«اِلْعُشْرْ كَلَّافْ»

The saying holds that when a farm animal or beast of burden is carrying young, the pregnancy itself does the work of a dedicated keeper. The beast grows sleek and well-fed, as though someone were giving it fodder and tending it.

Behind it lies a traditional rural belief, not a veterinary finding, that bearing offspring builds an animal's strength and body. Gestation is pictured as an attendant who feeds the creature, so its gain in weight is credited to the pregnancy.

Suited to talk about animals with young, for instance when an owner notices a pregnant beast filling out and credits the pregnancy rather than extra feed. It is not supported as a figure of speech for people or other situations.