Feeding Pregnant Ewes

Feeding pregnant ewes correctly might be the most important nutritional decision you make all year because it determines not just the health of the ewes themselves but the viability and vigor of the lambs they carry. The last six weeks of pregnancy, when seventy percent of fetal growth occurs, place demands on the ewe that cannot be met by maintenance feeding, and the consequences of getting this wrong range from weak lambs that struggle to nurse to dead ewes from pregnancy toxemia. What you feed your ewes during late gestation echoes through the entire lambing season and beyond into how those lambs perform as they grow.

Understanding why pregnant ewes need different nutrition than dry ewes helps explain the timing and intensity of changes to their feeding program. Early pregnancy requires relatively little nutritional support beyond maintenance because the developing embryos and fetuses are tiny and growing slowly. This changes dramatically in the final trimester when fetal growth accelerates exponentially, placental tissues expand, and the ewe's body begins preparing for milk production. A ewe carrying twins in late gestation has less rumen capacity due to the space occupied by lambs while simultaneously needing more nutrients than at any other time except peak lactation.

The stakes of underfeeding pregnant ewes extend beyond just smaller lambs at birth. Inadequate nutrition during late pregnancy results in poor colostrum quality, leaving lambs without the immune protection they need to survive their first weeks. Underfed ewes enter lactation already depleted, producing less milk and losing body condition rapidly as they try to nurse lambs on reserves that barely exist. Pregnancy toxemia, a metabolic emergency that kills ewes rapidly when energy intake fails to match the demands of fetal development, represents the extreme consequence of nutritional failure during this critical period.

This guide covers the practical aspects of feeding pregnant ewes from breeding through lambing, with particular emphasis on the late gestation period when nutritional management becomes most critical. You will learn how to assess and maintain appropriate body condition, how to calculate and provide adequate energy and protein, and how to recognize the warning signs that indicate your feeding program needs adjustment before problems become emergencies.

The energy requirements of pregnant ewes increase substantially during the final six weeks before lambing, and this increase must come primarily from concentrates because the ewes physically cannot consume enough forage to meet their needs. As fetuses grow and occupy more abdominal space, the rumen gets compressed and ewes can eat less roughage per day even as their nutritional demands increase. This creates a situation where higher energy density in the diet becomes necessary rather than optional, typically achieved by adding grain to the ration at increasing levels as lambing approaches.

Protein requirements also increase during late pregnancy, though not as dramatically as energy requirements. Ewes carrying multiple lambs need diets providing twelve to fourteen percent crude protein during the last six weeks of gestation to support fetal tissue development and prepare for colostrum production. Good quality grass hay typically provides adequate protein for ewes carrying singles, but those carrying twins or triplets may benefit from additional protein sources or higher quality forage like legume hay mixed with grass.

Calcium and phosphorus intake during late pregnancy affects both lamb development and the ewe's ability to mobilize minerals for early lactation. The developing lamb skeleton requires substantial calcium during the final weeks of gestation, and the ewe's body will draw from her own bones if dietary intake falls short. Providing adequate calcium through quality forage and mineral supplements prevents mobilization of bone calcium while ensuring lambs develop strong skeletal structure. A balanced mineral supplement designed for pregnant sheep should be available free choice throughout gestation.

Vitamin and trace mineral nutrition during pregnancy often gets overlooked but affects outcomes in ways that become obvious only when deficiencies cause problems. Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease in newborn lambs, making them too weak to nurse or stand. Vitamin E works together with selenium and deficiencies in either create similar symptoms. Iodine deficiency causes goiter and weak lambs. Copper, unlike most minerals, poses toxicity risks in sheep and supplements designed for other livestock species should never be used. A sheep-specific mineral supplement provides the safest approach to meeting trace mineral needs without risking copper toxicity.

Water availability becomes increasingly important as pregnancy progresses because adequate water intake supports amniotic fluid production, helps prevent impaction from dry feed, and maintains the ewe's metabolic functions under the stress of late gestation. Pregnant ewes drink more than dry ewes, especially when eating dry hay rather than pasture, and water troughs need to be checked more frequently during cold weather when freezing can limit access. Dehydration in late pregnancy contributes to pregnancy toxemia risk and should be prevented through constant access to clean, unfrozen water.

