Boost Ewe Health and Lamb Survival with Proper Nutrition

By Blake Jackson

Proper nutrition plays a major role in the productivity and profitability of sheep flocks, especially those focused on production. The American Lamb Industry Roadmap Project identifies nutrition as one of the most important practices for improving flock efficiency, making it essential for producers to evaluate and refine feeding programs.

A key starting point is assessing body condition scores. Ideally, ewes should enter the breeding season with a score close to 3 on a 5-point scale. This condition allows flushing to improve nutrition before breeding to support higher ovulation rates and increase the chances of twins.

Producers who lamb out of season often wean winter-born lambs and begin breeding again in spring. These ewes may be under the ideal body condition due to milk production demands, so spring pasture can help boost nutrition and improve conception rates.

Producers may also supplement diets with about half a pound of grain per ewe daily to increase energy intake and support higher ovulation.

During most gestation, pasture and forage can meet nutritional needs, but requirements rise sharply in the last third. The 1985 National Research Council guidelines show that total digestible nutrient (TDN) requirements increase significantly during late gestation and early lactation especially for ewes raising twins.

Protein needs nearly quadruple between maintenance and peak lactation. Without adequate feeding during this period, ewes may produce smaller, weaker lambs, especially problematic during cold-weather lambing. Strong, vigorous lambs can nurse quickly and require less labor at birth.

Good ewe nutrition also supports colostrum quality and quantity. Colostrum intake within the first 24-48 hours is essential because lambs rely on antibodies from the ewe until their immune system matures. It also aids in thermoregulation, increasing survival rates.

Water access is another critical component. Sheep require fresh, clean water at all times. Water intake directly influences feed consumption, with needs increasing during hot weather. The Sheep Production Handbook notes that water intake is typically twice the weight of air-dry feed consumed.

Mineral programs round out nutritional requirements. Although minerals may seem costly, properly balanced sheep-specific mineral and salt mixes contribute to herd health, reproductive success, and growth, making them a worthwhile investment.

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