems presenting different welfare risks around hypothermia, mismothering, and veterinary care access.
Lambing is the period of highest welfare risk in sheep production. Difficult births (dystocia) cause pain and injury to ewes and lamb mortality without prompt intervention. Hypothermia in newborn lambs - particularly triplets unable to compete for colostrum - causes death through cold within hours of birth. Mismothering, where ewes reject lambs, causes starvation without stockperson intervention. Outdoor lambing in cold, wet conditions increases hypothermia risk. Good lambing welfare depends heavily on experienced stockpersonship: recognising dystocia signs, supplementary colostrum feeding, shelter provision, and prompt veterinary engagement for complex presentations.