More than 50 per cent of lambing is now carried out by women and a revamped design of lambing pen is now being marketed as the way to reduce some of the risks of what can still be a difficult, even dangerous, task.

Solway Lambing Pens were originally launched last year as a way of reducing chills and mis-mothering – together the reason why more lambs die within two days of birth than throughout the rest of their normal lifespan.

The blame is often laid on makeshift pens held together with baler twine, where lambs get a chill and ewes are distracted from their own offspring leading to accidental death.

But the new Solway system promises to cut costs by reducing losses – and makes the whole lambing process less labour-intensive.

They now come with a lamb adopter front and higher bucket holders to keep lambs out of water and meal buckets and give new arrivals a draught-free environment.

And, by keeping each ewe focused on her own lambs, they promise to cut losses due to mis-mothering, and accidents such as hanging.

The Agriboard recycled plastic material used to manufacture them is easily washed, stacked and assembled inside or out and, as it is non-absorbent, the risk of disease build-up and carry-over between batches is reduced.

For details of your stockists, visit www.solwayrecycling.co.uk