Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Lamb Welfare in Neonatal Period

The neonatal period is the highest mortality risk time for lambs. Timely intervention, colostrum access, and hypothermia prevention save lives and prevent suffering.

Key Facts

Approximately 15-20% of lambs born alive in UK flocks die within the first week of life
Hypothermia, starvation, and mismothering are the three leading causes of neonatal lamb death
Colostrum access within 2-4 hours of birth is critical for passive immunity transfer
Twin lambs have higher mortality risk than singles due to competition for colostrum and maternal attention
Good lambing shed design with individual pens reduces mismothering and improves welfare outcomes

Welfare Considerations

Neonatal lamb mortality represents both significant economic loss and enormous welfare harm. Many deaths involve prolonged suffering from hypothermia and starvation that is preventable with timely monitoring and intervention. Lambing supervision, individual pens, and rapid colostrum provision are evidence-based interventions that prevent suffering at the highest-risk period of sheep life.

What You Can Do

Support farmer training in neonatal lamb care and welfare at lambing
Advocate for lambing welfare standards requiring adequate supervision and hypothermia prevention protocols
Choose lamb from farms with documented neonatal welfare programs
Support research into effective low-cost interventions for neonatal lamb welfare in extensive systems