[shrekfeet]

How soon after it is born should a lamb start to suckle. How long should I leave it before I get involved. Do I need to help get the lamb on the teat if it's not finding it? Is there a point when I step in with a stomach tube? If so, powdered or do I try to express from the mother?

So many questions so little time
!

[Hellybee]

SOme people say within 24 hours, but i ve been told by our good sheep friend that within 3 hours of birth. We only intervene if the ewe isnt being helpful. Will either turn ewe over and get the lambie to latch on that way or we will use colostrum from Collate (Nettex) or the red yellow and blue packet from the local farmers co op, cant for thelife of me remember itsnamenow

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

I agree with the above - If the lamb does not suckle within a couple of hours then we latch the lamb onto its mother.

If the is not enough milk, then we give a feed of colostorum via bittle or tube if a very weak lamb.

Make of colostorum is not important, there are many brands out there - we stock the nettex super colostorum.

Thanks

Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk

[garden cottage]

countrywide do powder packs of colostrum at £2.00 pack weve found most usefull as a couple of our ryelands hadnt had much milk.

[Anke]

some first time lambers are a but difficult about letting the lamb(s) suckle, so I always watch them and if they back off as lamb tries to latch on, they are penned (usually I try and wait until lamb has found teat) and I hold the ewe and guide lamb. I wouldn't up-end the ewe so soon after birth, all her innards are loose and a bit out of place. after a few feeds mum is usually ok, although I had one last year that had to have the lambs brought to her and placed on for about a week... she was great mother after that though...

I wouldn't wait for more than an hour before putting the lamb onto the teat, but it depends a bit on the breed (are they up quickly or a bit slow in general) and also if it was slow (and difficult) or quick, easy birth. In preference I always milk the ewe, and only use the powdered colostrum if triplets or really the ewe doesn't have any. If another one is about to lamb (or has just lambed) milk her for some if she has plenty, even if only for the first feed.