[sadlerlou]

Good morning all,

One of my Jacob ewes delivered four healthy lambs all on her own this morning what a clever girl! This is hers (and mine) third lambing, she is an exceptional mother. I have a small flock and have nothing to foster off onto, I've sat and watched everyone have a good feed although I'm very aware she's already got her hands full and they aren't proper little terrors yet. I've just been in to try and top up everyone with some colostrum but they aren't having a stick of it. Any top tips to help or does it just take time for them to learn that bottle means food? I've been sat with them rested in front of my legs and just popping the bottle in their mouths and holding it in there (they just wave their heads around until it's out). I was hoping to leave them with mom and maybe train two to bottle so that I could go in and top them up to give her a hand. Lambs are all lively and well

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance

Louise

[Marches Farmer]

If she's in good condition I'd be inclined to ask around for a "spare" ewe that's lost her lambs on a farm you're confident has good flock health or take off the two strongest lambs completely and bottle rear them.  You have a small window in which the lambs will learn to take the bottle but they'll always prefer Mum if she's there. 

[SallyintNorth]

Hopefully one or two of them will learn that the bottle is good as they grow and all want more from mum.  So I would keep offering, as you're doing, a couple of times a day.  And of course, feeding mum plenty of extra concentrates.

Oh, but I'd be offering ewe milk replacement, not colostrum.  I only feed colostrum for the first 12 hours, after that it's ewe milk.

[sadlerlou]

Thanks so much for your advice! My nearest neighbour has finished lambing now so we are just going to do our best here! Mom is doing great as are lambs. Thanks for the advice
Re milk they were only born at 3 am so going to try and top up with one last colostrum feed now then switch to milk replacer. I had exactly the same panic last year when I was presented with triplets but both my ewes raised them no problem, you can imagine my face when presented with quads! Every days a school day

[Tim W]

I had a few girls that raised quads last year---lambed outside, no mothering up needed , grass only
This year I have 1 quin, 12 quads & 105 triplets scanned ! 

[Sbom]

I had a few girls that raised quads last year---lambed outside, no mothering up needed , grass only
This year I have 1 quin, 12 quads & 105 triplets scanned ! 

105 triplets!! Yikes

[sadlerlou]

Wow that's incredible! What breed are yours Tim W? Lovely to hear they can raise quads, moving ours to nursery paddock first today so I can triple check mom can count to four!

[Tim W]

Wow that's incredible! What breed are yours Tim W? Lovely to hear they can raise quads, moving ours to nursery paddock first today so I can triple check mom can count to four!

Exlana    www.sig.uk.com www.provensheddingsheep.co.uk

Not all manage to raise quads!
last year I think the ewes scanned at 3+ lambs scanned at 305% and reared 210% (outside, no interference , no bottles, no fostering, no mothering up just left alone)

[shotblastuk]

Two teats. two lambs is a theory we follow. I'm convinced sheep can only count to two anyway! There's an awful lot of cade lambs for sale this year from quads and triplets, obviously the commercial farmers are latching on to my theory.

[sadlerlou]

Just to update you all, mom is still raising all four lambs and they are all super strong and healthy. You wouldn't be able to single them out as quads! Only four ewes to lamb this year and we had quads, 2 x triplets and a set of twins! All ewes are doing a sterling job    thanks for all your advice 

[Marches Farmer]

Are the ewes on good grass with supplementary feeding?  I culled out my Southdown bloodline that regularly had triplets.  The saying around here is "Better a good single than scrappy twins". and this applies even more so to triplets.  I do expect the ewes to last at least 8 lambings, though.

[sadlerlou]

Yes on good grazing and extra feed. I probably get the chance to nanny them a bit more here as they are part of a farm teaching adults with learning disabilities work based skills so we are around all day everyday. I think the fact they are such fantastic mothers plays a huge part and i have a great 'nursery paddock' attached to the stables which they go in until i'm satisfied lambs can find mom and visa versa