Sheep Metabolic Disease Welfare: Twin Lamb Disease Prevention

Pregnancy toxemia in sheep causing twin lamb disease is a preventable welfare emergency affecting ewes carrying multiple lambs through inadequate nutrition management.

Key Facts

Pregnancy toxemia (twin lamb disease) affects ewes in late pregnancy when energy requirements exceed intake from multiple fetuses
Affected ewes become lethargic, go off feed, separate from the flock, and develop neurological signs without intervention
Death rates in untreated pregnancy toxemia can reach 80% making rapid recognition and treatment critical
Condition scoring ewes at tupping and mid-pregnancy identifies animals at risk allowing targeted supplementary feeding
Propylene glycol drenching provides emergency glucose supplementation and is life-saving when administered early

Welfare Considerations

Twin lamb disease causes severe welfare harm through progressive metabolic failure causing neurological dysfunction, weakness, and death. Ewes in advanced pregnancy toxemia experience profound weakness, inability to stand, and disorientation before death. Prevention through appropriate nutrition management based on condition scoring and fetal number is far superior to treatment. Identifying thin ewes early in pregnancy and providing supplementary feeding prevents the cascade from negative energy balance to clinical disease. Rapid recognition and propylene glycol treatment of early cases saves lives and reduces suffering when prevention has failed.

What You Can Do

Condition score ewes at tupping and early pregnancy to identify animals needing supplementary feeding
Provide increasing energy supplementation to ewes in late pregnancy particularly those carrying multiple lambs
Recognize early pregnancy toxemia signs including separation from flock and reduced appetite requiring immediate treatment
Train farm staff in propylene glycol drenching for emergency treatment of suspected pregnancy toxemia cases