I have a week old lamb. Lambed outside. Always thinner than its twin. Not much get up and go. Saw it peeing so assumed it must be getting something but just isn’t right. Seems lethargic. I’ve checked the ewe has milk. Lamb will go to the teat but no enthusiasm. The lamb’s temperature is around the late 38 degrees/39. I spoke to the vet who said to bring the lamb in and put under heat as wet weather prob not helping. Also to give dose of metacam. I’ve been trying to get it to take from a bottle, to top up whatever it is (or rather isn’t) getting from the ewe but although it seems strong in the mouth, and it feels like it sucks, it won’t drink from the bottle. I’m losing a bit of hope for it. Can you tube feed older lambs? Just thinking if I could get something in its tummy it would help??
Can you tube feed a week old lamb?
- Thread starter Tommy_T
- Start date
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
don't see why not
Yes.
Get some AB into it too. Allegedly, a cc of Strep fro 3 days in the milk being tubed can help...
Vet said not to give ABs at the moment so as not to knock back the good biotics. It doesn’t seem like she has an infection.Yes.
Get some AB into it too. Allegedly, a cc of Strep fro 3 days in the milk being tubed can help...
If you use AB's get some live yoghurt in the lamb, might be worth trying anyway. Do NOT use Greek style
Once we start with cades a tub is in the fridge all the time.
- Location
- Highland
Agree with the above, defo tube it. I use live yoghurt and a drop of honey. A few drops of Twin lamb juice to get some extra electrolytes in.
Two possibilities: 1) It got off to a bad start and needs some help for a while or 2) it isn't made quite right and nothing you do will fix it. We always give it 110% but not all defects are obvious.
Weak twins, if many, can be a sign of late pregnancy toxo infection. But not unusual to get a few for no apparent reason.
Two possibilities: 1) It got off to a bad start and needs some help for a while or 2) it isn't made quite right and nothing you do will fix it. We always give it 110% but not all defects are obvious.
Weak twins, if many, can be a sign of late pregnancy toxo infection. But not unusual to get a few for no apparent reason.
Hasn't got a tied tongue or cleft pallet or something?
No cleft pallet. Not sure on what tongue tied would look like? She has a tongue and as far as I am getting the teat of the bottle over the top of it. Just won’t really suck. Although I can feel a suck reflex if I pop my finger in her mouth.
I’ve been giving her some squirts of insta-life. She lambed out so not sure whether she’s weaker because she didn’t get enough colostrum or she didn’t get enough colostrum because she doesn’t feed well. Her twin seems fine. Just doesn’t seem interested in feeding.
She weighs 3kg. How much per feed would you give? And would you only do it will she hopefully starts visibly feeding off Mum?
- Location
- Highland
50 ml to start. Too much artificial milk on top of mum's milk can cause them to foam up. It's hard to say, you'll just know. I would do 2-3 50's maybe 2 hrs apart, then maybe increase frequency or volume.
- Location
- sw scotland
150ml/kg/day