Lambing causes significant pain for ewes, particularly those experiencing dystocia or assisted deliveries. Improving pain recognition and management is a welfare priority.
Lambing pain is often underrecognised in sheep because they mask signs of pain as prey animals. Research demonstrates that assisted deliveries cause pain measurable through cortisol, eye temperature, and facial expression. Meloxicam NSAID given at the time of assistance reduces stress measures and improves feed intake recovery. Post-caesarean pain management is inconsistent across farms. Normalising routine NSAID provision for all assisted deliveries is a practical, low-cost welfare improvement that most vets now recommend.