Late-pregnancy ewe ration: prepare for lambing

A late-pregnancy ewe ration must meet the needs of rapidly growing lambs. Group ewes by litter size, test your forage and enter pregnancy day and expected lamb birth weight in HerdMobile. It calculates pregnancy energy and protein alongside maintenance needs, and checks minerals, including copper, across the full ration.

A rounded adult ewe eating hay in a straw-bedded pen. AI-generated topic scene.

Edited by Ender Soyuince · About our content

2026-10-21

Compiled from open-access scientific sources.

Why do ewes need a different ration before lambing?

Lambs grow rapidly in the final weeks of pregnancy, while the expanding uterus leaves less room for the ewe’s rumen. Each mouthful therefore needs to supply more energy and protein. Using the Small Ruminant Nutrition System, HerdMobile calculates pregnancy needs from day 63 to day 150, alongside maintenance and any milk production. Enter the current pregnancy day and the expected total birth weight of the lambs to calculate a ration for that stage. Prepare separate feeding plans for ewes carrying twins and those carrying singles, so each group receives amounts suited to its needs.

Read the related guide

Which minerals matter most for pregnant ewes?

For pregnant ewes, the daily ration is checked on a dry matter basis: at least 0.20% calcium, 0.16% phosphorus and 0.12% magnesium. Iodine starts at 0.80 mg and selenium at 0.20 mg per kilogram of dry matter, with a calcium to phosphorus ratio between 1 to 1 and 2 to 1. Sheep are sensitive to copper, so HerdMobile uses a range of 7 to 15 mg per kilogram of dry matter. Wheat straw contains about 6.2 mg of copper per kilogram of dry matter; concentrate and mineral supplements also contribute to the total. Choose minerals labelled for sheep and include every feed in the calculation.

How do you use the ration in daily feeding?

Establish how many lambs each ewe is carrying, using scanning or your observations, then group ewes by litter size and body condition. Send a forage sample for analysis and enter its dry matter and protein values in HerdMobile. Choose the group, your hay or silage and concentrate to calculate the daily ration. Weigh a few full buckets so you know how many scoops or buckets to feed. Provide enough trough space for all ewes to eat together, including shy feeders. Note the date of each feeding change and review the ration every two weeks as lambing approaches.

Questions from the farm

Which pregnancy days can HerdMobile plan for ewes?

The ewe ration calculation covers pregnancy day 63 to day 150. Enter the current pregnancy day and the lambs’ expected total birth weight to calculate needs for that stage.

How should I feed ewes carrying twins and singles?

Group ewes separately by litter size and calculate a ration for each group using its expected lamb birth weight. Each group then receives daily feeding amounts matched to its needs.

What copper range is used for sheep rations?

HerdMobile calculates sheep rations within a copper range of 7 to 15 mg per kilogram of dry matter. Include forage, concentrate and mineral supplements to check the full daily total.

How HerdMobile helps

Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.

See how many kilos of each feed to give — Keep the day’s work in view: open your animal records, plan feeding, follow farm accounts and manage your backup in HerdMobile.