Submitted by J. Hudson on Fri, 20/02/2026 - 10:44
Lambing season 2026 is officially underway at the University farm, and with it comes one of the most important and formative experiences of the veterinary course for our fourth-year students. Each year, as part of their training, the Year 4 cohort takes on the responsibility of managing the entire lambing season. This means moving beyond the classroom and into real-life practice - caring for the flock, monitoring births around the clock, responding to complications, and making critical decisions under supervision in a working farm environment.
It’s an intense but invaluable period of learning. Students experience the full reality of farm animal practice - long shifts, unpredictable cases, teamwork under pressure, and the emotional highs and lows that come with caring for both ewes and newborn lambs. From routine deliveries to more challenging interventions, lambing season gives them hands-on experience that brings their theoretical knowledge to life and builds confidence, resilience, and clinical judgement.
This morning’s change of shift saw Lauren, and Laura handing over to fellow students Jess and Jessica after a particularly busy night of births. The highlight - and challenge - came at 5am, when one lamb made a very dramatic entrance. Described as "especially long and leggy", the lamb required real physical effort and careful teamwork from Lauren and Laura to help mum deliver safely. Happily, both ewe and lamb are doing well, and the newest arrival has already been named 'Bigsy'.
As lambing season continues, the students will face more early mornings, cold weather, and unexpected challenges, but also many rewarding successes. It’s a demanding experience, but one that shapes them into skilled, compassionate, and confident future vets - and a true highlight of the fourth year. Let’s hope the next shift is a little less exciting… though just as memorable!