Newetrition - Fully Feeding Multiples

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With scanning ticked off on most places, it's time to start thinking about prioritising feeding your multiple bearing ewes as they approach late pregnancy.

During the last trimester, the energy demand of the growing lambs increases rapidly. If ewes are not fed well over this period, several negative effects can occur. Colostrum quality and total milk yield will suffer, milk let down can be delayed, and lamb vigour and survival will be reduced.

About 7 weeks out from lambing:

  • Ewes should be offered 1.7-2.4kgDM/day

  • Avoid grazing below 900kgDM/ha (~2cm)

In the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy (i.e. from set-stocking):

  • Offer 3-4 DM/day, with the aim of them getting 2.5-3kg down the throat

  • Avoid bulky feeds such as hay, and bulb crops (which contain lots of water)

  • Aim not to graze below 1200kgDM/ha (~3.5-4cm)

Triplets:

  • If you can offer post-grazing residuals of 1200kgDM/ha, there's no benefit to separating twins and triplets - the ewes can't physically eat more.

  • However, if you can't offer all multiples that allowance, prioritise your triplet bearing ewes so that they are on higher covers.

Body condition score:

  • Poorer conditioned ewes will produce up to a litre less milk per day than heavier ewes - this won't necessarily matter if she just has one lamb, but will have a big impact on twins or triplets.

  • The good news is, if ewes are fully fed at the end of pregnancy, milk yields will be high regardless of body condition score - a win for lamb survival.