Sheep Farming

Sheep Lambing Supervision and Neonatal Welfare

Active lambing supervision is one of the most effective welfare interventions on sheep farms, reducing neonatal mortality and improving maternal behaviour.

Key Facts

Neonatal mortality accounts for the majority of lamb deaths on UK farms
Mismothering, hypothermia, and starvation are leading causes of neonatal death
Supervising ewes every 2-4 hours during peak lambing dramatically reduces mortality
Intervention to assist mismothering pairs or hypothermic lambs requires skill
Digital record-keeping of lambing assists data-driven welfare improvement

Welfare Considerations

Lambing supervision is an intensive but high-impact welfare intervention. Lambs that are hypothermic, mismothered, or starving suffer significantly and die without intervention. The skill and commitment required from stockpeople during lambing season is substantial, and investment in this area - through training, staffing, and support - yields some of the highest welfare returns on sheep farms.

What You Can Do

Support sheep welfare assurance schemes with lambing supervision requirements
Advocate for lambing supervisor training as a standard in shepherding qualifications
Choose lamb from farms with documented lambing monitoring programmes