Coming into lambing season it is important to manage condition of your ewes. If ewes are light in condition, birth weights can be below average and decrease chance of lamb survival. If ewes are in excess condition there is a higher chance that they will have difficulty during labour. Pregnancy scanning can identify dry, single and twin bearing ewes; which enables you to match feed supply to ewe demand. Some common pregnancy issues we see during lambing are pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia.
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Pregnancy toxaemia occurs when there is limited supply of glucose in the blood, presenting late in pregnancy and more commonly in twin bearing ewes. Symptoms include: ewe isolated from mob, has low energy, cannot stand or is recumbent, and can have nervous tremors. The condition is due to the inability of obtaining enough nutrition from their feed source. If caught early it may be treated with injection/drench of glucose and good quality feed.
Hypocalcaemia (milk fever) occurs when calcium cannot be metabolised quick enough to meet demand. Ewes are most susceptible late in pregnancy and early lactation, as a large amount of calcium is required for lamb bone development and milk production. Hypocalcaemia exhibit similar symptoms to pregnancy toxaemia and can be treated with a calcium based injection. Typically, a response to treatment is quite rapid and a full recovery can be made. Consult your local rural retailer or veterinarian if you think that you are noticing these symptoms for best treatment advice.
