[Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?

[Steve and Trish Barrows]

We too, have successfully used the Sav-A-Lamb from Tractor Supply, feeding it from a 20 oz soda bottle with a lamb nipple.  Had to figure out the hard way to make sure the nipple had a hole in it...  Our experience on five lambs in seven years is that they stop themselves when full.  A good starting place is 6-8 ounces of warm lamb milk replacer.  As has been said, getting that colostrum in them first thing is key.  We milk it out and freeze it, so we have it if needed. 
Steve and Trish
Amazing Grace Farm
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Betty Berlenbach 
  To: Williams Family ; 'Peg Bostwick' ; 'Carl Fosbrink' 
  Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 1:02 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?


  I agree.My sense of bottle babies, though I've only had six or seven in 15 years, is that they'll drink forever if you let them, and always scream when you come out even if it's been a half hour, trying to convince you they're starving!  And if I had had a goat, I sure would have used goat milk.  In a few of the cases, for some reason, Mama rejected a lamb (and in about half of them, itbecame obvious why over time;she knew something about the lamb that I didn't) and then I milked out mama each day to feed the lamb for the first week at least, then went to milk replacer if I needed to. Twice of those times, mama eventually took the lamb back and I was home free.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Williams Family 
    To: 'Peg Bostwick' ; 'Betty Berlenbach' ; 'Carl Fosbrink' 
    Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
    Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 3:47 PM
    Subject: RE: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?


    We use goat milk to feed lambs when necessary. This year we bred an older ewe who milks from one side. We are feeding one of her lambs. We originally got the milk from a nearby farm. Now we breed one of our Nubian does to kid with the sheep. We've had excellent results. The lambs grow very well. We tried several milk replacers over the years and had scouring problems. I wouldn't feed free choice even using cold milk. We usually feed 4 times a day to start off. At a month of age  it's 3 times a day. 

    Cathie Williams

    Swallow Lane Farm

    From: jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com [mailto:jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com] On Behalf Of Peg Bostwick
    Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 7:08 AM
    To: 'Betty Berlenbach'; 'Carl Fosbrink'
    Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
    Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?

     

    All I know is that we milk colostrum from a ewe that has recently lambed to start with, and then use Purina Kid Milk Replacer.   We've had much better luck with this brand than some that we tried earlier - the lambs seem to take it fairly readily, and do well on it.  

     

    Peg Bostwick

    peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com

    517-626-6981

     

    From: jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com [mailto:jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com] On Behalf Of Betty Berlenbach
    Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 9:38 AM
    To: Carl Fosbrink
    Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
    Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?

     

    My understanding is that ifyou feed a lamb cowmilk, it will starve to death; cow milk doesn't have nearly the same amount of butterfat as goat or sheepmilk.  Goat milk replacer or goat milk is better than cow milk.  Goat milk is probably better than lamb milk replacer...but cow milk on its own...everything I've read is it's asking for trouble.  Does anyone else have information corroborating this or blasting it as a myth?  (cow milk bad)

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Carl Fosbrink 

      To: Jason Anders ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 

      Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 9:10 AM

      Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?

       

      I am not sure how runny you are talking about. It is not unusual for the stools to be soft and yellow in color at a week old. They won't get solid until they are eating solid food. They should be able to eat as much as they wish about 4 times a day at this age. I would recommend a lamb milk replacer instead of goat milk replacer or even whole cows milk as real milk seems to be better than the replacer. Maybe you could find a dairy farmer in your area who would sell you milk for the lambs. Real goat's milk would be good too, but harder to find and probably more expensive than cow's milk.

        ----- Original Message ----- 

        From: Jason Anders 

        To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 

        Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 8:07 AM

        Subject: [Jacob-list] How much to feed bottle-fed lambs?

         

        Good Morning:

         

        One week ago we had two lambs born that were rejected by their mother.  It seems that she didn't have enough milk and by the time we found them, they had gone probably 5-6 hours without feeding.  We feed them colostrum and kept them going.  We are now feeding a kid goat milk replacer recommended by our vet but are having a hard time knowing how much to feed them.  They are having runny stools although seem to be doing OK.  We are feeding about 4 ounces every 6 hours and also giving them some anti-diarrheal medicine.  Any advice out there would be very much appreciated.  We have never had to bottle feed before.  Thanks so much!


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