Farm Animals

Sheep Lambing Supervision: Best Practice

Lambing season welfare depends critically on appropriate supervision, intervention protocols, and neonatal lamb care.

Key Facts

Dystocia affects approximately 5% of ewes and is a leading cause of lamb mortality
Hypothermia accounts for up to 50% of neonatal lamb deaths in UK flocks
Adequate colostrum intake in the first 6 hours of life is critical to lamb survival
Lambing supervision frequency directly correlates with reduced lamb and ewe mortality

Welfare Considerations

The lambing period is one of the highest welfare-risk phases for sheep. Well-trained stockpersons with clear intervention protocols can dramatically reduce suffering and mortality during this intensive period.

What You Can Do

Ensure sheep producers you support have adequate lambing supervision plans
Advocate for stockperson training programmes that include lambing welfare
Support research into precision monitoring tools for detecting lambing difficulties early