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Health Care of Pregnant ewes
This document discusses health care recommendations for pregnant ewes and does. It outlines common nutritional diseases like pregnancy toxemia and milk fever that can occur in late pregnancy. Risk factors and treatment options are provided. Preventative strategies focus on adequate nutrition, calcium intake, and minimizing stress. Vaccination for clostridial diseases prior to lambing/kidding is also recommended. Proper nutrition during late gestation is important to support fetal growth and development while also preparing for lactation. Balancing rations, monitoring intake, and maintaining hygienic conditions can help pregnant females have successful pregnancies and give birth to healthy offspring.
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Health Care of Pregnant ewes
- 1. HEALTH CARE OF PREGNANT EWESAND DOES SUSAN SCHOENIAN SHEEP & GOAT SPECIALIST EMERITUS UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION [email protected] |FACEBOOK @MDSMALLRUMINANT SHEEPANDGOAT.COM | SHEEP101.INFO | WORMX.INFO 2024
- 2. Goals of healthcare during pregnancy Successful completion of pregnancy at term. Birth of healthy and viable offspring, with moderate birth weights. Optimum milk production.
- 3. Common nutritional diseasesof ewes/does in late pregnancy PREGNANCY TOXEMIA MILK FEVER VAGINAL PROLAPSE
- 4. Pregnancy Toxemia Ketosis, gestationaltoxemia, twin lamb disease, lambing paralysis, lambing sickness, hypoglycemia/ hyperketonemia, fatty liver syndrome Negative energy balance (low blood sugar) caused by inadequate intake of energy during late gestation. Due to inadequate nutrition, female mobilizes body fat for energy; liver can’t break down all the fat and produces toxic “ketone” bodies. Many risk factors for pregnancy toxemia. Usually a flock/herd problem. Symptoms (similar to milk fever): off-feed, lag behind, separate from flock/herd, lethargy, nervous signs, pain (teeth grinding), and recumbency ().
- 5. Risk factors for pregnancytoxemia Any age or breed Being in late pregnancy Carrying multiple fetuses Reduced rumen capacity Being over or underconditioned Receiving a diet that fails to meet energy (TDN) requirements. Low quality hay (can’t eat enough). Having other diseases or conditions that limit feed intake. Breed and genetics Stress
- 6. Treatment of pregnancy toxemia Individual penning of affected females with access to palatable and energy-dense feeds. Oral administration of energy products: propylene glycol, glycerol, corn syrup, molasses, apple cider vinegar. Subcutaneous (SQ) injection of glucose products Intravenous (IV) administration of glucose Treat simultaneously for milk fever Induction of parturition or abortion (+ birthing assistance). Caesarian (C)section to remove lambs/kids. Euthanasia when ewe/doe is too far gone. Early treatment key to success.
- 7. Prevention of pregnancy toxemia Adequate intake of energy during late gestation: high quality forage and/or energy supplementation. Separate into production groups, if necessary (or possible). Balance rations to make sure pregnant females are getting proper nutrition. Adequate feeder space. Feed ewe lambs/doelings separately. Aim for a body condition score of 3 to 3.5 at the time of lambing/kidding.
- 8. Milk fever Hypocalcemia, parturientparesis Not a “fever.” Low blood calcium caused by inadequate intake of calcium in late gestation or inability to mobilize calcium from body (caused by overfeeding of calcium in late gestation). Occurs before and less commonly after parturition. Symptoms are similar to pregnancy toxemia; you usually treat for both.
- 9. Treatment of milk fever Oral calcium gluconate Sub-Q calcium gluconate IV calcium gluconate (administer with caution) Treat early for success
- 10. Prevention of milkfever Adequate calcium in diet, but don’t overfeed calcium. Highest requirements for ewes is during late gestation. Highest requirement for does is during early lactation. Balance rations for calcium and phosphorus. Aim for a calcium to phosphorus ratio of >1.5:1. Don’t rely on free choice minerals when diet is inadequate. Minimize stress of pregnant females
- 11. Vaginal prolapse Whenthe vagina is pushed outside the vulva. Appears as a smooth red mass ranging in size from a tennis ball to a melon. Usually occurs during last few weeks of pregnancy. No single cause; many risk factors.
