# How to get a lamb on a bottle



## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

My first twin rams are doing fine, just turned 2 weeks old. On Monday I noticed the ewe was trying to get away from the lambs and she seemed like she didn't want to feed them. They started to pester the other ewe. Watched through the day and finally when I got them in I noticed her udder seemed to look pink. Got her pinned in the chute and one half the udder was hard.
There was milk in the teat, but not much, and when milked out there was no clotting, milk looked normal, no blood etc etc. 
I opted to give her a shot of penicillin and next day had the vet over. He took a sample of milk and cultured it. Came back as Staph aureus, not good, and I'm still reading up on it.
Anyway Ewe seems to be better in herself, as per my vet she is getting LA200 for a few days, and we will talk Monday. The lambs are still feeding but have reduced milk, I just cannot get them to take a bottle, I have tried 3 times a day for 3 days now, but since these are my first lambs, I have no experience. I can feed a calf ok, but these lambs are something else!
Is it me or are they always like this? I've tried about 5 different nipples, but most of the time they just freeze and do nothing.
Any suggestions for me to try, I don't want them to get set too far back, and If I lose the ewe or have to cull her, then I have a jump on the situation.

Thanks 
Carol K


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## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

I have no suggestions other than to say that after a couple of weeks, it's almost impossible to switch them to a bottle. I've had bummer lambs that seemed to prefer to starve rather than take a bottle. I've switched nipples, switch milk types, I've tried it all. Generally, if you can get them before 2 weeks, it's easier. After the 3 week mark, it's almost impossible. Are they eating grain/hay/grass?


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## kit (Apr 15, 2004)

Well, hopefully someone that has had better luck will give you some tips! But I have never been able to get lambs as old as yours to take a bottle... They have developed a prefrence and I have yet to figure out how to change their minds. It seems if they have that bottle within the first few days they can learn to do both, but after a couple weeks it won't be easy. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear! Hopefully someone has a trick that I can learn from as well...


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

Oh, thanks guys, that was what I was thinking. Yes they are nibbling hay and grass. I have moved them to my hay field which has never been grazed and generally for me in Western NY I don't have grass this time of the year. However a week of warm weather has helped that situation.
If anyone else has suggestions I'd appreciate it,

Thanks
Carol K


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I have a ewe that had twins, whose udder got a huge sore on from the lambs biting. And I have two other ewes that LOVE their grain. So I halter one of the piggies, then let the bummer lambs out, and they nurse while she eats the grain. I upped her grain gradually to support the increased milk, and she loved it 

The vet was surprised, but it worked for the five days that I did it. The twins figured out to nurse lower on the affected lambs teat, so they've been fine the last day or so. 

It's worth a try anyway. :shrug:


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

So your vet prescribed long acting tetracycline for several days? Thats a new one on me. Did the vet suggest allowing the lambs to try and nurse so the teat stays as milked out as it can get? If you can get the harder black nipples you can get an older lamb to take a bottle. Slit the opening bigger so every movement is rewarded and use warmed replacer or milk not cooler replacer as usual. Its going to be a struggle no doubt.


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

Ross, yes he did, I was surprised also. The Lambs are still with her and do nurse that side, but they go for the other side first. I didn't want to take them off her for that reason, just wanted to supplement them to help them along. I tried the black nipple, although I didn't make the hole bigger so guess tomorrow that's my task for the morning.

I wondered about restraining the other ewe with the single lamb, it's her they try to sneak milk from. What is the chance of them spreading disease by nursing off both ewes? I just thought of that.

Carol K


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Can you just tube the lamb for feedings so you know he will get the needed nutrients? Which ones would it be missing most from dry food diet? Fats? Can you add something like coconut oil or..corn oil over/in with the dry food?


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I've tubed older lambs for that reason. Now that becomes a two person task fast! I'm not sure how much risk is there to spread from lambs to other ewes. It is a good thought.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Carol K said:


> I wondered about restraining the other ewe with the single lamb, it's her they try to sneak milk from. What is the chance of them spreading disease by nursing off both ewes? I just thought of that.


I looked up Staph aureus, and it IS contagious, so having the lambs nurse another ewe is definitely NOT an option. 

Good luck - I hope you can find a solution soon. Sorry the replacement ewe won't work


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

I thought of tubing, but to tell you the truth I think the risks of me the novice getting it wrong and killing the darn lambs outweigh the other ideas right now. Don't get me wrong, if they were looking weak I'd do it in a heartbeat, but they are happy, and running like the wind right now so I tend to think let be.
I will try the black nipple when they come in from grazing.
That Staph aureus is nasty, but seems quite common in sheep. I have certainly had a lesson in Mastitis real quick. I think checking teats more often may be on the list. The vet seems to think she got it from a nick in the teat, probably from teeth. The nick healed over but there is a small lump, about the size of corn kernel maybe if I had noticed that I could have treated it?? It was on the inside of the teat and can't be seen but could be felt. Bummer.
Now, if this does clear up, which may be a long shot, how much damage to the udder would there be? And what are the thoughts on keeping her or culling her. If she has lots of scar tissue should she be culled? How do you guys determine if you keep or cull with Mastitis?

Carol K


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I try to evaluate the amount of scarring. It basically has to be zero evident or no more than very slight. Otherwise cull.


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

Thanks Ross.
As of this morning I am impressed that some of the hardness has gone, I consult with the vet tomorrow. The ewe is back to normal in her attitude, is eating and grazing and is happy to feed her lambs.
This morning there wasn't much milk in the teat, but what was there looked normal, no clotting, blood or goop.
The feeding wasn't too successful, I used the black lamb teat, warm milk, and the bigger lamb mouthed it more and chewed on the teat. The smaller lamb cracks me up, he freezes when the teat is in his mouth and acts like he has no idea what to do, so does nothing.

Carol


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## Shannonmcmom (Jul 18, 2005)

I have bottlefed lambs of various ages without any problems. To get them to suck on the bottle for the first few feeds we use pig nipples. They are smaller and very soft rubber. We have bottlefed lambs from newborn to even 4 week olds that lost their mom. Helps if you can contain them and if you have any other bottle lambs around. You stroke their throat to get them to swallow.


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## Carol K (May 10, 2002)

Update on ewe, her udder is not hard anymore, she still has milk in that teat. The vet has now said LA200 every 3rd day for 2 weeks. I guess I am more optimistic than I was, but have also read about lots of relapses. She is happy though, not in pain and out eating grass with her lambs.
No luck on supplementing them, and I am giving in.

Carol K


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