By DR JEFF CAVE
AS winter approaches, sheep producers may begin to see cases of pregnancy toxaemia – known also as twin lamb disease – in their ewes.
Twin lamb disease occurs when ewes have an inadequate energy intake during the last 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy.
During this period, ewes’ energy needs increase substantially for both herself and her rapidly growing lamb, and ewes carrying twins are particularly susceptible.
In fact, a ewe carrying twins has one and a half times the energy requirements of a ewe with a single lamb, and more than twice the energy requirements of a dry ewe.
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Sheep fed in containment areas generally require 10–16% less energy compared with animals walking around paddocks looking for feed.
An outbreak of twin lamb disease is often triggered by stress and environmental conditions that cause a low intake of food such as during yarding or holding off feed or severe weather conditions.
Affected ewes usually appear dopey, blind and unresponsive, and the condition may progress over several days.
Other ewes may also be sub-clinically affected and may progress to become further cases of twin lamb disease.
Twin lamb disease occurs because of a breakdown of body fat at a rate with which the ewe’s liver is unable to cope.
Affected ewes can occasionally be successfully treated by an energy-rich drench such as glycerine, provided the drench is given during the early stages of the disease and good quality supplementary feeding should be given to those ewes most at risk.
For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria Veterinary or Animal Health Officer.
Further information can be found from https://www.feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au/
