Bottle Feeding Lambs Nz

New lambs need colostrum she says.

Bottle feeding lambs nz.

I have a special place in our barn but in extreme cold conditions it s not the best locations. The lambs should be feed standing up. If your lamb is not suckling pressing the bottle s nipple against her lips should encourage her to feed. Do not cuddle or hold your lamb while bottle feeding as this could result in a clot in her lung.

Bottle fed and they have reached about 12kg reduce feeds from 3 x daily 3 x 350ml to 2 x 350ml per day for a week not before week 3 then 1 x 350ml a day for a week and then wean. Lambs should feed standing up. Generally the lamb will suckle instinctively. Most lambs will suckle instinctively.

While feeding do not cuddle or hold the lamb because this could result in a clot in it s lung. Big robust lambs that have adapted well to the bottle can have the number of feeds reduced to 3 4 day but the volume increased. Naturally reared on farms lambs wean at about 4 months old lambs and kids can safely wean from as young as 6 weeks given then are grazing consistently have had access to meal to develop their grown up stomach and will drink water from a container often a flat container works better than a bucket as they don t like walls around their face. When on a restricted feeding system i e.

The aim is to feed about 125ml per feed for a 4kg lamb. Also provide warm and clean bedding for the lambs. Lamb teats that can screw onto a coke or water bottle or complete lamb feeding bottles are available from franklin vets. Ensure you watch out for slow and fast feeders and rearrange lambs into their respective groups to ensure there is less competition at feeding time.

Supplement the milk with lamb or multifeed pellet. Keep your lamb moving regularly so it has access to fresh grass. To bottle feed a lamb hold it s head up allowing it to stand and let it feed. If you have to feed a very young lamb then four to six feeds of 100 to 200ml per feed is a good start and if possible continue feeding colostrum for three to.

If feeding using multi lamb feeders or bottles be prepared to feed lambs 3 4 times a day depending on your system and age of lambs.