- 12. Risk factors for vaginalprolapse Age Breed Estrogen Exercise Genetics Gravity Health History Housing Multiple births Nutrition Obesity Shearing Short tail docks Image source: NZ Vet South
- 13. Treatment of vaginalprolapse Hygienically reinsert prolapse as soon as possible to prevent injury, infection, or dystocia. Retain with plastic retainer (spoon), harness, or purse-string suture. Give antibiotics and anti-inflammatories under advice of a veterinarian. Remove suture for lambing/kidding. Females can lamb/kid with retainer and harness. Condition usually resolves with birth. Don’t keep ewe/doe or offspring due to probability of reoccurrence (dam) genetic predisposition (offspring). Image source: Premier 1
- 14. Abortion in ewes/does When pregnancy is terminated, and the ewe/doe loses her offspring or gives birth to weak or deformed lambs/kids that die shortly after birth. Sometimes, the ewe/doe gets sick, too (even dies). Often immune after infection (abortion). Many causes, both infectious and non- infectious. Some zoonotic Most occur in late gestation Image source: NADIS
- 15. Possible causes of abortion Top3 causes 1. Chlamydia (Enzootic) 2. Campylobacter (Vibrio) 3. Toxoplasmosis Other causes Listeria Salmonella Q fever Brucellosis Leptospirosis Cache Valley Nutritional deficiencies Stress Drugs
- 16. During an abortion“storm” Isolate aborting females Submit fetal tissues, blood from dam, and placenta for diagnosis. Dispose of all birthing materials Treat females (affected and remaining) with tetracyclines under advice of veterinarian. Hygiene: infectious abortion is often ZOONOTIC!
- 17. Preventing abortion Closedflock/herd Biosecurity (quarantine) Maintain a stress-free, sanitary, uncrowded environment for your animals. Keep first timers separate from mature females Separate pre- and post-partum females Manage rodent, bird, and wildlife populations. Keep only adult spayed cats for pest control. Antibiotic or coccidiostat in feed (or mineral) in late gestation (Rx, under veterinary advice) to aid in prevention of abortion caused by toxoplasmosis. Consider vaccination for vibrio and chlamydia (pre-breeding).
- 18. The peri-parturient egg rise(PPER) Ewes/does suffer a temporary reduction in immunity to parasites (worms + coccidia) around the time of lambing/kidding (2 weeks before up to 8 weeks after). The reduced immunity results in higher fecal egg (FEC) and oocyst counts (FOC), which become a source of infection for susceptible lambs/kids. The magnitude of the periparturient egg rise is affected by species, breed, genetics, and season of birthing. Periparturient period: around the time of lambing/kidding: before and after.
- 19. Strategies for managing thePPER: worms Lamb/kid when parasites are less active, e.g., winter or fall. Keep animals off-pasture (zero grazing) during the periparturient period. Increase level of protein (especially by-pass protein) in the late gestation ration. Feed BioWorma® during the periparturient period Deworm everybody Not anymore: selectively deworm ewes/does. Select for parasite resistance in your flock/herd (i.e., low fecal egg counts).
- 20. Suggested selective treatmentof peri-parturient females EWES Deworm if one or more of the following conditions are true: Bottle jaw FAMACHA© > 4 BCS < 2 3 or more offspring Ewes lambing as yearlings DOES If one or more of the following conditions are true. Bottle jaw FAMACHA© > 3 BCS < 2 2 or more offspring Does kidding as yearlings High producing dairy doe
- 21. Strategies for managing PPER:coccidia Put coccidiostat in feed (or mineral) during last month of pregnancy (Rx). Good sanitation: avoid overstocking; clean, dry bedding on top; clean water and feed. Clean well-rested pasture for lambing/kidding Avoid “hot spots” on pasture. Good nutrition, including colostrum intake Control other diseases (co-morbidities).
