[Hillview Farm]

Last night a shearling had triplets, we had to give them colostrum as she didn't have much milk on her and it was so thick I think they struggled. Shea started letting her milk down and I've topped the lambs up so they are not starving but not too much so they try to feed from her.

Which lamb do you select to take off? All the same size, at the mo I would say she has milk for one but will this imProve? She has a largish udder.

Or do I leave then on and top them up as needed untill another triplet comes along to have a pair of bottles or a foster ewe (only have one single and I could try to foster if I'm there at the time)

Hope Sally reads this too as she seems to be in the know about orphans!

[Backinwellies]

I'll leave the feeding to someone wiser than me .... but voice of experience ensure pen is large enough  shearlings not always careful how they lay down and with triplets there is plenty to aim at!

[Hillview Farm]

She's in a large pen and right on cue the single has started to lamb!

[SallyintNorth]

Great!

You probably know all this anyway , but just in case.

Choose a spare that is as similar to her own lamb as possible.  (If they're all the same size, choose the feistiest.)
Keep the triplet mum out of earshot if you possibly can, so she and lambie can't call to each other.
When the single is born, do not give it to mum straight away.
Rub foster lamb all over in birth fluids.  In particular, all over the top of its head and around its tailhead and anus.  (Sorry, but those are the key spots.)  I usually rub the new lamb and the foster anus-to-anus to make absolutely sure.
If the single is a first timer, you can probably get away with just giving her the foster lamb and then once she is licking it well, her own.
If the single is an experienced ewe, put your finger (washed and lubed) into the vagina and stimulate the top (dorsal side) of the vagina - to fool her she is having a second lamb , then a few moments later give her the foster lamb.  Let her lick and nuzzle that; do not give her her own lamb until she's nickered at the foster.
If you have any concerns that she's not fooled, tie the foster lambs legs together (one front to opp side back) so it flops and falls like a newborn . 

Best of luck! 

[Me]

+1 for that, but don't leave three on her, if these are to be anything special (pedigree rams etc?) they wont look as good/sell well if they struggled for milk as babies

[goosepimple]

Just wanted to say I think all that is very clever Sally, hope I remember all that in May.

[Hillview Farm]

Sadly she rejected 2 of her lambs. The single lambed so I tried to foster one on and she butted the living daylights out of it! (last year she rejected her lamb for 48hrs)

So I have a pair of bottle lamb and my other triplet (TLD Case) shall soon lamb so I'll have a little bottle flock :/

[ZaktheLad]

Lots of people wanting bottle babies with prices still high if you don't want to rear them.  £30-£40 last Saturday with the tiniest weakest lambs imaginable making £10. 

[Backinwellies]

Yes probably make more money selling them to bottle feeders than you ever will any other way ... you will never make back cost of milk powder.  Different of course if they are possible ewe replacements.

[SteveHants]

Lots of people wanting bottle babies with prices still high if you don't want to rear them.  £30-£40 last Saturday with the tiniest weakest lambs imaginable making £10.

Where? Sedgemoor?

[SallyintNorth]

Yes probably make more money selling them to bottle feeders than you ever will any other way ... you will never make back cost of milk powder.  Different of course if they are possible ewe replacements.

I don't agree that you can't make a profit on mollies.  They take longer to grow but if the underlying genetics give a good fat lamb, then you will eventually get a good fat lamb.

Our pet lambs routinely fetch £70+ deadweight .

However, if the breeding is a type that doesn't make a great fat lamb anyway, then yes you can probably never recover the cost of the powdered milk.

[Me]

Do you know your costs? If you can, could you look at last years figures and come up with lamb milk cost, creep, rent, etc etc per mollie head vs. £ in at mart? If not might be an interesting project for this year, ear mark the mollies and cost it out.
Or take your profit margin per lamb last year, minus the creep, milk, electric, auto feeders, extra straw labour etc per mollie and see whats left. Crude but still it would be interesting to see the reuslts.

[FiB]

So do I take it the fostering has be done in an indoor system?  Mine are all outdoor lambers and up and at 'em before you can blink!   I have a Lleyn second timer who is the size of a house with 3 weeks to go... So very worried about triplets or quads, and would, love to foster on but suspect not likely in a field?  Mmmm interesting re pet lambs - 1 for sale here if anyone wants him

[Marches Farmer]

No chance in a field unless a ewe with a single lambs within feet of a ewe with more than twins and has a very strong mothering instinct and very poor eyesight!

[FiB]

Thanks... Better get some more lamlac in