The aim of the study was evaluate the use of forage diets (grazing pasture vs. hay) around ewe parturition on the performance and meat quality of suckling lambs (10–12 kg bodyweight). Forty-eight multiparous single bearing ewes from the Churra Tensina breed were used. The experimental treatments were conducted during the last 5 weeks of pregnancy (pre-partum period) and the 5 weeks of lactation (post-partum period) in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Ewes were fed ad libitum on mountain pastures or pasture hay. Hay was made in late spring from the same pasture paddocks to those grazed in autumn. Results showed that ewes body-weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were not affected by forage type feed around ewe parturition. The week post-partum had a more determinant effect on milk production and composition than forage type pre- and post-partum. The energy-corrected milk yield peaked on first week of lactation (1.39 l/day, P