Introduction
Preparing properly for the breeding season will help to ensure success during lambing or kidding. This presentation covers small ruminant males’ and females’ basic management requirements for optimal fertility and productivity. Nutrition, general health, and reproduction management will be discussed. Producers are encouraged to participate with questions and willingness to share past management experiences. Dr. Justin Luther is a Professor of Animal Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
About this video
During this Small Ruminant Webinar, Dr. Justin Luther from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls focused on management considerations for ewes and does during late gestation, a period when nutritional and health demands increase rapidly. The session emphasized how management decisions in the final weeks before lambing and kidding directly affect birth outcomes, neonate survival, and dam health.
Dr. Luther highlighted how fetal growth accelerates during late gestation while rumen capacity declines, increasing the risk of energy and protein deficiencies. Topics included monitoring body condition, evaluating forage quality, and adjusting rations to meet rising nutrient requirements without creating metabolic challenges. Emphasis was placed on preventing pregnancy toxemia and other nutrition-related disorders through timely feed assessment and targeted supplementation.
The webinar concluded by reinforcing the importance of proactive late-gestation management, including grouping animals by nutritional need, careful observation, and preparation for parturition. By aligning nutrition, health management, and labor planning during this critical stage of production, producers can improve lamb and kid vigor, reduce losses, and support a smoother transition into lactation.
Key Points
- Late gestation is a high‑risk period for both ewes and does
- Nutrient demands increase as rumen capacity decreases
- Energy deficiency is a major factor in pregnancy toxemia
- Body condition scoring helps guide late‑gestation feeding decisions
- Forage quality should be evaluated before increasing supplementation
- Proactive late‑gestation management improves offspring survival and dam health
Published: March 20, 2026
