# Ewe doesn't seem to be able to keep up with lambs nursing



## luvmypets (Mar 19, 2017)

My three year old ewe had her first set of twins last week. They seem to be nursing faster than their mama can produce. The mama gets high-quality alfalfa along with about a cup of all-stock and a steady supply of water. Her udder went from huge to about the size of an apple within the three days her lambs have been here. I know with time the demand for milk will only increase and I am wondering if I should supplement a bottle a few times a day. I know it can be hard to get dam-raised kids to nurse but I have done it before. Another thing is sometimes she knocks over her water and it can be some time before it is refilled. Could this contribute?


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Mar 19, 2017)

I don't own sheep, but only one cup of feed doesn't sound like it is near enough food for a nursing goat/sheep. What % protein is the feed?


----------



## promiseacres (Mar 19, 2017)

Are the lambs tummies filled and they are active?  Just because her udder is no longer engorged doesn't mean it's not producing.


----------



## luvmypets (Mar 19, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> I don't own sheep, but only one cup of feed doesn't sound like it is near enough food for a nursing goat/sheep. What % protein is the feed?


I was thinking that as well, the feed is 12% protein.


----------



## luvmypets (Mar 19, 2017)

promiseacres said:


> Are the lambs tummies filled and they are active?  Just because her udder is no longer engorged doesn't mean it's not producing.


They look fat, but their bellies are somewhat caved in. They are very playfull as well.


----------



## Bossroo (Mar 19, 2017)

Provide a reliable and constant supply of water at ALL TIMES.   This sheep as well as any other ewe that is in production needs ample supply of high quality feed as well as ample quantities of it to produce enough milk for proper growth of her offspring and not drag her condition down.  I would seriously consider that you contact your Land Grant University that has a active Animal Science / Veterinary Medicine School for a specific recomendation for your particular situation.


----------



## norseofcourse (Mar 19, 2017)

If the lambs are active and bouncing around, and not crying and trying to nurse constantly without seeming to get much, they're probably doing ok.  The alfalfa will give her more protein, which is good.  You can increase her feed slowly if you need to - keep checking her body condition - you know how by feeling her spine, right?

The water is very important.  Can you put several buckets out?  And hopefully secure at least some of them so they can't be tipped over?  Clip bucket handles to a fence with a double-ended snap, or tie them with a short length of baling twine, or put a bucket in an old tire so it's more stable.


----------



## Latestarter (Mar 19, 2017)

I don't own sheep, but IMHO; Grain that poor starving mama!  1 cup per day?   That doesn't sound near enough to feed 2 babies. Shouldn't she be getting 2-3 cups twice a day? and maybe more if that doesn't provide what she needs to maintain? From what I could find for a ewe nursing two lambs, they should be getting a pound to pound and 1/2 of grain (in addition to their normal fare)...

"Succulent pasture furnishes adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals for ewes and lambs; no added grain is necessary. When pasture is not being used (confinement rearing), ewes should be fed one of the rations outlined for pregnant ewes in Rations for Pregnant Ewes up to 6 Wk Before Lambing, _*and*_ 1–1.5 lb (450–675 g) of one of the grain mixtures in Grain Mixture for Pregnant Ewes. Ewes should have access to a mixture of trace mineralized salt and dicalcium phosphate. Ewes with twin or triplet lambs should be separated from those with single lambs and fed more concentrates (grain) and/or better-quality forages. Ewes nursing twin lambs produce 20%–40% more milk than those with singles. Under confinement rearing or accelerated lambing, lambs are commonly weaned at 2 mo of age. The ewe’s milk production declines rapidly after this period, and creep feed is more efficiently converted into weight gains when fed to lambs than to the ewe."  From: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-sheep/feeding-practices-in-sheep

Italics, bold, underline and color added by me for clarification... Hope mama can catch/keep up!


----------



## luvmypets (Mar 21, 2017)

I feel dumb  

So I have a question? How do you measure pounds of grain/hay? I don't have a scale and all the articles I have read have wonderful info. Its just I do not know how to measure in pounds of such. Is there a universal way I could measure like 1 cup = _  or something. Thanks in advance


----------



## Green Acres Farm (Mar 21, 2017)

luvmypets said:


> I feel dumb
> 
> So I have a question? How do you measure pounds of grain/hay? I don't have a scale and all the articles I have read have wonderful info. Its just I do not know how to measure in pounds of such. Is there a universal way I could measure like 1 cup = _  or something. Thanks in advance


1 pound of feed is usually ~3 cups. I don't know about hay, but I don't worry about it as mine have free choice access.


----------



## Latestarter (Mar 21, 2017)

The hay should be provided free choice and the lactating ewe should be getting 2-3 cups of grain twice a day... Depending on what the grain mixture is, the weight/cup will vary. But like GAF stated, generally speaking, one pound of grain will be about 2.5-3 cups. So what I'd do is start out with 3 cups (work up to this steadily over 3-4 days), twice a day, and then see if she recovers. If she does and then starts gaining weight, you can always cut her back a little. If it proves to still not be enough (it's an individual sheep thing) to allow her to produce enough milk for her lambs, you can always continue to increase up to say 4 cups a feeding... Maybe 4 morning and 3 evening (the lamb won't drink as much overnight).  Obviously a higher protein grain mix would require less to meet the requirements.  I'd be shooting for a 16% grain mix myself.

But right now, since she's already fallen behind, better to increase steadily and relatively quickly (like over several days to prevent bloat) until she's lactating well again. Then you just have to adjust up/down according to how they're all doing. Let us know how it goes!


----------



## Sheepshape (Mar 22, 2017)

luvmypets....don't worry, no lasting harm has been done (and the learning curve is always steep!). Avoid 'the bottle' if at all possible (ewes' milk replacer is very costly and nowhere near so good as the real thing).

I pretty much leave my ewes with as much food of all types in the couple of days they are in the shed after they have lambed (being a bit cautious with the 'ewe nuts'....18% protein over here....which a rapid increase in a ewe who has not been eating many can cause a nasty osmotic diarrhoea). When 'turned out' they get 2lbs of ewe nuts per ewe in two feeds for the first 6 weeks of the lambs life (or until the grass growth is really good).

Water needs to be available all the time.....I have 'ewe cups' which refill from the mains along the walls and buckets which sit in a little cradle which hang over the bars of the fences to prevent them being kicked over. Silage is similarly provided in little racks across the bars.

Mine also get lots of little treats....biscuits, bread etc. all designed to provide them with the huge calorie intake they need to feed rapidly growing lambs (ewes' milk is high fat/calorie).

Still, I'm sure all will be well....and DON"T beat yourself up.


----------



## secuono (Mar 22, 2017)

I only feed a cup of mixed grains/hay pellet per ewe. But they're supposed to be able to keep up on hay alone, so it depends on your breed, quality of hay, any pasture and such. 

If the lambs aren't hounding mom constantly, they should be fine.

Water should always be available as well as hay.


----------



## luvmypets (May 6, 2017)

I never updated this thread, Rosie is doing great and is slowly weaning the twins. After doing research and getting advice we slowly upped her ration and she has been producing great ever since! Thanks for everything guys


----------

