Feeding a Baby Lamb

We have a baby lamb who, at 48 hours, has not had its mother's milk. It is drinking baby formula with iron and raw eggs out of a bottle being squeezed into its mouth, and has been having a regular out-put. Does anyone have a formula recipe or advice on caring for this baby? We have been told that it will not live because of missing the mother's colostrum.

Vernon from Indiana

Answers:

Feeding a Baby Lamb

Go to a feed store, or if you have a TSC in your area, they sell something with colostrum in it. My sister had to buy it one time when a cow died. Anyone in a feed store can help you. The sooner you get it in them, the better. (05/07/2008)

By Cindy

Feeding a Baby Lamb

I used to raise goats, try using goats milk. Ask your local feed store if they know anyone that you can get it from. I would just take a plastic pop bottle and buy a nipple from the feed store, then it will learn how to suckle.
Good luck. (05/07/2008)

By Diana Albers

Feeding a Baby Lamb

Please, whenever in doubt about animal care, ask your vet. Often a phone call is all it takes. It takes a while for answers to be posted on this site, and that might be too late. (05/07/2008)

By Linda

Feeding a Baby Lamb

The lamb can live being just bottle fed. My cousins did it years ago. The only problem they had, is after being bottle fed in the house he wanted to keep coming in the house.
I think it is like with human babies, mother's milk is best but bottle fed is okay. I do think a call to the vet would be a good idea. In nature, babies often have to be raised by human hands, when the mother can't or won't feed the baby. I think love is a bigger factor. I will be praying for you. (05/08/2008)

By SunshineRose

Feeding a Baby Lamb

My wife is raising a lamb with a baby bottle and goats milk. She is doing great. It's definitely working well for her. (05/15/2008)

By cj12765

Feeding a Baby Lamb

I have raised hundreds of baby kids and lambs. Goats milk is best, I don't add any egg. Have it at blood temperature and feed from a babies bottle to start. You may have to make the hole in the teat a little larger. I try to cover the lambs eyes with my hand to start, they are less distracted by everything around them and start to think about the milk more.

Sometimes the lamb is abandoned by its mum because there is something wrong with it. These lambs often have no desire to suckle and nothing you can do will save them.
Just persist with the goats milk in a bottle, that's your best bet. Good luck! (06/05/2008)

By Steph