Winter lambing season demands heightened care from smallstock farmers

Survival risks in winter lambing
Winter lambing challenges farmers
Ellanie Smit
  • 13 Hours Ago

As Namibia enters the winter months, smallstock farmers are being urged to intensify management practices to safeguard lambs and kids born during this demanding season.

Winter lambing and kidding, which typically occurs between May and June, places significant pressure on sheep and goat farmers to ensure high survival rates amid cold temperatures, limited forage, and increased disease risks.

According to livestock and rangeland technical advisor for Agribank, Erastus Ngaruka, successful breeding management begins months earlier, with mating periods usually taking place in December and January. From this, farmers are advised to count approximately five months to anticipate lambing and kidding seasons, allowing time for preparation.

“The nutritional status of animals directly influences reproduction and conception rates. Well-fed and healthy animals have higher fertility and better reproductive outcomes,” Ngaruka explained.

He added that animals should ideally be mated during periods of abundant forage, ensuring that they enter pregnancy in good body condition. Poor nutrition, he warned, can significantly reduce reproductive performance and increase complications during birth.

However, winter introduces a range of challenges that can threaten newborn livestock. Cold stress, starvation, parasite infestations, and respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of mortality in lambs and kids during this period.

Ngaruka said that many of these problems are aggravated by unhygienic kraal environments, where accumulated manure, dust, and sharp objects such as wires or broken glass can pose serious risks. 

The extended confinement of young animals in such environments further increases exposure to harmful conditions.

One of the most common winter illnesses is Pasteurellosis, a bacterial respiratory disease caused by pathogens such as Pasteurella multocida and Pasteurella haemolytica. The disease is often triggered by stress factors, including cold, dust, and transport.

Ngaruka said that affected animals may show symptoms such as rapid breathing, coughing, nasal discharge, and loss of appetite. In severe cases, post-mortem examinations reveal lungs attached to the rib cage. 

Parasite control is another critical component of winter livestock care. 

According to Ngaruka, said that external parasites such as mites, lice, and fleas are common in lambs and kids during cold seasons. Infested animals often display signs of irritation, restlessness, scratching, hair loss, and anaemia.

Farmers are encouraged to control these parasites through dipping, spraying, pour-on treatments, or injectable solutions. Internal parasites should also be managed using veterinary-approved oral or injectable dewormers.

He said that, beyond disease control, protection from cold remains essential. 

Farmers are advised to provide proper shelters or housing structures to keep vulnerable animals warm. While some small-scale farmers use simple trench systems to shelter newborns overnight, Ngaruka cautioned that poorly constructed trenches can lead to dust exposure and respiratory complications.

Ngaruka said that to maintain body warmth, animals should be provided with sufficient roughage such as grass, hay or lucerne, especially in the evenings. This promotes metabolic heat production, helping lambs and kids withstand low temperatures.

Nutrition after birth is equally critical. Newborns must receive colostrum—the first milk from the mother—within the first 12 hours of life. Colostrum provides essential antibodies that strengthen immunity and improve survival rates.

Farmers are also encouraged to allow young animals continuous access to their mothers during early life stages. Extended separation, Ngaruka warned, may lead to overfeeding when reunions occur, resulting in digestive issues such as bloating and diarrhoea.

He further stressed the importance of maintaining a clean kraal environment and ensuring that essential veterinary supplies are available on-site. These include antibiotics for conditions such as retained placenta, navel infections, diarrhoea, and eye infections.

“In conclusion, survival and productivity depend on timely management interventions,” Ngaruka said. “Preparation before mating, proper care during pregnancy and birth, and consistent attention during early growth stages are all critical.”

As winter progresses, farmers are reminded that proactive care, hygiene, and nutrition remain the cornerstone of successful lambing and kidding seasons—ensuring healthier herds and improved productivity across Namibia’s smallstock sector.