Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
does not lick the mucus off the lamb's nose, wipe it off, dry the lamb, and put
iodine on its navel at once. Feed the lamb as directed on page 174.
Nature automatically regulates the amount of milk that nursing ewes can
give per feeding — small amounts but often. It is important to control the
volume of milk that bottle lambs consume during each feeding. It is tempting
to overfeed a bummer lamb — it is so cute and learns quickly how to beg in
an irresistible manner. A yellow semi-pasty diarrhea is the fi rst sign of over-
feeding. If this occurs, substitute plain water or an oral electrolyte solution,
such as Gatorade, for one feeding because the lamb needs the fl uid but not
the nutrients (see pages 256-57 for a detailed discussion).
Overfeeding is more common during the fi rst week or two of life than
it is later on. Starting orphans on lamb milk replacer (after colostrum) that
is prepared with twice the label recommendation of water helps eliminate
the problem, but remember — this is a rare exception to the “always-read-
and-follow-the label” doctrine that I strongly advocate. Gradually increase the
concentration of milk powder in the solution so it's at full strength about the
time the lamb is a week or so old. At the fi rst sign of yellow stools, reduce the
concentration slightly for a day or so and then gradually bring it back up.
As bummer lambs get older, their need for water increases, especially if
they are beginning to eat grain from the creep feeder. If they have not yet
learned to drink from the water tank, they will attempt to quench their thirst
with milk, which is the equivalent of your attempting to quench your thirst
on a hot day with a milkshake! Substitute an occasional feeding with plain
water, or add some water to their milk to give them extra volume. Judging the
need for water in a bummer lamb requires experience and development of a
HOT FLASHES
After bottle-feeding the lamb, if you happen to be holding it on your
lap (sometimes an irresistible thing to do), you may notice that it
suddenly feels very hot or fl ushed 5 to 10 minutes after feeding.
This hot fl ash is not actually a sudden increase in body tempera-
ture but rather an acute dilation of the capillaries of the skin, which
releases a short burst of body heat. These hot fl ashes usually
last only a minute or so. Do not become alarmed, as it is a known
physiologic phenomenon of sheep (and cats). The mechanisms and
reasons for it are poorly understood.