- 22. Vaccination of pregnantewes/does for clostridial diseases To maximize immunity from colostrum, ewes/does should be vaccinated for clostridial diseases (CDT or Covexin-8®) 2-6 weeks before lambing/ kidding. Females that have never been vaccinated should receive two vaccinations prior to parturition. Vaccinate lambs/kids at 6-8 and 10-12 weeks of age.
- 23. Importance of nutrition duringlate gestation 75% of fetal growth occurs during the last trimester. The ewe/doe starts to put nutrients towards milk production. Rumen capacity is decreasing, especially in females carry multiples. The ewe/doe may be slower and less active foraging and eating. Nutritional requirements increase, especially for energy and calcium (for sheep). Ewes/does require a more nutrient dense diet: better quality forage and/or grain supplementation.
- 24. Goals of nutrition duringpregnancy Prevent metabolic diseases: pregnancy toxemia and milk fever. Formation of colostrum in appropriate quantity and quality. Produce offspring with moderate birthweights. Support increased milk yield during lactation.
- 25. General recommendations for feedingewes/does in late gestation Test forages and know how much your animals are eating (and wasting), so you know what (if anything) to supplement. Save best hay (e.g., alfalfa) for lactation diet. Feed mixed or good quality grass hay. Separate into production groups for feeding. Don’t rely on free choice mineral supplementation: balance rations for calcium and phosphorus. Don’t over feed grain.
- 26. What about selenium(Se)? • Selenium is a trace mineral that crosses the placenta. • Soils containing less than 0.5 ppm are considered Se deficient (thus forages). • Selenium supplementation is controlled by law. • Vitamin E is also important; but does not cross placenta. • Vitamin E content of forages is variable. • Vitamin E is inexpensive to supplement and is never toxic (unlike selenium). • White muscle disease in lambs/kids is the primary symptom of selenium/Vitamin E deficiently. There can be farm-to-farm variation.
- 27. Managing selenium inlate gestation In areas where the soil has adequate selenium, good quality forages will provide enough for the health of the livestock (test your soils). In areas where soils are deficient, you may need to supplement selenium (year-round). Better to supplement in diet than to give injections. Better to add to grain mix and force feed than to offer free choice. Not all mineral products equal: read the label! Do some liver biopsies to determine selenium status of your flock/herd.
- 28. Sample late gestationdiets* Mature ewe, 154-lbs. twins 3 lbs. grass hay 1 lb. alfalfa hay 0.75 lbs. corn 4 lbs. grass hay 0.75 lbs. of grain mix (25% protein pellet + 75% corn) 3 lbs. soy hull pellets 1 lb. grass hay Meat goat doe, 132-lbs. twins 3 lbs. grass hay 1 lb. complete feed 2.5 lbs. grass hay 0.5 lbs. alfalfa hay 1 lb. barley 1 lb. grass hay 2 lbs. soy hull pellets 0.25 lbs. corn 0.5 lbs. DDSG *Depends on feed analysis Some species differences • Goat Ca requirements peak in lactation. • Sheep Ca requirements peak in late gestation. • Goats have higher protein requirements than sheep. • Sheep protein requirements peak in lactation.
- 29. SUMMARY Balance rations Monitor intake Don’t overfeed Don’t underfeed Hygienic conditions Biosecurity CDT vaccinations Selective deworming Minimal stress Make informed decisions based on objective data
- 30. Thank you. Questions? Comments? SUSAN SCHOENIAN Sheep& Goat Specialist Emeritus University of Maryland Extension [email protected] www.sheepandgoat.com www.sheep101.info www.wormx.info Facebook @MDSmallRuminant 2024