Author Topic: Topping up? (Read 4338 times)

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **on:** April 28, 2016, 03:10:48 pm »

Hi, one more question following on from my earlier post about a ewe not liking her ram lamb. Anyway, I turned them out today with the rest of the ewes and lambs. He has been getting some milk whilst they are penned up but it has been almost a week and I am keen to get them out as I am running out of suitable hay. My feeling is that if she hasn't improved her attitude towards him in almost a week, she is unlikely to do so over the course of the next and I won't breed from her again. She still isn't keen on her lamb who quite happily took a bottle of lamlac from me this morning whilst the mother wandered off to another part of the field with no regard for him. Do you think it might be an idea to top him up twice a day to make sure he is getting enough milk? We don't have a particular fox problem and I hope that he would be looked after at night by Mum, failing which should I bring him in at night and, if so, where do I put him? I presume that he will need a heat lamp or would a dog cage/pen in the kitchen near the Aga be ok? Any suggestions or tips?
Helen

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2016, 03:24:06 pm »

No reason to not top him up - but make it a top-up, not a full feed, or you will stop him trying to get milk from his mother.

Usually in these cases, the siblings are very strongly bonded, so as long as the less-favoured lamb sticks close to the preferred lamb, it'll find opportunities to feed, and will get protection by default.

If he is getting left on his own and you are worried about him overnight then you could bring him in, yes. But just under cover will be fine, he won't need heat or to be in the farmhouse. Ideally of course he'd have a pal to sleep with, but if he was on his own in the field I guess he's better off in a shed overnight.

Remy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2016, 03:56:33 pm »

I would definitely keep topping him up as if the ewe has shown such blatant disregard to him, it will be harder for him to get milk from her in the field as it would be penned up.

If you see in the morning that he looks tucked up and thin then it's most likely she's not letting him feed. If he's feeding then he will look fuller in the belly. You may then have to decide whether to fully bottle feed him.

Rosemary · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2016, 04:36:48 pm »

I twinned a triplet on to a single; the ewe didn't really believe me. However, Wee Malky has quickly learned that she can't feed his bro without him getting a feed too.

Malky, Milky Malky, is also getting a top up at 6am and 7pm. TBH, his belly is like a drum now when he comes for his bottle, but I think the top up kept him strong enough to fight for his feed.

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2016, 06:50:51 pm »

Thanks for all your advice, very much appreciated. If I were to top up, how many feeds/how much do you think I need to do per day. Once first thing at 6ish and in the evening but how many others? It is really tricky as obviously I would like him to still try and feed from him Mum, so maybe 2 feeds will be enough. So hard to know! Also, do I need to worry too much about Mum and mastitis? They are on fairly poor grazing at the moment and I am feeding nuts twice per day and I am hoping that her milk will gradually drop off over time, if her lamb is being topped up by me. I am still preferring the option of the half way house to fully bottle feeding but at least I would know how much he is getting then. I have never had to bottle feed a lamb before so this is new territory for me!
Helen

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:33:42 pm »

If you top him up twice a day, I'd give 200-250ml a time - so about half what he needs. If he looks very convex after a feed, give him less next time. If he still looks concave after a feed, up it a bit.

Rosemary · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2016, 10:20:14 am »

I take two 500ml bottles out to our four at each feed and usually bring 1/2 back, sometimes less, sometimes more. They take what the want - and that seems to be about 100 - 125ml. They go at the bottle like they're starving but after a coulpe of minutes they're playing with the teat then away back to their mums or playing. I know my place

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #7 on:** April 29, 2016, 07:08:50 pm »

Thanks, I have fed him 3 times already today and he took almost a full bottle each time. Interstingly, he didn't seem ravenous at 6am so I suspect he is feeding from Mum a little overnight. She seems as uninterested as ever!
Helen

Remy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 29, 2016, 08:13:01 pm »

If you go by the instructions, it's usually about a litre per day over 4-5 feeds for the first week, although depending on the size of the lamb you may have to stick to more frequent and less amounts as their tummies can't take too much at once. I had a small lamb who got bloat with 200ml each feed so I had to reduce it to 150ml and more frequently, till she got a bit bigger. You should be able to reduce the frequency and up the amounts of milk as they get older and stronger. Usually if they are having milk from mum, they won't finish the bottle. Mine still rushed up for milk but only took 50-100ml then walked off, which is how I knew they were suckling (plus bellies looked fuller!).