Animal Health & Welfare

Lambs born to very old or very young ewes are often of light birth weight. In both cases the ewe is less efficient at getting nutrients to her developing lamb. These light birth weight lambs are slow to stand and suck as a result of their poorer nutrition during development.

Although maternal behaviour does not appear to have a direct impact on early lamb behaviour (e.g. standing) the responses of inexperienced ewes when the lamb attempts to suck (moving away as the lamb tries to find the udder) can seriously extend the time taken by the lamb to find the udder and suck.

If sucking attempts are prevented by the ewe for a long period of time the lamb will either become weakened and cease to seek the udder, or leave the ewe and try to suck from other ewes.

In both cases it is likely that the lamb will not be fed and will die from starvation and hypothermia.