Katahdin Sheep

[DOUBLELUNG]

I used to milk goats in high school and had a 300+lb Nubian billy split my scalp.  The working over with a shovel helped my mental state but did nothing to take the fight out of him.  I highly recommend a spray bottle of ammonia, a few encounters with a nose full of ammonia calms them right the #@$%^&*( down.

[jackelope]

I used to milk goats in high school and had a 300+lb Nubian billy split my scalp.  The working over with a shovel helped my mental state but did nothing to take the fight out of him.  I highly recommend a spray bottle of ammonia, a few encounters with a nose full of ammonia calms them right the #@$%^&*( down.

That's what you get for trying to milk a billy.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I used to milk goats in high school and had a 300+lb Nubian billy split my scalp.  The working over with a shovel helped my mental state but did nothing to take the fight out of him.  I highly recommend a spray bottle of ammonia, a few encounters with a nose full of ammonia calms them right the #@$%^&*( down.

That's what you get for trying to milk a billy.

Doh!

[Machias]

 

[Machias]

Another set of twins last night.  Both doing well so far.  Both were white, but one had a couple of small light brown spots.

[Machias]

Well, well, well. Had my second set of twins this morning before leaving for work. When I went down to feed she had just had number 2. They were both up wobbly, and she was being very attentive. Got home tonight and all 4 babies were looking great. Then I hear something, look outside the shelter and there is #3 from this morning.  She had triplets, not twins!!  A little ram. The ewe wants nothing to do with him. I brought him in the house and got 5 ounces of colostrum down him. Seems to be doing pretty good. I'll give him some more colostrum over the next 12 hours or so every couple of hours. Then switch over to sheep milk replacer.

[Duckslayer89]

Well, well, well. Had my second set of twins this morning before leaving for work. When I went down to feed she had just had number 2. They were both up wobbly, and she was being very attentive. Got home tonight and all 4 babies were looking great. Then I hear something, look outside the shelter and there is #3 from this morning.  She had triplets, not twins!!  A little ram. The ewe wants nothing to do with him. I brought him in the house and got 5 ounces of colostrum down him. Seems to be doing pretty good. I'll give him some more colostrum over the next 12 hours or so every couple of hours. Then switch over to sheep milk replacer.

Why do you think she won’t feed him?

[Machias]

No idea, maybe she had him and was too busy with the other 2?       My understanding it is fairly common among sheep.

[runamuk]

No idea, maybe she had him and was too busy with the other 2?       My understanding it is fairly common among sheep.

It is you can often pin the ewe and force the issue often after 3 or 4 feedings they will accept them. I had one ewe who couldnt feed her twins because her udder was only half functional. So her ram lamb was a bottle baby but he lived with the crew.

Most my ewes could and would feed 3-5 lambs easily.  I had finnsheep and  ramboulette merino cross.  My first time ramby ewes were the sketchiest needing some convincing that yes that critter is gonna nurse.   

[Machias]

I am on a group FaceBook page and they are also recommending either putting her in a halter and tie her up so she can eat, drink and laydown only and the babies can nurse or put her in a headgate.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Don’t use replacer it’s garbage, when I’ve had goat kids that the doe wouldn’t feed I use vitamin D milk, much cheaper and they do great on it, little butter balls in no time.  Never lost any using it. 

I know these are sheep, but I don’t think they are that much different .

