Managing Pregnancy Toxemia

By Rachel Teller

During these long winter months, as we prepare for the upcoming spring, it is important to not forget about our heavily pregnant animals.  The last 4-6 weeks of gestation are a particularly sensitive time, where critical management can help evade larger issues.  In this time frame, we tend to see a lot of metabolic issues arise, that could be prevented with some intense management.  In particular, this is when we can have the most influence on pregnancy toxemia or ketosis. As the ewe, doe, or cow goes further into her gestation, the fetus starts to grow more rapidly, reducing the amount of space for feed intake.  If not caught and treated early, this could lead to severe illness or even death.

The main cause for pregnancy toxemia is having the dam in a negative energy balance.  Something that will continue for the first weeks after parturition and through peak lactation.  During late gestation, lambs, kids, and calves grow rapidly and require large amounts of glucose.  If the late gestation ration does not supply enough energy, the dam will start to break done fat for a quick source of fuel.  This process produces ketone bodies, which will build up in the bloodstream and become toxic to the animal.

Some common risk factors to look out for include: carrying multiples, poor quality or insufficient feed, obese or extremely thin dams, sudden diet changes, stress, illness, or bad weather, and lack of exercise. Feel free to reach out to the Livestock Nutrition Team at Fertrell to help plan appropriate late gestation diets to help support your animals.

If you suspect you may have animals that are coming down with pregnancy toxemia, reach out to your veterinarian for a quick diagnosis.  You can also use ketone test strips to detect ketones in the urine, before your veterinarian makes it out to the farm.  It is also helpful to keep molasses and warm soaked oats on hand in case of emergencies.

Pregnancy toxemia is a preventable but potentially fatal condition in livestock.  Good nutritional management, early detection, and prompt treatment are essential to protect the health of pregnant and just fresh ewes, does, and cows.  Proper herd management is critical in reducing the risk of this disease.