Pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) affects ewes carrying multiple foetuses in late gestation when energy demands exceed intake, causing potentially fatal metabolic crisis and significant welfare suffering.
Pregnancy toxaemia causes severe welfare suffering — ewes develop progressive neurological signs as hypoglycaemia and ketoacidosis worsen, becoming unable to eat, stand, or respond to their environment. The condition is often fatal without prompt treatment and can cause significant foetal and lamb mortality. The welfare case for prevention over treatment is compelling: regular body condition scoring throughout pregnancy, with targeted supplementary feeding of at-risk ewes, dramatically reduces incidence. Scanning for litter size enables proactive identification of multiple-bearing ewes for prioritised nutrition. The condition is almost entirely preventable with appropriate management, making its occurrence an indicator of farm welfare standards.