http://goat-link.com/content/view/94/76/#.WnU7CmKIaEd

Feeding Bottle Baby Goats

The most important thing I can stress when feeding bottle baby goats is to try and do what a natural goat mom would do- The first few days goat moms allow the babies to eat many times per day but if you watch them they only eat a small amount each time, as they get older, mom will only stand to allow them to nurse for a certain amount of time and then walk away- so babies learn to eat more at each feeding - giving bottle babies 2 or 3 huge bottles a day in the first weeks is not only harmful for the baby's digestive system but really not fair to the baby.
After they receive colostrum (Mother's first milk) For the first 24 hours of life, bottle fed kids should be fed fresh (or frozen) goat's milk if at all possible. If you cannot get fresh goat's milk, you can use whole (not 2%) cows milk from the store. I do not recommend using fresh cow's milk UNLESS you know for a fact the farm is certified because the transfer of Johne's or CAE to a baby goat from the cow's milk is possible. In a PINCH You CAN use Canned milk ONLY if you read the ingredients- do NOT used what is called FILLED Evaporated milk- Many canned milks are part soy, Never use this. Use only whole canned milk if you need to.(Diluted in half with water) Carnation canned cow's milk is whole milk without soy and is safe to use.
DO NOT FEED POWDERED MILK REPLACERS/FORMULA!
Milk Replacers Kill Baby Goats!!- Milk Replacers KILL Baby Goats!!! MILK REPLACERS KILL BABY GOATS!!!!!
I know this is ridiculous to put this way BUT Please people.. Trust me.. while there may be an unusual case of milk replacers NOT killing baby goats BUT they do more than they do not Unless the breeder is able to get the scouring baby turned around before they die! I cannot stress this hard enough.
Real whole milk, even raw milk from a cow, is much better for them than milk replacer , which can cause diarrhea and floppy kid syndrome. Very often, problems with bottle fed kids stem from the use of milk replacer. I cannot tell you how many emails and phone calls I get a week (sometimes so many in just a DAY) from gals who are losing kids due to kid milk replacers- Even the "best" replacers. "Even" the ones that say "kid replacer" Just don't use them. They are expensive and really not your best choice.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I am on a group FaceBook page and they are also recommending either putting her in a halter and tie her up so she can eat, drink and laydown only and the babies can nurse or put her in a headgate.

I have done that before and it works. Triplets are tough, a good ewe will make sure they are all taken care of, but the first time they have triplets gets confusing for them. I used a couple bands that are used to go under a horses chest when wearing a saddle and tied her to the wall.  Using just a head restraint will allow the ewe to get away from the lamb.  I basically made sure she couldn't lay down and couldn't get away from the lambs.  Sometimes it takes a few hours sometimes a couple days.  Make sure she has fresh water and food in front of her and you are good.  Give her a break every now and then and see how she interacts with all.of them and you will know when she has accepted it.

[Machias]

I'm just going to bottle feed him.  He did great the last 2 feedings.  Thanks for the advice!!

[Machias]

DO NOT FEED POWDERED MILK REPLACERS/FORMULA!
Milk Replacers Kill Baby Goats!!- Milk Replacers KILL Baby Goats!!! MILK REPLACERS KILL BABY GOATS!!!!!
I know this is ridiculous to put this way BUT Please people.. Trust me.. while there may be an unusual case of milk replacers NOT killing baby goats BUT they do more than they do not Unless the breeder is able to get the scouring baby turned around before they die! I cannot stress this hard enough.
Real whole milk, even raw milk from a cow, is much better for them than milk replacer , which can cause diarrhea and floppy kid syndrome. Very often, problems with bottle fed kids stem from the use of milk replacer. I cannot tell you how many emails and phone calls I get a week (sometimes so many in just a DAY) from gals who are losing kids due to kid milk replacers- Even the "best" replacers. "Even" the ones that say "kid replacer" Just don't use them. They are expensive and really not your best choice."

Funny, most of the folks on the Katahdin Sheep Breeder's page say don't use whole milk from a cow, sheep milk replacer is soo much better. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

DO NOT FEED POWDERED MILK REPLACERS/FORMULA!
Milk Replacers Kill Baby Goats!!- Milk Replacers KILL Baby Goats!!! MILK REPLACERS KILL BABY GOATS!!!!!
I know this is ridiculous to put this way BUT Please people.. Trust me.. while there may be an unusual case of milk replacers NOT killing baby goats BUT they do more than they do not Unless the breeder is able to get the scouring baby turned around before they die! I cannot stress this hard enough.
Real whole milk, even raw milk from a cow, is much better for them than milk replacer , which can cause diarrhea and floppy kid syndrome. Very often, problems with bottle fed kids stem from the use of milk replacer. I cannot tell you how many emails and phone calls I get a week (sometimes so many in just a DAY) from gals who are losing kids due to kid milk replacers- Even the "best" replacers. "Even" the ones that say "kid replacer" Just don't use them. They are expensive and really not your best choice."

Funny, most of the folks on the Katahdin Sheep Breeder's page say don't use whole milk from a cow, sheep milk replacer is soo much better. 

Yeah IDK, when I was kid we list a calf feeding it replacer.

Goat kids do well on vitamin D/ whole milk.