Pregnancy toxaemia is a serious metabolic condition in ewes carrying multiple lambs, causing severe welfare impacts and high mortality without prompt treatment.
Pregnancy toxaemia causes significant suffering in affected ewes and is particularly tragic because it is largely preventable with appropriate management. The condition develops when the metabolic demands of rapidly growing foetuses outstrip the ewe's ability to mobilise energy reserves. Affected animals progress through stages of increasing debilitation — from subtle behavioural changes to complete collapse — with each stage representing worsening suffering. The neurological signs of advanced disease indicate brain glucose deprivation and are associated with profound distress. Treatment with energy supplements can be effective if started early, but the window for intervention is short. Ultrasound scanning to identify multiple-bearing ewes and adjusting their nutrition accordingly is the cornerstone of prevention.