Preparing for Calving & Lambing Season
February brings a shift on many farms. For some, calving begins; for others, the countdown to the main lambing period truly starts. It’s a time full of anticipation, long hours and countless moving parts. Because newborn animals are so vulnerable, the season naturally carries more risk.
This season is about protecting the investment you have built and ensuring the resilience of your flock or herd. Many farmers use this moment to pause and think through the coming weeks, not with a list of instructions but with an eye on what might make life easier, livestock safer and the farm more resilient if something doesn’t quite go according to plan. Our role is to stand alongside you, ensuring that the risks you manage every day are backed by the right protection.
Thinking Through Livestock Condition and Health
As calving and lambing approach, many of our clients often reflect on how their cows and ewes are shaping up. When stock represent such a significant investment of time and capital, a loss at birth is more than a disappointment; it is a financial blow to the business:
- Body condition can influence birth outcomes, colostrum quality and overall survival rates. When stock are either too thin or too heavy, there’s more potential for complications.
- The quality of forage during winter can change quickly depending on weather, storage and availability and many farmers find themselves considering whether the current ration is still doing the job.
- Some also take stock of disease prevention measures already in place, ensuring they still align with current herd or flock health challenges.
These aren’t decisions taken lightly. Stock represent significant investment and losses at birth can impact the year’s financial picture. For many, reviewing livestock insurance cover or disease extension options with Farm & General provides peace of mind during this delicate part of the cycle.
Getting the Environment Ready - A Source of Hidden Risk
Calving sheds and lambing pens play a crucial role in how smoothly the season unfolds. Each farm has its own preferences, but there are common themes farmers think about this time of year:
- Whether the bedding situation is likely to cope with the increased workload.
- If the ventilation, lighting and drainage are operating as expected.
- Whether gates, calving head yokes, hurdles or lambing pens are still reliable or showing signs of fatigue after years of use.
- If disinfectants, iodine, gloves, lambing or calving aids and colostrum supplies are adequate for the season ahead.
A breakdown or failure at a key moment doesn’t just slow the process down, it can put livestock and people at risk and, in some cases, create financial loss. Building and equipment cover can be essential back-up when something unforeseen disrupts operations. Many Farm & General clients choose this time of year to check whether their policies still reflect the value of the buildings and kit they rely on most heavily during calving and lambing.
Newborn Care: A Short Window with a Big Impact
Calves and lambs face their highest mortality risk in the first hours and days of life. Farmers often find themselves considering:
- Whether they’ve got good access to colostrum - either from the mother, stored supplies or replacers.
- How they’ll manage cold snaps, especially for early-born calves or lambs.
- Whether they have enough space to separate vulnerable animals or to monitor mothers that may need longer supervision.
- How well their existing protocols for tagging, recording or moving newborns link into the fast pace of the season.
These considerations aren’t just about animal welfare; they’re tied closely to the farm’s financial resilience. With margins under pressure, many farmers want to know their farm insurance is set up to support them if unexpected losses occur. That’s where well-structured livestock insurance cover can make a real difference.
Farmer Safety: Often Overlooked, Always Crucial
It is easy to overlook the most vital factor in a successful season: you. The physical and mental load during calving and lambing is high. Farmers often work in the dark, in confined spaces and around animals that may behave unpredictably, especially cows with new calves.
Common considerations this time of year include:
- Whether there's usually another person nearby, especially during high-risk moments.
- How comfortable they feel about escape routes when handling protective cows.
- Whether they’ve had time to check that the lifting equipment, tractors, bedding handlers and other machinery are all still safe.
- How fatigue, long hours and stress might affect decision-making.
Because incidents are more likely during these weeks, many farmers choose this as the right moment to double-check their public liability, employer’s liability and personal accident cover. These types of protection often form the backbone of a safety net, helping ensure that if something goes wrong, it doesn’t threaten the wider business.
Making Sense of What Happens: Notes, Patterns and Plans
Calving and lambing generate a huge amount of information: timings, health issues, survival rates, behavioural observations and equipment performance. Farmers often keep mental or written notes to help identify what went well and what might be improved next year.
These records can also help ensure your insurance cover remains accurate. Growing herds, new buildings, additional equipment or changing risks can all affect the level of cover needed. Keeping Farm & General informed means your policy can evolve as your farm does, rather than being stuck behind last year’s realities.
How Farm & General Can Support You This Season
No amount of insurance can replace the skill of a farmer, but it can provide the peace of mind needed to do the job effectively. If this season’s workload has highlighted potential gaps in your protection, we are here to help you review, adjust, and strengthen your position.
Calving and lambing demand attention, energy and resilience and the risks involved deserve the same level of preparation. At Farm & General, we help farmers protect:
Insurance cover that reflects herd or flock value, seasonal risk and specific disease concerns.
Buildings & Equipment
Protection for sheds, pens, stores and machinery that are essential during busy periods.
Support for farmers, family members and staff during high-risk months.
Business Continuity
Policies designed to keep the farm running even when unexpected losses occur.
If this season prompts questions about whether your farm insurance cover still matches the realities of your workload, we’re here to help you review, adjust and strengthen your cover so you can focus on what matters most: healthy stock and a successful lambing or calving period.
