Sheep Reproductive Welfare: Pregnancy Toxaemia Prevention

Pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) is a metabolic disorder of late-pregnancy ewes carrying multiple foetuses. Prevention through nutrition management is a fundamental welfare obligation in sheep farming.

Key Facts

Pregnancy toxaemia results from negative energy balance when foetal glucose demands exceed ewe intake capacity
Ewes carrying twins or triplets are most at risk in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy
Clinical signs progress from separation from the flock and apparent blindness to recumbency and death within days
The condition is largely preventable through body condition management and appropriate late-pregnancy supplementation
Propylene glycol and glucose administration are first-line treatments
Ewes that are too fat at tupping paradoxically have higher risk due to reduced feed intake in late pregnancy
Early detection through scanning to identify multiples allows targeted supplementary feeding of at-risk ewes

Welfare Considerations

Pregnancy toxaemia welfare spans the acute suffering of the affected ewe and the loss of lambs from a ewe that cannot sustain pregnancy to term. An ewe in advanced pregnancy toxaemia is neurologically compromised - she cannot navigate, cannot protect herself from weather or predators, and without aggressive treatment will die within days. The welfare case for prevention is overwhelming: ultrasound scanning to identify multiples, targeted supplementation of high-risk ewes, and body condition management from tupping through lambing prevents a condition that causes significant animal suffering and significant production loss. Prevention is more effective, cheaper and more welfare-positive than treatment.

What You Can Do

Scan all ewes in mid-pregnancy to identify singles, twins and triplets for targeted management
Feed multiples and thin ewes separately with appropriate energy supplementation from 6 weeks before lambing
Monitor ewe BCS at tupping and ensure ewes are not over-fat at mating
Know the early signs: separation from flock, poor response to disturbance, apparent blindness
Treat affected ewes immediately with propylene glycol and veterinary support
Record incidence data to identify management improvements for subsequent seasons