Sheep Metabolic Disease Prevention Welfare

Metabolic diseases including pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia cause significant suffering in sheep around lambing, with prevention through nutrition and management being the key welfare strategy.

Key Facts

Pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) affects ewes with multiple foetuses in late pregnancy
Energy deficit in the final six weeks of pregnancy drives metabolic disease in high-producing sheep
Twin-bearing ewes require 1.5-2 times the energy of single-bearing ewes in late gestation
Body condition scoring enables targeted supplementary feeding to at-risk animals
Early recognition of pregnancy toxaemia allows intervention before irreversible metabolic collapse
Hypocalcaemia at lambing causes muscle weakness, inability to rise, and rapid deterioration if untreated
Preventive management through flock body condition scoring has dramatically reduced metabolic disease incidence

Welfare Considerations

Metabolic diseases cause acute suffering and, if undetected, rapid deterioration and death in affected ewes. Prevention through precise nutritional management is both more effective and more humane than treatment. Investment in stockmanship skills - particularly body condition scoring and individual ewe monitoring - is the most impactful welfare intervention available to sheep farmers.

What You Can Do

Learn body condition scoring techniques for sheep through training courses or vet guidance
Implement a targeted feeding programme based on body condition scores in late pregnancy
Ensure stockpeople can recognise early signs of pregnancy toxaemia and act promptly
Discuss metabolic disease prevention with your vet and nutritionist before the next lambing season
Support training initiatives that build stockmanship skills in sheep farmers