Part of five topic presentation for New River Sheep & Goat Club. February 20, 2016.

1. Maximizing the
potential of orphans
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
SHEEP & GOAT SPECIALIST
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION
SSCHOEN@UMD.EDU – SHEEPANDGOAT.COM – WORMX.INFO

2. Maximizing the potential
of orphan lambs/kids.
• Do you have too many orphans?
• Do you have ewes/does that can’t raise their lambs/kids?
• Do you consider orphan lambs/kids to be a burden or bonus?
Raising lambs and kids artificially
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/#!artrearing/c514
Abomasal bloat
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/#!abomasal-bloat/c7dx

3. How do we end up with orphans?
• Reality: in order to raise a 200% lamb/kid crop (a good goal), you’re going to have some triplets,
maybe a set of quads occasionally.
• Genetics: not all ewes/does can raise triplets.
• Nutrition: it is difficult for a ewe or doe to raise triplets on pasture (alone) or with inadequate
nutrition.
• Disease: mastitis orphans a lot of lambs/kids (clinical + sub-clinical)
• Death: sometimes the ewe/doe dies as a result of parturition.
• Mismothering: sometimes, you can’t get a ewe/doe to accept all of her offspring.
• Other: some lambs/kids are too weak, small, or “stupid” to nurse.
• Dairy enterprise: offspring are removed so dam can be milked
• Disease elimination: control OPP, CAE
•

4. How can we minimize orphans?
• Select for milk production.
• Proper nutrition during late gestation and
lactation; match nutrition to litter size.
• Graft/foster extra lambs/kids,
• Get ewe/doe to accept her offspring,
e.g. put her in a stanchion
• Cull ewes/does with mastitis or scar tissue.
• Sell orphans or give them away

5. LIVE – SURVIVE – THRIVE – GROW

6. Hypothermia and starvation are primary
causes of death in lambs and kids.
• Evaluate lamb/kid
• Age +/- 5 hours old
• Temperature
• Normal, >102°F
• Mild hypothermia, 98-102°F
• Hypothermia, <98°F
• Condition
• Hold head up
• Swallow
• Stand
• Be able to recognize a
stressed lamb or kid
• Hunched posture
• Hollowed out sides
• Excessive bleating
• Cold mouth
• Dehydration
• Unable to stand
• Unresponsive

7. 99-102°F < 99°F
Any age
Can swallow
Tube feed milk
or colostrum
+ 5 hours old
No brown fat left
- 5 hours old
Can swallow
Warm
Tube feed milk
or colostrum
Can swallow Can’t swallow
Tube feed milk or
colostrum
Warm
Glucose by IP
injection
Warm
Tube feed milk
or colostrum
Lamb or kid is sluggish, cold, not nursing

8. Warming hypothermic lambs/kids
• Normal temperature is 102-104°F.
Mild hypothermia is 98-102°F
Severe hypothermia is < 98°F
• Warm lambs/kids slowly to restore body
temperature; avoid overheating.
• Many ways to warm a lamb/kid: warming “hot”
box, hot water bottles, blow dryer, heat lamps,
towels, rubbing, and warm water immersion.
• Once a lamb/kid is actively nursing and healthy
it does not need to have a heat lamp.

9. Intraperitoneal (IP) injection
Injecting dextrose directly into abdomen to give energy boost
• If a lamb/kid is more than 5 hours old and suffering from
hypothermia, it is essential to provide it with an energy source
(glucose) prior to warming.
• 20% warm dextrose solution, 4-5 ml per lb.
[20 ml 50% dextrose + 30 ml freshly boiled water]
• Procedure
• Hold lamb/kid by forelegs
• Spray area to be injected with iodine
Injection site is 1 in. below and ½ in. to side of navel
• Slowly insert needle (20 gauge x 1.5”), pointing towards tail head
• Slowly inject solution

10. Importance of colostrum
• First milk produced by dam. Produced during last few
weeks of pregnancy. Females vary in the quantity and
quality of colostrum they produce.
• Darker and thicker than milk.
• Contains high levels of fat, protein, vitamins, and
antibodies.
• Antibodies protect newborns against diseases which
occur naturally (e. coli) as well as those dam was vaccinated
for (clostridial diseases such as enterotoxemia and tetanus).
• Antibodies can only be absorbed within first 12 hours to
have disease-fighting ability.
Link between colostrum
consumption and
mortality.
Moredun, 1977

11. Feeding colostrum
• Feed as soon as possible after birth,
preferably within first 6 hours
• 10% of body weight in first 24 hours
• 10 lb. lamb/kid – 16 oz
• 5 lb. lamb/kid – 8 oz
Increase allowance by 15% for lambs/kids
raised outside
• Small frequent feedings
• Can tube feed or feed via bottle

