Twin lamb disease (pregnancy toxaemia) can be a major restriction on increasing the lambing rates on our farms. It is a complex issue when considering all the varied factors, that need to be taken care of to increase in general lamb survival rates. In the end an all-encompassing approach is necessary. If this is the only article that you have read on the topic, please search out other sources of information.
The common name twin lamb disease or pregnancy toxaemia is generally caused by reduced nutrition from the diet. As the foetus grow, they take-up room in the abdomen, which in turn reduces eating capacity. With more foetuses the room within the abdomen reduces further, which shrinks the stomach further. The ewe needs more nutrients/energy for more foetuses, coming from less stomach space to avoid twin lamb disease. Most sheep farmers want to increase lambing rates via twin lambs, but can be constrained by this.
In general, if there is reduced nutrition in the feed (summer rains can reduce the nutrients in standing feed) sheep can inadvertently be ‘starved’ of the nutrition they require. There are a range of options including feeding grain etc. to counteract twin lamb disease. Another option is to change stock management activities so that the ewes do not need to be pushed around the farm during at risk times of twin lambing disease (reducing high energy requirement activities). Another activity that can be undertaken to avoid pregnancy toxaemia is the application of Stock Roots to your pasture which will improve the nutrient content of the feed. When stock, wool and feed are sold off farm they take with them the minerals which they have obtained from eating the pasture grown. These minerals need to be replaced by applying Stock Roots.
Most improved pastures grown here in Australia are European in origin. The growth potential of these species was greater in the area of origin because their soils were more fertile type soils. Fertile being the full bench of trace minerals are available. We see this here in Australia in a roundabout way by the fact that 4 million mineral/salt blocks (with trace minerals) are sold per year for livestock in Australia. If we grow our pasture with the full nutrient profile requirements, we will see the result of the full genetic potential of the grass species. This will result in us seeing the full genetic potential of our livestock, which will lead to the reduction of twin lamb disease and ultimately to an increase in productivity. Optimising nutrient levels in pasture will improve grazing livestock growth, reproduction, immune defence, and energy levels - the backbone of all production.
Ultimately twin lamb disease can be reduced or eliminated from our farms by taking a whole view approach to this issue by considering all factors. By delivering trace minerals to the plants, we will improve the quality of pasture which in turn delivers us the productivity improvement of a reduction in twin lamb disease.
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