Sheep Welfare and Pregnancy Toxaemia Prevention

Pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease) is a serious metabolic condition affecting ewes in late pregnancy, particularly those carrying multiple lambs. Prevention through adequate nutrition and body condition scoring is the primary welfare intervention.

Key Facts

Pregnancy toxaemia occurs when energy demand from multiple fetuses exceeds dietary energy intake
Twin and triplet-bearing ewes are at highest risk in the final 6 weeks of gestation
Clinical signs include lethargy, blindness, recumbency, and death without treatment
Prevention requires adequate body condition at tupping and supplementary feeding in late pregnancy
UK sheep welfare assurance schemes require monitoring of body condition score pre-lambing

Welfare Considerations

Ewes with advanced pregnancy toxaemia experience progressive neurological deterioration including blindness and loss of the ability to stand. The condition is painful and causes prolonged suffering before death. Lambs carried by affected ewes may be stillborn or weak at birth. The welfare harm is entirely preventable through adequate nutritional management — the fact that pregnancy toxaemia remains common reflects inadequate attention to body condition scoring and nutrition management on some farms.

What You Can Do

If you farm sheep, implement body condition scoring at tupping, mid-pregnancy, and pre-lambing
Provide supplementary concentrates to multiple-bearing ewes in late pregnancy
Work with your farm vet on a pregnancy toxaemia prevention protocol
Support AHDB and Moredun sheep nutrition guidance dissemination
Advocate for body condition monitoring requirements in farm assurance schemes