[Jacob-list] Lamb nursing?

[DunCarl at aol.com]

The biggest drawback to not putting your lambs and mothers up in the barn right after they are born is that it makes it hard to tell which ones aren't nursing.  9 out of 10 of them never have a problem, but occasionally there is one due most often (in my case) to some stress on the mother causing a mild mastitis or too little milk for the number of lambs she has to raise, or the occasional plugged teat.

The best way I have found to be certain the lamb is nursing properly is to feel the lambs tummy.  If it feels full, she's fine.  If it feels empty, then you need to find out why.  Two years ago I had a lamb that just couldn't seem to nurse.  I stripped the mother's teat and confirmed no problem there.  After watching the two carefully for some time I realized that the little fellow was born blind as a bat, so I put it on a bottle.  For whatever reasin, after about two weeks it started to see, and he's a big healthy fellow today.  If I had just left them in the pasture, I don't think that would be the case.

Try feeling their tummies.  Then you won't have to wonder, you'll know.

Carl Dunn