12. Colostrum sources
Own dam
↓ Another dam of same species in flock/herd
↓ Frozen colostrum from same flock/herd
↓ Fresh or frozen colostrum from neighbor’s farm
same species
↓ Fresh or frozen colostrum from neighbor’s
farm different species
↓ Commercial colostrum replacer (e.g. Land O’Lakes)
Supplies IgGs
↓ Commercial colostrum supplement (e.g. La Belle)
No IgGs

13. Tube feeding
A skill all shepherds should master.
• Means of placing milk directly
into lamb/kid’s stomach.
• Quickest way to feed lamb/kid
that can hold its head up.
• If lamb/kid is nursing or can
take a bottle, you have to tube
feed it.
• Some experts recommend tube
feeding over bottle feeding if
lamb will be dam raised.
1. Need flexible tube and catheter tip
60 cc syringe
2. Measure tube along outside of
lamb/kid.
3. Wet tube with warm water.
4. Insert tube into left side of mouth,
over tongue and back into mouth
and throat.
5. Let lamb swallow tube or move
gently down throat
6. Attach syringe.
7. Let warm milk flow via gravity.
8. Pinch end of tube when removing.

14. Milk replacers for lambs
Not all milk replacers are the same; read the label.
• Multi-species milk replacers are
not recommended for lambs.
• Best to use a high quality milk
replacer specifically formulated
for lambs (to mimic ewe’s milk).
• Many quality milk replacers on
the market.
• Best to feed milk replacer that is
“medicated” with Deccox®
[coccidiostat]
• Feeding cow and goat milk to
lambs
• The fat content of sheep milk is
much higher than cow’s or goat’s
milk.
• Can feed full cream cow milk (or
Jersey milk) or fortify milk with
fats or oils to increase energy
content.
• Can feed waste milk from cow or
goat dairy; add fat.

15. Milk replacers for kids
Not all milk replacers are the same; read the label.
• Can feed multi-species milk replacer, but better to
feed milk replacer that has been specifically
formulated for kids (to mimic doe’s milk).
• Many quality milk replacers on market.
• Best to feed kid milk replacer that is “medicated”
with Deccox® [coccidiostat]
• No problem feeding whole cow milk to kids; no
need to mix with anything else.
• Waste milk is another viable option.

16. Methods of feeding milk replacer

17. Methods of feeding milk replacer
Smaller numbers
• Free choice feeding
Warm or cool milk
Group fed
• Hand feeding, bottle with nipple
• Reduced labor
Higher intake
Higher gain
Larger numbers
• Limit-feeding
Set amount 2-4 times daily
Warm or cool milk
• Nipple on bottle
Nipple pail
Open vessel
• Labor intensive
Reduced cost of milk

18. Primary health problems of
artificially-reared lambs and kids
• Bloat
• Constipation
• Scours (diarrhea)
• Infectious
• Non-infectious

19. Treatments, medicine cabinet for orphans
• Electrolytes
Pedialyte
• Castor oil
• Mineral oil
Vegetable oil
• Antacid
• Enema
• Pepto-bismal, Kaopectate
• Antibiotics
• Injectables

20. Weaning orphan lambs/kids
• Can wean as early as 3-4 weeks.
6-8 weeks more common.
• When to wean depends upon whether lambs/kids are
eating dry feed and drinking water.
• Size more important than age when deciding when to
wean (same with dam-raised offspring).
• 20 lbs. minimum
• 2.5x birth weight
• Can wean abruptly or after reducing # feedings.
• Best not to feed hay until several weeks after weaning.
• Lambs/kids will suffer at temporary set-back after
weaning, but will adjust with compensatory gains.

21. Management tips for orphans
• Adequate colostrum intake
• Feed in small pens
• Good sanitation of feeding equipment and pen
• Milk proteins not plant proteins
Skim milk vs. dried whey
• Feed cool milk to prevent digestive upsets
• Can add formalin or yogurt to milk as
prevention for bloat
• Start on dry feed (grain) early
• Vaccinate for CDT multiple times
• Coccidiostat in milk replacer and starter diet

22. Can you make money with orphans?
• It depends
• They increase lambing percentage
• Economics
15-20 lbs. milk replacer per lamb/kid
$40-60 for 25-lb. bag of milk replacer
$32-$48 extra cost for orphan lamb/kid
(excluding labor)
• What can you sell orphans for?
• Could orphan lambs/kids be a profit
center on your farm: buy/sell?

23. Thank you for your attention.
Do you have any
questions or comments?
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
sschoen@umd.edu
sheepandgoat.com