Spring lambing is quickly approaching. Ideally, a lamb should receive 50 ml per kg of bodyweight of its own mother’s colostrum, within 1 hour of birth. Additionally, 150 ml per kg spread over three more feedings within the first 24 hours of life should be provided. If you do ‘inherit’ some bottle babies, the total daily feeding rate should be no more than 10% of a lamb’s own body weight, and in as many as four feedings per day. Appropriate feeding frequencies at a given age are listed below.
Recommended feed source, and frequency of milk replacement (M.R.) feeding for lambs from birth to weaning
|
Age (days) |
Feed Source |
M.R. Frequency |
|---|---|---|
|
0 -24 hr. |
Colostrum |
4 to 5 times* |
|
1 – 3 |
M.R. |
3 to 4 times daily |
|
4 – 7 |
M.R. + creep |
2 to 3 times daily |
|
8-21 |
M.R. + creep |
2 times daily |
|
21-35 |
M.R. + creep |
consider weaning |
* Five feedings are required in the first 24 hours if cow colostrum is used, to accommodate the requirement of 30% more colostrum.
For more information on orphan lambs please visit the OMAFRA factsheet entitled, ‘Artificial Rearing of Lambs’.
More information on lamb survivability and lamb rearing can be found in the OMAFRA factsheets entitled, ‘Pneumonia in sheep’, ‘Assisting the Ewe at Lambing’, ‘Care of the Newborn Lamb’ and ‘Nutrition and feeding systems for market lamb finishing’.
