The UK Lambing Survey 2026, led by the University of Nottingham, is supported by the NFU and 12 other partnering organisations.
It aims to capture the pressures facing farmers and their impact on animal welfare, farm productivity and maintaining high industry standards.
Fiona Lovatt, Flock Health Ltd and chair of the Sheep Antibiotic Guardian Group, said: “There isn’t a time in a sheep farmer’s calendar more stressful than the lambing season. In recent years, the pressure has risen further due to the additional threat of both Schmallenberg and bluetongue viruses, disrupted vaccine supplies, unpredictable weather conditions and increasing scrutiny of what, for some, had become routine lambing-time practices.
“The UK sheep industry has a good reputation for responsible medicine stewardship, good practice and high welfare standards, which we are keen to maintain and defend.
“For this to happen, it is essential we gather baseline data on what takes place ‘on the ground’ or ‘in the lambing shed’. We are very grateful to everyone who supports this survey, both by filling it in and encouraging others to do so.”
NFU Livestock Board Vice-chair Clare Wise added: “I'd encourage all livestock farmers to take a few minutes to take part in this survey and help build an accurate picture of lambing practices and medicine stewardship. We have a great story to tell but we can only do that with the input of our farmers.
“The information is crucial for informing the antibiotic stewardship commitments and targets under the RUMA TTF. Beyond this we all face the physical, climatic and mental pressures of lambing alongside this year’s concerns over fertiliser and fuel and farmers need to be honest about these so we can inform industry decision makers what support livestock farmers need."
Take part
The survey will close on 30 June 2026.
It will take around 12 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous, with no farmer, farm names or locations, identifiable from the answers.
Shepherds managing separate flocks with different tupping dates are encouraged to complete a separate survey for each flock, as soon as possible after the last ewe has lambed.
