Farm Animals

Sheep Nutritional Welfare in Late Pregnancy

Nutritional management of ewes in late pregnancy is a critical welfare intervention, preventing twin lamb disease and ensuring strong lambs at birth.

Key Facts

Twin lamb disease (pregnancy toxaemia) results from energy deficit in late pregnancy
Ewes carrying twins or triplets have 60-70% higher energy requirements
Body condition score assessment 6 weeks before lambing identifies at-risk ewes
Supplementary feeding with concentrate prevents most pregnancy toxaemia cases
Malnourished ewes produce weak lambs with poor colostrum transfer

Welfare Considerations

Pregnancy toxaemia causes rapid deterioration, recumbency, and death in affected ewes - a painful and distressing condition. Prevention through body condition monitoring and appropriate supplementary feeding is straightforward and cost-effective. The welfare of ewes and their lambs depends on nutritional management in the final weeks of pregnancy.

What You Can Do

Support farms with pre-lambing body condition scoring programmes
Advocate for nutritional welfare assessment as a core sheep welfare standard
Choose lamb products from assured sources with pre-lambing welfare protocols