[melodrama]

We kept a couple of heavy dead weight pigs last year and it doesn't look like we are going to need pigs next year so we were thinking of getting a couple of lambs to fatten for the freezer.  We currently have two goats and they would be grazing on the same piece of land but I know that could cause us difficulties because of worms.  Someone suggested that I get a couple of orphaned lambs that are still being bottle fed and that way, they wouldn't bring any harmful worms to be with the goats.  Can anyone tell me if that is true and if not is it possible to have both and what would be the best way to do it.  Many thanks.
melanie x

[jaykay]

They have the same worms as goats but that's no reason really not to keep a few together. Goats suffer more from any worms they do pick up, so you may need to worm them more than you do now. Personally i don't think bottle lambs are the greatest bet, they've never had the most wonderful start in life - though some can be fine.

I'd get a couple of lambs that are weaned and worm them before you put them with your goats. That doesn't mean they won't have any worms, just not many.

Other things to consider are foot rot and orf.

Do your goats have horns? Will the lambs?

[plumseverywhere]

We have raised some bottle lambs here last year, some made it (and are well now) some did not make it.  THe lambs shared a paddock with  2 of my goats and so long as both parties are wormed and you keep the goat feed and any copper licks away from the lambs, its not really a problem.

what we learnt -

the goats will always be top of the pecking order    the lambs will fight to get to the goats feed....I had to learn how to milk a goat with a lamb trying to sit on my lap.....lambs aren't bothered by electric tape fencing due to being so well insulated and before long will knock it right down....goats milk is a good source of feed for new lambs (saves buying in lamlac!!)  oh and goats never eat the grass right down but sheep do so they compliment each others grazing style!

[jaykay]

I had to learn how to milk a goat with a lamb trying to sit on my lap

[plumseverywhere]

I had to learn how to milk a goat with a lamb trying to sit on my lap

and if you saw us on 'Escape to the country' in November, the huge lamb that nearly knocked me flying was in fact the lap sitter. She now believes she is a dog and barges my children out of the way (quite gently) in order to walk next to me (her mum!!)

[Brucklay]

I've had orphan lambs in the goat paddock and just as other post the lambs do eat the grass better - the goats (pygmy's) were the bosses and the lambs just stayed out of their way unless the weather was awful - then they would snuggel together in one goat pen and hope the goats kept away. We've had a couple of dodgy moments with orphans but so far all have pulled through - Dobbie last year became a monster!!

[Anke]

If you know a local farmer you could speak to him/her beforehand and agree that you take a couple of triplets, as long as s/he makes sure they had a good amount of colostrum. (and you would put them onto the bottle from day three or four and then take them away from the dam, and could possible supply him with some goatsmilk to supplement the triplets by tube while they are on mum - I have done it that way, and it worked well.)

With any "orphan" or spare triplet lamb you will take a risk that they didn't get enough colostrum.

You could also take a couple of ewes with lamb(s) at foot, and as said before worm them and only let them outside once their "10 or so days after worming" worm count is zero, and if your field is clean that should reduce the risk.

[Dougal]

It used to be quiet common practice to suckle the orphan lambs on a goat. One goat can bring up three or four lambs with no bother at all. I shouldn't think you'll have and worries with keeping them together. Personally the biggest problem is having to look after the goats, including the necessary billy, for the other 8-9 months of the year. Not a fan of them!

[katie]

The lambs are rougher than kids and could damage a goat's udder so it's usually thought to be better better to bottle feed cade lambs.

[Anke]

The lambs are rougher than kids and could damage a goat's udder so it's usually thought to be better better to bottle feed cade lambs.

Definitely!

[melodrama]

Thanks to everyone.  I had planned on bottle feeding if necessary but am definitely going to give it a go this year I think.  All I have to do now is find a couple of reasonable priced lambs.  Whats the right kind of price to pay?  Melanie

[Anke]

When I sold bottle lambs (before I had enough goatsmilk myself) I only roughly calculated the small profit I would have made after feeding these on Lamlac, and mine were Shetland Xes.

This year good fat lambs made about 90 to a 100 pounds sometimes in the mart, so the profit margin would be quite high even if feeding with Lamlac... (but most large scale farmers just don't have the time (or the willing children/wife) to bottle feed regularly or even clean out the milkbar buckets...)

Do you know a nearby sheep farmer - I would go and have a word and see if he would be willing to sell/barter you a couple of lambs - after they had their colostrum. I would NEVER buy orphan lambs in the mart, only ever through private arrangements.

I also would be slightly worried about bringing very young (and not yet vaccinated) lambs near to any young goat kids (also still not vaccinated). BUT if your goats kids before you get any lambs you can collect and freeze the colotrum and then use it on the lambs in the first few hours (up to 24 hours).