The lambing period is one of the most welfare-critical phases of sheep production, with hypothermia, starvation, and dystocia causing significant lamb mortality and suffering.
Lambing welfare requires attentive stockpersonship at the most demanding time of year. Lambs born in cold, wet conditions lose body heat within minutes - without intervention, hypothermic lambs die from cardiovascular collapse. Early intervention with warming, colostrum, and shelter is critical. Dystocia causes severe pain for ewes and anoxia for lambs; prompt, skilled obstetric intervention prevents hours of suffering. Mismothering creates hungry lambs at risk of starvation. The welfare of both ewes and lambs during lambing depends heavily on stockperson skill, observation frequency, and willingness to intervene rapidly. Welfare outcomes at lambing are a direct measure of shepherding quality.