Not only do well fed ewes wean more pounds of lamb per year, but they are healthier and more resistant to infections and disease than ewes that are under Nutritional Stress. If you are in the sheep business to make money, the Nutrition Management of the ewe flock should be your number one concern. Therefore, it is imperative that the flock owner evaluates the feed resources he or she has and manage the feed resource to maintain good ewe nutrition and generate a reasonable profit per ewe. The cause of Empty Gut Disease is inadequate intake of nutrients by the ewe. Most often, the limiting nutrient on most farms is energy.
Energy is supplied in the ration through the hay and grain mix.
Empty Gut Disease results from an inadequate evaluation of feed resources and when body condition scoring is not performed. Empty Gut Disease is the main reason for low profits in the sheep business. The shepherd must identify the resources available. It is very difficult to access its quality without detailed analysis. The species content will also have some effect.