Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Sheep: Pregnancy Toxaemia Prevention

Pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) causes severe metabolic illness in late pregnant ewes, with prevention entirely achievable through nutrition management.

Key Facts

Pregnancy toxaemia occurs when ewes carrying multiple foetuses cannot meet energy demands in late gestation
Clinical signs include depression, blindness, and recumbency that progresses to death without treatment
Ewes with twins or triplets, in poor body condition, or undergoing sudden feed restriction are most at risk
Prevention requires scanning to identify multiple-bearing ewes and feeding them according to need
Treatment with propylene glycol and veterinary intervention may save mildly affected animals

Welfare Considerations

Pregnancy toxaemia causes severe metabolic crisis including brain glucose deprivation that produces neurological signs and rapid deterioration. Death is common without prompt and intensive treatment. This entirely preventable condition reflects a failure of nutritional management - every case represents a failure to provide adequate energy to an animal with known high demand. Prevention through scanning and targeted feeding is the welfare-positive approach.

What You Can Do

Scan all ewes to identify multiple-bearing animals requiring higher energy feeding
Implement feeding groups based on scan results ensuring adequate energy for all ewes
Monitor body condition score of late-pregnant ewes and respond to deterioration
Have propylene glycol and veterinary contact readily available during lambing
Record pregnancy toxaemia cases to identify and address management shortfalls