Managing pregnant ewes daily involves monitoring feed intake, observing behavior for early warning signs of problems, and adjusting the ration as ewes progress through gestation toward their lambing dates. The feeding program should change gradually over the final six to eight weeks of pregnancy, with grain introduction beginning at modest levels and increasing weekly as lambing approaches. Most shepherds start with a quarter pound of grain per ewe daily around six weeks before lambing and increase to three-quarters of a pound or more by the time lambs are due, adjusting based on ewe body condition and whether they are carrying singles or multiples.

Feeding time offers the best opportunity to observe ewes for signs of health problems, particularly the lethargy, isolation, and decreased appetite that signal pregnancy toxemia in its early stages. Ewes that come eagerly to the feed trough one day and hang back the next deserve close attention and possibly separation for more intensive monitoring. Catching pregnancy toxemia early, when the ewe still has appetite, allows intervention that can save her life, while advanced cases where the ewe refuses all feed have much poorer outcomes.

Body condition scoring throughout pregnancy provides objective feedback about whether your feeding program is meeting the ewes' actual needs. Running your hands over the spine and loin area every few weeks lets you track changes in fat cover that indicate whether ewes are maintaining, gaining, or losing condition. Pregnant ewes should ideally be in moderate body condition, between 3 and 3.5 on a five-point scale, going into lambing. Ewes that are too thin face higher pregnancy toxemia risk, while ewes that are too fat may have lambing difficulties and also face metabolic challenges.

Separating ewes by expected lambing date and number of fetuses carried allows targeted feeding that meets individual needs without overfeeding some while shortchanging others. Ewes carrying twins or triplets need substantially more nutrition than those carrying singles, and ewes due to lamb next week need more than those not due for another month. Ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis that identifies fetal numbers makes this sorting possible and pays for itself through more efficient use of expensive supplemental feeds.

Pregnancy toxemia represents the most serious nutritional disease of late pregnancy and kills ewes that were underfed during the final weeks of gestation when fetal energy demands exceed what the ewe can consume. The disease occurs when the ewe's body breaks down fat reserves to meet energy shortfalls, producing ketone bodies faster than her metabolism can handle them. Affected ewes become progressively weak, separate from the flock, grind their teeth, and eventually become unable to stand. A sweet or fruity smell on the breath indicates ketone buildup. Treatment success depends entirely on catching the disease early, with advanced cases rarely surviving despite aggressive intervention.

Hypocalcemia, or milk fever, can occur just before or immediately after lambing when calcium demands for colostrum production exceed dietary intake. Affected ewes become weak and uncoordinated, progress to lying down unable to rise, and die without treatment. The condition responds well to calcium supplementation if caught early, with intravenous calcium producing rapid improvement in many cases. Prevention through adequate dietary calcium during late pregnancy proves more effective than treating affected ewes, especially since hypocalcemia often occurs in ewes that were also borderline for pregnancy toxemia.

Vaginal prolapse occurs when the vaginal tissue protrudes from the ewe before lambing, ranging from a small bulge visible only when the ewe lies down to complete eversion of the vagina that prevents the ewe from urinating normally. While not strictly a nutritional disease, vaginal prolapse occurs more frequently in overconditioned ewes and those carrying multiple lambs, both of which create more intra-abdominal pressure. Affected ewes need immediate attention to replace the prolapse and retention devices to prevent recurrence until lambing.

Abortion from various infectious causes becomes more likely in stressed ewes, and nutritional stress during late pregnancy can tip borderline infections into clinical disease. Chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, vibriosis, and other agents circulate in many flocks without causing abortions until additional stressors weaken the ewes' ability to contain the infections. Maintaining good nutrition reduces abortion rates even in flocks with endemic infections by supporting the ewes' immune function during the vulnerable late pregnancy period. Any abortion storm requires veterinary investigation to identify the cause and prevent additional losses.

