David Miller

Lamb mortality is an important economic and welfare problem for the Australian sheep industry with 20 – 30% of lambs dying before weaning, 74% within three days of birth. A significant proportion of these lamb deaths and an unknown number of ewe deaths are related to dystocia (difficult birth). This review aims to describe the nutritional and non-nutritional pathways that may affect parturition and dystocia; quantify impacts on the Australian sheep industry, and; identify both opportunities to improve lamb and ewe survival and knowledge gaps requiring research and development…