Author Topic: Weaning topped up lamb? (Read 2160 times)

lesbri · « **on:** April 28, 2017, 09:22:43 am »

I posted a few weeks ago about a ewe that had lambed quads, only one of which survived but then subsequently had mastitis although she has 4 teats, 2 small ones still seemed to be producing. We decided to leave the lamb on her and top him up with bottles as we had no other orphans to keep him company.

He is now on 2 full bottles a day at 5 weeks and Im wondering how long I should keep feeding him this much or any at all? Any advice very much appreciated. He seems to be grazing well and in the mornings his belly is still fairly rounded, the last bottle having been at about 6 pm the night before, although he is hungry and runs for his milk.

shep53 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2017, 12:28:52 pm »

Have you caught his mother and checked how much milk or not she has ? when you say 2 bottles then are we talking 500ml bottles . To early yet to stop feeding him , since he is keen and thriving

lesbri · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2017, 01:51:29 pm »

Yes, 2 450-500 ml bottles per day. I havent checked his mum this week to see if she has any milk but I have seen him suckling her briefly. Will catch her to check. Thank you

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2017, 02:57:50 pm »

Lambs may appear to be suckling but may not be getting any milk - more a habit and/or comfort response. Was the ewe treated with a/bs? Have you checked her udder lately? Mastitis can stay in onel area or spread to the whole udder. Look for dark marks, hardness and/or lumps. wounds or flaking of the udder surface, which may due to an abscess leaking pus. She may lose the whole udder (Black Bag).

lesbri · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2017, 04:50:02 pm »

Ewe checked today, udder is back to pre-lambing size, virtually no milk from any of her 4 teats, although the couple of drops I could get from each teat appeared just like normal milk, not the smelly pussy stuff she did have. She was treated with antibiotics whilst we were stripping out her teats. There is no discolouration, udder and teats are all soft and pink. So either lamby is stealing from the other ewes or is eating enough grass to keep his belly rounded overnight? What age would you start reducing his milk?

shep53 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2017, 08:52:56 pm »

Since you haven't been feeding him creep ,just allowing him milk and learning to graze then he is not a full ruminant until 8-10 wks of age

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2017, 11:21:34 pm »

The ewe could producing milk ok now, just lambie is drinking it all, so not much there for you when you look, and why his belly is rounded in the morning.

Bottle fed lambs will always run to you screaming for food, it does not necessarily mean they are actually hungry

. I always feed until their tummy is nice and rounded, or they've had the ration I felt they should for that feed, whichever comes sooner

Maybe try giving him less in the morning feed, and see what happens?