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Lamb milk replacer

753 views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  goat daddy 
#1 ·
Hey everyone! We inherited a bottle lamb recently. He is doing well on the Tractor Supply type milk replacer... but I read something somewhere on here recently that referenced buying bulk powdered milk for the bottle babies.

I have searched every way I can think to find that conversation again, to no avail!

What do you feed your lamb bottle babies? Also, because we are sheep novices, how long do you continue with bottles? We've done bottle calves for years but sheep are an entirely new ball game for us!

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
I try really hard NOT to have bottle lambs.... almost always the rare "bummer" lamb can be grafted onto another ewe using a head gate (if both are 1 day old / first day of lambing, 3 days in head gate, 3 days in small pen.. older lamb/ewe lambed a week ago - will need a week each place.
On the RARE case I have bottled a lamb, lamb milk replacer 25# bag from the feed store (NOT the little too expensive 5# bags !).
Bottle for 6 weeks if they are eating well and you will feed grain.
Bottle for 8 weeks if you are going to just GOOD grass / legume pasture.
We have cut back to 32 ewes for 68 lambs (20 from Jan, 48 from March) not counting the 4 we lost. Used to raise a lot more. Been raising sheep for over 40 years.
 
#4 ·
That might have been me, I have a whole bunch of bottle babies this year , sold 2 yestday :)
Lamb and goats. I feed Kid milk replacer for both , goat milk is like the universal milk replacer. It works fine for lambs also. I ordered a large bag at Valley vet and it got here in a few days. The shipping however cost almost as much as the milk replacer. Kid milk replacer is not available locally. All they have is cow milk replacer, which works better than nothing if that's all you have. If you are just feeding 1 look for a smaller bag.
 
#6 ·
I Katahdins, and culling is the best thing to do. I never keep a ewe that will not RAISE to weaning how every many lambs she has; triplets are great IF she can raise them lambing out on pasture AND there is not a runt. Had 5 set of triplets this year, all are fine. Neighbor (who got his sheep from me) had one that is raising Quad's!
 
#7 ·
We raise a lot of bottle babies. I have three from the auction and one which was weak when born and had to be rescued. all are goats. there are specific formulas for different animals. Young animals (less than two-three weeks) can not digest vegetable based milk replacer. Check the label and get animal based. You need a protein content of 20% and a fat content of 20%. Mix 24 hours ahead and keep in the refrigerator 1/2 cup. heat gently to use. Check it like you would for a baby, a drop to he wrist. 1/2 cup every 4 hours for the first day or two then 8 oz twice a day. Multiple small feedings several times a day are better than two big ones but time consuming. Baby goats and lambs will over eat. Don't over feed them. most die of over feeding. After the little one is 3 weeks old you can give them good hay and a little grain. Don't over feed them. start weaning at 6 weeks. After 3 weeks you can slowly move them to a soy based milk replacer.
 
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