Proper nutritional management in late pregnancy protects ewes from pregnancy toxemia and ensures lambs are born viable and well-colostrated.
Pregnancy toxemia causes weakness, neurological signs, and death in ewes - a welfare tragedy that is almost entirely preventable with appropriate nutrition management. Surviving ewes often produce insufficient colostrum, compromising lamb welfare as well. The cascade from underfed ewe to weak lamb to failed passive transfer to early lamb death represents multiple sequential welfare failures. Body condition scoring from mid-pregnancy and appropriate nutritional response prevents the majority of cases.