Yea , they're a lot of work to keep clean, but it's worth it, lovely to put a ewe into a clean bedded pen after lambing.i use spectam based on risk.....if the lambs strong + ewe got milk there's no real need is there .......colostruming lambs can be a time saver when busy as you know that lamb has some 'steam' to get up get going.... rancher makes a good point re protein
i reckon dedicated lambing pens are terrible idea....they get used over and over again.....take a lot of work to keep clean....the more convinient ones also get used more.....i pen them up in the section where they lamb...plenty fresh straw and iodine navels
I'm probably obsessive about feeding ewes before lambing, but I believe it's the most cost effective time to feed ewes well in the whole year, the returns are ten fold ,