[Border Lady]

Hi All,

Lambing has gone really well so far with our small flock of white face Dartmoor sheep.
But a small ewe lamb born night before last does not seem to know how to suckle. Ewe is a first timer.
We've tried to latch her on but she just struggles so I bottle fed her some colostrum which she took well but this morning she looks weak. We have just stomach tubed 100mls colostrum into her. There doesn't seem to anything physically wrong with her she just seems a bit clueless!
Just wondering if I should carry on bottle feeding her and how much should I be feeding and how often? She weighs about 1.2kg.
I've tried to find various threads about this but I think I'm suffering from sleep deprivation along with every other "lamber"!
Thanks

[fsmnutter]

Bottle feeding if she takes it is fine, if she's not suckling properly you may need to tube. Ideally 4-5 times a day at this age, and amount depends how full she feels. 100ml at a time is likely the maximum I would give as that small, possibly even 60ml, but you should get an idea how full she is by feeling her tummy, if swollen tight or she regurgitates any milk, it's too much, if she's still hollow, you could give more.
Persevere with trying to get her to latch onto mum as well, providing there's milk there to encourage her or you'll not get far. Sometimes squirting a bit of mums milk into her mouth can help, otherwise minimal restraint to put her in the right place will reduce her wriggling. Sometimes if lambs are small, a bit premature or had a difficult birth causing lack of oxygen, they can show a "dopiness" which can take a few days to overcome. Make sure she stays warm and is fed at least 4 times a day and patience should pull you through.

[Border Lady]

Hi,
Thanks   soo much for your reply fsmnutter, very helpful, we're just in from tubing her 70mls of ewe's milk, she seems bright and warm, I'll keep you posted how things go. One more ewe to go and a Shetland cow due next week! Phew!