Prolific breeds selected for high twinning and triplet rates including Finnsheep, Romanov, and their crosses have greater nutritional requirements during pregnancy than breeds that typically produce singles. A ewe carrying triplets needs substantially more energy in the last six weeks than a ewe carrying a single lamb, and these prolific genetics concentrate more high-risk pregnancies in your flock. Shepherds raising prolific breeds should plan for higher feed costs during late gestation and consider ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis standard practice rather than an optional extra.

Meat breeds selected for large frame size and fast lamb growth including Suffolk, Hampshire, and Texel produce lambs that are physically larger at birth and consequently place greater demands on the ewe during fetal development. These breeds also tend toward larger birth weights that increase dystocia risk if ewes are overfed and lambs grow excessively large. Balancing adequate nutrition to prevent pregnancy toxemia against overfeeding that creates oversized lambs requires careful attention to body condition and possibly adjusting rations based on breed characteristics.

Hair sheep breeds including Katahdin, Dorper, and St. Croix evolved in harsher environments and tend to maintain body condition on less feed than wool breeds. These ewes may need less supplementation during late pregnancy, but they still require increased nutrition compared to their maintenance needs. Their metabolic efficiency also means they gain weight more easily when overfed, which can create lambing difficulties from excessive internal fat. Monitoring body condition closely and adjusting feed accordingly prevents both under and overconditioning in these efficient breeds.

First-time mothers across all breeds deserve extra nutritional attention because they are still growing themselves while also supporting pregnancy. Yearling ewes pregnant with their first lambs need nutrition that supports both their own continued growth and fetal development, which typically means feeding them at the level appropriate for mature ewes carrying twins even when they may be carrying only singles. Many experienced shepherds keep bred yearlings separate from mature ewes so they receive adequate nutrition without having to compete with larger, more dominant animals.

The most common and dangerous mistake with pregnant ewes is waiting until the last few weeks before lambing to increase nutrition when the feeding program should ramp up gradually over the final six to eight weeks. Ewes that receive no supplementation until two weeks before lambing cannot consume enough energy quickly enough to meet fetal demands, and their bodies begin breaking down fat reserves that lead to pregnancy toxemia. Starting grain introduction earlier and increasing it gradually allows ewes to adjust their rumen function and consume adequate energy without the digestive upsets that accompany sudden feed changes.

Underestimating the nutritional needs of ewes carrying multiples costs shepherds lambs every year because they feed all pregnant ewes the same ration regardless of fetal load. A ewe carrying triplets needs substantially more energy than a ewe carrying a single, and feeding them identically means either overfeeding singles or underfeding multiples. Ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis pays for itself by allowing targeted feeding based on actual need rather than averages that serve no individual animal correctly.

Overfeeding pregnant ewes creates different but equally serious problems, including excessively large lambs that cause dystocia, internal fat deposits that complicate lambing, and obesity that actually increases pregnancy toxemia risk in certain circumstances. The goal is maintaining moderate body condition, not maximizing weight gain. Ewes entering the last month of pregnancy should feel fleshed but not fat, with ribs palpable under a reasonable layer of tissue but not visually prominent.

Neglecting to check water availability during cold weather when troughs freeze causes dehydration that contributes to pregnancy toxemia, constipation, and reduced feed intake. Pregnant ewes drink more than dry ewes, and even brief periods without water access can trigger metabolic problems in ewes already stressed by late pregnancy. Checking water multiple times daily during freezing weather and using heated waterers where practical prevents dehydration-related problems that might otherwise be blamed on inadequate feed.

Ignoring early warning signs of pregnancy toxemia until the ewe refuses all feed and cannot stand wastes the opportunity for successful intervention. The ewe that hangs back at feeding time, the one that lies down more than usual, the animal that seems slightly off without obvious symptoms often represents early pregnancy toxemia that could be treated successfully if recognized. By the time ewes are down and ketotic, survival rates drop dramatically regardless of treatment intensity. Learning to recognize subtle early signs and acting on them saves ewes.

Feeding moldy hay or spoiled grain to pregnant ewes because wasting feed seems worse than the risks creates abortion outbreaks and dead ewes from mycotoxins that would not harm dry sheep as severely. Pregnant animals are more susceptible to many toxins, and the false economy of using questionable feed on pregnant ewes results in losses worth far more than the feed savings. Feed quality matters more during pregnancy than at any other time in the production cycle.