Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding
Tom Quinn wrote: I worked on the ewe for a couple of hours, and got nothing. She has no bag at all. It sounded like she was letting down milk, but nothing. That and the fact that she was butting the lambs away, led us to decide to get them warm and try to bottle feed tonight. These little guys dont weigh much more than one pound each. I will just have to see if we get them through the night, then brew up some colostrum replacer, and see if we can get anything from the ewe. - Original Message From: Carol Elkins celk...@critterhaven.biz To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Sent: Mon, August 2, 2010 10:10:31 PM Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding Tom, do everything you possibly can to milk colostrum from the ewe. Put her in a stanchion to hold her still. You may not get a lot, but every bit is important. Measure what you do get and divide it into two parts, one for each lamb. Do this as often as you can to get as much colostrum as you can from her. If she has any milk in her bag, you might try letting the lambs nurse. I stanchioned a ewe three times a day for 3 weeks and she finally accepted the lamb. (I bottle fed him to supplement what he was getting from the ewe.) Read the article I wrote about Raising Bummer Lambs on a Bottle at http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/bummer_lamb.htm It contains a recipe for a newborn milk formula to use if you have no colostrum. It also provides a schedule and a formula for feeding amounts. Cecil will caution you to not feed as much as the article recommends per feeding and I agree; but it is a place to start. Carol At 09:58 PM 8/2/2010, you wrote: I dont have any colostrum. All of this happened after the feed stores were closed. I can probably find some tomowrrow-- or is that too late? Carol Elkins Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info Sounds like they were premature. You can wrap them in a towel, get a baby diaper and cut a hole for the tail. Keep them next to you when you go to bed. They need to hear a heartbeat nearby, they have been next to one for 5 months... Find some colostrum replacer asap. Be sparing on the feeding, they will tell you when they are hungry. If they are peeing about every 1-2 hours they are getting enough. The first 24 ours is when they hydrate and expand. Remember they can aspirate easily so keep their heads up. and do not let them lay on their side. Cecil in OKla ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding
I agree with Cecil. I normally sleep with my new babies for the first night or 2. I didn't realize they were so small when I told you about the feeding amounts. On ones this small I feel lucky when I get a half ounce down them every 2 hours at first. I use a pet nurser bottle and the longest nipple but cut it back to about an inch long maybe shorter. It just depends on the baby. Please let us know how they are dong. Nancy - Original Message - From: Cecil Bearden crbear...@copper.net To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 06:12 Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding Tom Quinn wrote: I worked on the ewe for a couple of hours, and got nothing. She has no bag at all. It sounded like she was letting down milk, but nothing. That and the fact that she was butting the lambs away, led us to decide to get them warm and try to bottle feed tonight. These little guys dont weigh much more than one pound each. I will just have to see if we get them through the night, then brew up some colostrum replacer, and see if we can get anything from the ewe. - Original Message From: Carol Elkins celk...@critterhaven.biz To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Sent: Mon, August 2, 2010 10:10:31 PM Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Help: Need info on bottle feeding Tom, do everything you possibly can to milk colostrum from the ewe. Put her in a stanchion to hold her still. You may not get a lot, but every bit is important. Measure what you do get and divide it into two parts, one for each lamb. Do this as often as you can to get as much colostrum as you can from her. If she has any milk in her bag, you might try letting the lambs nurse. I stanchioned a ewe three times a day for 3 weeks and she finally accepted the lamb. (I bottle fed him to supplement what he was getting from the ewe.) Read the article I wrote about Raising Bummer Lambs on a Bottle at http://critterhaven.biz/info/articles/bummer_lamb.htm It contains a recipe for a newborn milk formula to use if you have no colostrum. It also provides a schedule and a formula for feeding amounts. Cecil will caution you to not feed as much as the article recommends per feeding and I agree; but it is a place to start. Carol At 09:58 PM 8/2/2010, you wrote: I dont have any colostrum. All of this happened after the feed stores were closed. I can probably find some tomowrrow-- or is that too late? Carol Elkins Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info Sounds like they were premature. You can wrap them in a towel, get a baby diaper and cut a hole for the tail. Keep them next to you when you go to bed. They need to hear a heartbeat nearby, they have been next to one for 5 months... Find some colostrum replacer asap. Be sparing on the feeding, they will tell you when they are hungry. If they are peeing about every 1-2 hours they are getting enough. The first 24 ours is when they hydrate and expand. Remember they can aspirate easily so keep their heads up. and do not let them lay on their side. Cecil in OKla ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
[Blackbelly] Update on bottle babies Day 2
I want to thank everyone for the quick and helpful responses. I was so shocked--went by the sheep pen at 5:30 yesterday evening and there they were! The 2 little guys are doing great as of now. I held them last night and fed them whenever they woke up. We were able to get a little colostrum from the ewe today, so that was a good thing. Will probably start colostrum replacer tomorrow. Still no milk from the ewe. They have gained strength all through today, and I will sleep with them again tonight. I will keep the group updated, and again thanks for the help Tom ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
