Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Late Pregnancy Welfare and Supplementation

Late pregnancy in ewes, particularly those carrying multiple lambs, creates extreme nutritional demands that require careful management to prevent metabolic disease and welfare harm.

Key Facts

In the final 6 weeks of pregnancy, 70% of foetal growth occurs
Twin- and triplet-bearing ewes have dramatically higher energy requirements than singles
Feed allowances based on pregnancy scanning results allow targeted supplementation
Grass intake alone is insufficient for high-multiple-bearing ewes in late pregnancy
Concentrated supplementary feeds including cereals and protein sources bridge the energy gap

Welfare Considerations

Late pregnancy is the highest-risk welfare period for ewes in terms of metabolic disease. The energy demands of multiple foetuses in the final weeks of pregnancy exceed what even high-quality pasture can provide. Without supplementary feeding targeted to each ewe's litter size, pregnancy toxaemia, twin lamb disease and related conditions cause severe suffering and death. Scanning-informed supplementation is the single most effective welfare intervention for ewes.

What You Can Do

Support sheep farmers in implementing targeted late pregnancy supplementation
Advocate for pregnancy supplementation planning as part of sheep health plans
Choose lamb from farms demonstrating active nutritional management in late pregnancy