Sheep Winter Nutrition and Body Condition

Maintaining adequate body condition in sheep through winter is a fundamental welfare requirement that directly affects survival, lamb production, and long-term health.

Key Facts

Sheep body condition score (BCS) should ideally be 3-3.5 on a 1-5 scale at housing
Thin ewes (BCS below 2) have significantly higher risk of pregnancy toxaemia and lamb loss
Winter feeding requirements increase by 50% or more in the final weeks of pregnancy
Mineral deficiencies, particularly selenium and cobalt, are common in housed sheep
Sheep are susceptible to hypothermia if they lose significant fleece condition or body fat

Welfare Considerations

Winter nutrition management is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available to sheep farmers. Body condition scoring at housing and in late pregnancy identifies animals at risk, allowing targeted nutritional support. Group nutrition can be inadequate if dominant animals prevent access to feed for subordinate ewes. Adequate trough space, separate feeding for thin animals, and routine monitoring are practical measures that significantly reduce suffering from malnutrition, twin lamb disease, and neonatal loss.

What You Can Do

Encourage sheep farmers to body condition score all ewes at housing and in late pregnancy
Advocate for farm assurance standards that require winter nutrition monitoring records
Support training for farmers on recognising and managing pregnancy toxaemia
Choose lamb products from farms with evidence-based winter welfare management
Fund research into breed-specific nutritional requirements under different climate conditions