To bottle-feed a lamb, you need three things: a feeding bottle with a teat that suits its age, colostrum for the first hours of life and then lamb milk replacer. All of that is together in this collection, for lambs and goat kids, from a single lamb teat to a lamb bar for a small group.
What a bottle-feeding day looks like
- Mixing: make up the milk according to the Excellent Lammetjesmelk pack, always at the same temperature.
- Feeding: hold the bottle angled upwards, so the lamb stretches its head as it would with the ewe. Let it suck by itself.
- Washing: rinse bottle and teat straight after every feed and let them dry.
- Weaning: as the lamb gets older, it eats more hay and concentrates and you can reduce the milk, in consultation with your feed adviser.
Which teat and bottle?
The younger the lamb, the softer the teat needs to be: start with a soft, short teat and switch to a firm red one once the lamb pulls hard. A half-litre bottle is enough for the first weeks; later a one-litre bottle is handier. If you feed several lambs, a feeder with several teats works faster than filling a new bottle each time, and with a rack, five bottles stay upright.
Note
A lamb that gets no colostrum after birth misses its first immunity. If the ewe has too little, use colostrum from another ewe or Colstart Plus. A lamb that will not drink, feels cold or is weak needs help quickly; consult your vet.
More about lambing time is in lambing. If you are rearing goat kids, see goat kids. Separate teats and parts are in feeding bottles and teats, colostrum meters in lamb milk and colostrum.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to bottle-feed a lamb?
A feeding bottle, a teat that suits its age, colostrum for the first hours and then lamb milk replacer.
Which lamb teat for a young lamb?
For a newborn lamb, choose a soft, short teat. Only when the lamb sucks strongly is a firmer red teat handier.
Can I put a lamb teat on an ordinary bottle?
You can: some lamb teats are made to slide over the neck of a beer bottle, and you screw on a teat with a screw cap.