Sheep Reproductive Management: Welfare at Lambing Time

Lambing is the highest-risk period for sheep welfare on farms, requiring skilled stockmanship, appropriate facilities, and clear protocols for difficult births.

Key Facts

Dystocia affects up to 5% of ewes in some flocks and is a major welfare emergency
Lambing percentages above 150% create significant stockmanship challenges
Hypothermia is the leading cause of lamb mortality in the first 24 hours
Mismothering causes starvation in lambs not claimed by ewes after difficult births
Good colostrum management in the first 6 hours is critical to lamb survival

Welfare Considerations

Dystocia in sheep causes severe pain to ewes and risk of asphyxiation in lambs. Unassisted prolonged labour causes uterine and vaginal trauma with long-lasting welfare consequences. Lambs born hypothermic suffer cold injury and progressive deterioration without intervention. Mismothered lambs that fail to receive colostrum are immunocompromised and prone to infectious diseases causing suffering. Good lambing management with skilled 24-hour supervision during peak lambing significantly reduces welfare incidents.

What You Can Do

Ensure adequate skilled staffing for 24-hour supervision during peak lambing
Train all lambing staff in dystocia recognition and assisted delivery techniques
Provide heat lamps or warming boxes for hypothermic lambs
Use colostrum supplementation for lambs from high-birth-number litters
Develop farm lambing protocols specifying intervention times and euthanasia criteria