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Feeding an Orphaned Lamb Instructions for introducing a bottle to lambs
(works for goat kids and piglets too!)
By Quaker Anne

I don't claim to be an expert. The following information and techniques
are based on our over 25 years of experience and have proven successful at our farm. It is interesting to note that some of the most successful and certainly most friendly 4-H livestock projects our children ever worked with were bottle fed lambs, dairy goats, piglets.

When raising sheep, it is best to be prepared for day you will encounter an orphaned lamb, also known as a bummer lamb. A lamb can become orphaned in the obvious case of a ewe dying, but, they are sometimes orphaned for no apparent reason when their mother rejects them and refuses to allow them to nurse. This can happen in the case of a maiden ewe (first time mother), or a multiple birth (twins or more), a ewe who doesn't produce enough milk or, for reasons never to be apparent. Occasionally, a ewe becomes agressive about rejecting her lamb and forcefully butts the baby away. Injury can easily result in this case. The situation should be noted as soon as possible after birth so that intervention can be swift and successful.

The first and most important thing you will do is be prepared. The time to acquire your supplies is not in the middle of the night when you need them. Think ahead. There aren't many things to acquire but you want your supplies gathered together into one place - such as a designated tool box - and stored for easy access and handy use.

Supplies should include:

Clean bath towel to cover your lap and use as a baby napkin.

Basically, what you are going to do is teach a lamb to accept being bottle fed. With gentle encouragement and patient, loving persistence, the new baby will master the knack of it in as little as a few minutes or at most a day or two.

The initial acceptance of being bottle fed has a lot to do with the age a lamb is introduced to a bottle in the first place. If a lamb is a day or two old and has already nursed on its mother, it takes a bit longer for them to make the adjustment to a nipple. Ideally, you want the baby to nurse on its mother at least once and get a good feeding of colostrum. Colostrum is the precious first milk that is produced only in the first 48 hours after birth which is full of important antibodies that newborns must have, if at all possible, to help protect them from infectious organisms. Colostrum also is very high in fat, protein (up to 8 times more than normal ewe milk) and nutrients and it has a important laxative effect on newborns that helps them pass their first stool (bowel movement) known as meconium.

The most difficult part for the lamb during this learning process is the unfamiliarity of a thick rubber object being inserted into its mouth. Artificial nipples are not only considerably larger than a natural mama's, but they also have an unpleasant taste and texture being synthetic. Understanding this will help you to be more gentle about the process of adjustment for the baby.

To begin, hold a lamb securely on your lap on top of your towel. He may struggle a bit for a moment but be firm in holding him and he will settle in.

Next we gently stroke his muzzle to encourage him to relax and to initiate the sucking reflex. This is a comforting exercise that helps the infant focus on the task at hand.











When this is done correctly and for long enough, the lamb will completely relax and then it will be time to introduce the bottle.













I am right handed, so before introducing the bottle, I make sure the lamb is positioned in the direction my hands can coordinate and work together most efficiently which is for me, to have the lamb on my lap facing my right.





This allows my left hand and arm to direct his head and firmly restrain his body. My right hand then opens his mouth to insert the nipple. Do note, it is not necessary to have the bottle full to the top of formula. The lamb is only going to eat a few ounces at a time at first so it's best to have a smaller more manageable amount.



Sometimes, the lamb will take the nipple with little encouragement but most often you will have to be gently persistent and coax him to take it. Remember, the synthetic nipple is not as motivating to learn to take nourishment from as his natural mama would have been so he will likely fight at first to be released from the task. Just be sure to tip forward only a small amount of fluid at a time so the stream coming out does not overtake and possible choke him and soak you. If he does cough and sputter through his initial learning attempts, don't worry, he will be OK - just employ the towel on your lap and try again. Once he tastes the formula, and if he is hungry enough (which all young ones usually are!), he will begin to latch on and to suck efficiently.

Here you can see that I had to employ the use of my pinkie finger by inserting it into the corner of the lamb's mouth to encourage him to open it a bit more so I could better insert the nipple. I love working with lambs near the fire - so cozy!




Once a lamb gets the knack of it, he will begin to suck vigorously taking most of the nipple into his mouth. They very often get a look of startled surprise and enthusiasm for the sudden accomplishment for being able to nurse and satisfy their hunger!







When a newborn lamb finishes feeding, he will be so satisfied that he will likely snuggle in with contentment and take a well deserved nap. That was a big lesson to learn and he will be tired from the effort!












When the baby wakes up, he will soon be ready for another feeding. He will make it clearly known when he is hungry and needs to eat again. Below is a recommendation for feeding schedule and amounts.





How Much & How Often?
After the initial feeding of colostrum you will want to estimate the use of milk replacer. Infant lambs should receive at least about 15% to 20% of their body weight in milk replacer daily. Example: 5 lb lamb X 16oz/lb= 80 oz X 20% = 16 oz daily.

Divide the above daily amount by the number of feedings in a 24-hour period. Increase the amount as the lamb gains weight and gets older. As you do this, increase the time between feedings.

Feeding Schedule:
For the first 24 hours, give the lamb colostrum every 2 hours if possible. In the next 24 to 48 hours, gradually mix the colostrum with lamb milk replacer. By day four, the lamb should be consuming lamb milk replacer scheduled as recommended below.

Feeding for lambs over 24 hours old:

Day 2 thru 3: every 3 hours
Day 4 thru 7: every 4 hours
Day 8 thru 21: every 6 hours
Day 21 thru 35: every 8 hours
Day 25 till weaning: every 12 hours.
Do not overfeed. A baby will not be able to digest a large volume properly and this will cause scouring.



An artificial lamb nurser can be very helpful if you have more than one lamb to bottle feed, and if you use the bottle nipples we recommend, the transition should be very easy.





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