Animal Health & Welfare

Stress, either by interference and harassment from other ewes or by too frequent and inappropriate management interventions during labour, can interrupt contractions which will prolong labour.

As seen above a long labour can affect both ewe and lamb behaviour after birth. This will lead to delayed sucking interactions and potentially less passive transfer of immunity by a delayed and reduced colostrum intake. This can increase the number of lamb deaths from starvation, hypothermia and infection.

Stress or disruption at birth may make the ewe leave the birth site early. If this occurs before the process of transferring attraction from the birth site to the lamb is complete, or before the lamb has sufficient co-ordination and attraction to the ewe to follow her, then the lamb may be left behind and abandoned. Stress and disturbance around birth may reduce the amount of ewe licking of the lamb. This can lead to the formation of weaker bonds and an increased risk of lambs becoming separated from their mothers and dying.

Stress or disturbance after birth may reduce the frequency of sucking interactions between ewes and lambs, or increase the number of sucking bouts that lambs may miss (in twin or triplet lambs particularly). This can weaken the bond between ewe and lamb, and may mean that the lamb grows more slowly to weaning.