Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Neonatal Survival Management

Neonatal lamb survival is determined by a combination of genetic factors, maternal nutrition, and management interventions during the critical first 24 hours.

Key Facts

Most lamb mortality occurs in the first 48 hours of life
Adequate colostrum within 6 hours provides both immunity and energy for survival
Birth weight below 2kg dramatically increases mortality risk from hypothermia
Twin and triplet lambs have higher mortality than singles requiring additional management
Supervision, warm environments, and colostrum supplementation are the key interventions

Welfare Considerations

Neonatal lamb welfare is acutely vulnerable during the first hours of life when hypothermia and colostrum deficiency can cause rapid deterioration and death. Active management during this window has the highest welfare return of any intervention in lamb production.

What You Can Do

Provide intensive supervision during lambing with at least hourly checks
Ensure warm lambing facilities that protect against cold stress
Train all lambing staff in hypothermia recognition and colostrum supplementation techniques