The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: rochvima on May 06, 2013, 02:56:00 pm

Title: Creep feed
Post by: rochvima on May 06, 2013, 02:56:00 pm
Hello.
Can anyone advise please.
 
I have just lost one of my ewes and I am left with 2 orphaned lambs aged nearly 7 weeks.
 
They are not really interested in the bottled milk I have tried to give them, and so I have just bought some creep feed.
 
Will they be ok on creep feed and no milk at this age?
 
How much and how often should I give the creep feed?
 
Is it best to put them back with the flock or keep separate for time being?
 
Thanks, any advise is much appreciated
Title: Re: Creep feed
Post by: bizzielizzie66 on May 06, 2013, 05:21:21 pm
If they won't go for the bottled milk, you don't really have any choice do you sadly. I wonder if it's the bottle they are objecting to or the taste of the milk replacer. You could always pinch some off a milky ewe with a single. However they should be fine on creep feed though it might take them a while to get the hang of eating it. Make sure plenty of water available. Creep feed should really be fed ad lib - which suggests you will need to keep them away from the rest of the flock or the ewes will eat it all - unless you've got a special creep feeder and you don't mind all the lambs having a munch on it.
Title: Re: Creep feed
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 06, 2013, 06:19:18 pm
Bad luck losing the ewe  :bouquet:

If the lambs had already been eating creep before they lost their mum, I'd have said that at 7 weeks they'd be fine so long as they eat at least 1/2lb creep each per day.  But the worry is that they will lose a lot of condition while they get the hang of eating creep.

I would keep trying to get them drinking from a bottle, they may just suddenly switch onto it as they get hungry enough.  I'd also try raw (straight from the cow) cow's milk - which is easy for me as we have our own Jerseys, and an organic dairy farm as neighbours, too.  I sometimes find that older lambs take to cow's milk more readily than the replacement ewes' milk.  You could also try putting some milk (either cow's or the replacement ewes' milk, or a mix of both) in a bowl to see if they'll lap it.

Modified to mention that if you can source raw goat's milk, that would equally be worth a try.

Older farmers around here talk about 'milk pellets', which were so like solid milk the lambs took to it right away.  I've no idea if there's any such thing available now - but maybe someone else does?

Title: Re: Creep feed
Post by: Alicenz on May 09, 2013, 10:56:03 am
Sometimes it takes ages to get them drinking, but once they get the hang of it they respond really well.  i sit them on my knee and slide the teat with difficulty into the side of their mouths and sqeeze a tiny bit in.  Ussually within 30min they are feeding, sometimes though it takes a few days of feeding this way.  But at 7 weeks maybe they are fine without as Sally says.
Title: Re: Creep feed
Post by: rochvima on May 16, 2013, 08:31:48 pm
Hi
 
Thanks for all the replies: internet been down so could not reply earlier
 
eating creep feed and doing well. didn't like goats milk or lamlac!! but seem to be thriving now.
 
Just worried about re introducing to flock without their mum!
 
Thanks again
Title: Re: Creep feed
Post by: wonderwooly on May 17, 2013, 12:00:46 am
sorry to hear about ewe

maybe as they have no mother you could raise one as a Judas sheep, I had a lamb who was motherless and it basically latched on to the next best thing, me, after which I had to sell her and the present owner said she made a noticeable difference to the behaviour of there flock. calmer...