Pregnancy Toxaemia in Ewes: Welfare Emergency Management

Key Welfare Considerations

• Pregnancy toxaemia results from negative energy balance in ewes carrying multiple foetuses in late gestation.
• The large foetal mass in twin or triplet ewes compresses the rumen, reducing appetite precisely when energy needs peak.
• Clinical signs include isolation, apparent blindness, circling, star-gazing, and recumbency — all severe welfare impacts.
• Biochemical hallmarks include hypoglycaemia, ketonaemia, and elevated BHBA — welfare deteriorates rapidly.
• Prognosis is poor for recumbent ewes — mortality can reach 80% in severe cases without intensive treatment.
• Oral propylene glycol (100ml twice daily) provides gluconeogenic precursors as a welfare emergency treatment.
• Glucose solutions given orally or intravenously correct hypoglycaemia and improve welfare short-term.
• Corticosteroids are contraindicated in early pregnancy but may accelerate foetal maturation in late cases.
• Caesarean section in valuable ewes may save both ewe and lamb welfare if performed early.
• Prevention through body condition score management — target BCS 3.0-3.5 at tupping prevents the condition.
• Nutritional management in the last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy must meet increasing ewe energy demands.
• Ewe feeding space ensuring all animals can access supplementary feed simultaneously prevents competitive exclusion.
• Multiple-bearing ewes should be identified at scanning and managed as a separate welfare group.
• Blood BHBA testing of the bottom 10% of the flock by BCS enables early welfare intervention.
• Pregnancy toxaemia prevention through sound nutritional management is far more effective than treatment.