# Newborn can't find teat



## n8ivetxn (Jan 31, 2016)

Hey there! Can somebody advise me on this?

Yesterday at noon I had ram/ewe lambs born. Fairly even in size. The ewe seemed a little weak from the start, but not too bad. They finally got up to nurse, but she can't seem to locate the teat.

I got frustrated just watching, so I tried to help. I can put her nose right on it, and she may (or may not) suckle. Otherwise, she's poking at the udder and all over the wrong places.

I milked momma and tube fed her, to make sure she got colostrum. Later in the day I mixed lamb replacer and added a shot of lamb nutri-drench, tubed her with that. Gave her an enema, she did need it.... I just went out and milked momma again and tubed her a third time.

I think she's nursed a little on her own, or she would be in worse shape, but it must be by accident!

What's your experience? I read a few blogs that said usually they catch on after a day or two....???

Thanks in advance!


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## purplequeenvt (Jan 31, 2016)

I'd leave her with mom, but keep trying to get her to nurse. Supplement with the bottle or tube feeding if you think she hasn't figured it out.


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## Baymule (Jan 31, 2016)

Awwww........I love new lambs!  I just had my first lambs, so not much help to you, but it sounds like you are a good lamb Mommy and have things under control.


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## Latestarter (Jan 31, 2016)

Beautiful lambs . and wow... GREEN stuff! I think I remember that stuff is called GRASS! Maybe I'll have some of my own after I move this summer.   Hope your little lamb figures it out!


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## n8ivetxn (Jan 31, 2016)

Thanks guys! Yeah I went out at 10am and she was poking around looking for the teat in front of her face! So I tubed her again. - Then she immediately ran over to momma and tried to nurse more, so I helped her find it and she latched on just fine and nursed for 45 seconds or a minute. Maybe she'll get it!


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## norseofcourse (Jan 31, 2016)

Congrats - sounds like she's getting it!


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## n8ivetxn (Jan 31, 2016)

LOL, I sure hope so! It seems like it's hit and miss . I tubed her a couple of times today and then watched her run to momma and look for a teat.... I think later I'll get coffee and just go sit in the stall with them and watch for a while. I think she must be getting more than I think....clever little stink! And she comes running to me wagging her tail, for a feeding!


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## goatgurl (Jan 31, 2016)

i bet she is nursing more than you think but i have had lambs and baby goats that were plumb ignorant for a day or two.  keep helping her find the teat.  in my humble opinion the more you tube feed her the less likely she is to look for dinner on her own.  good luck


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## n8ivetxn (Jan 31, 2016)

Thank you goatgurl, I was wondering if it might make her more dependent on me - at one day old she runs to me when I go in the stall, that's not a good sign! So I'm forcing myself to stay in the house for a while She's getting better at finding the teat and she fights me less when I try to direct her mouth to it... I think you may right though, and that's reassuring


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## Sheepshape (Jan 31, 2016)

n8ivetxn you've done a great job, but it's time to take a back seat now. This inability to find the teat or to suck anything but the teat (bits of fleece etc) is pretty much normal in newborn lambs. When they get hungry enough,and particularly when they have been shown the 'milk bar', they will latch on. Young lambs often only nurse for very brief, but frequent, intervals. It can be painful for us to watch, but, out in the field or in unwitnessed births, the lamb usually gets there. The experienced ewe will push her lamb toward the teats and often crouch down to make herself available to the lambs.

Your lamb knows the 'business end' of momma now and has had colostrum, so she is almost certainly going to suckle normally.

Well done with your perseverance.

I now try to brake myself from intervening too early and only go in there when the lamb is getting cold and is clearly not going to do. Then it's warm up the lamb and then give her warm colostrum (ideally from mum) in the first 24 hours and then put her back with mum.

Sounds as though all will be well now, and what lovely big lambs they look.Congratulations.


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## n8ivetxn (Feb 1, 2016)

It is sooo hard! I think you're right though.... For a while I thought I had a dumb lamb, but she clearly isn't - she runs to me when she sees me, she took interest in the kitty and she can follow mom around without trouble.... I'm sure you're right. I'll stay in the house tonight and enjoy my evening coffe  Thanks to everyone for the words of wisdom!

It was relatively dry out today, so I let them out to stretch those legs and get the blood circulating...


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