What to Feed Baby Lambs

What to Feed Baby Lambs. Lambs require complete nutrition to become healthy and strong. Several varieties of milk replacers for lambs can be used if a person needs to feed a young lamb. The best milk replacer is high in protein and fat. Protein and fat are essential for the proper development of growing sheep.

Significance

When a mother sheep dies or is absent, her lambs rely on humans to fulfill their nutritional needs.

What to Feed a Lamb

Supplementing a lamb with cow's milk can make the lamb very sick. Feed a lamb milk that is specifically made to replace ewe's milk, such as PMT milk. Do not warm the milk, as it will spoil very easily.

How to Feed a Lamb

Pour the formula into a human baby bottle. Hold the lamb in your arms, and push the nipple into its mouth.

Problems

The young lamb might refuse the bottle, especially if it is used to its mother's teat. It may become very squirmy and refuse to let you bring the bottle near its mouth.

Solutions

Enlist the help of a friend to help hold the lamb still. Put something sweet, such as corn syrup, on the nipple of the bottle to encourage suckling. Use your fingers to pry the lamb's mouth open. When it gets a taste of the syrup, the lamb will realize it is getting food.

References

• Government of Alberta: Raising Orphan Lambs