Is it worth saving a weak lamb?

[Mini Horses]

Here goes nothing. I'm going to build a permanent stanchion and milk o out the ewe until the baby is old and strong enough to drink of h his own volition. Let's set for that goes!

I have goats but, last yr one had trips, not her usual twins. First two quickly, up & nursed. Then, after about a 20 min pause, #3 came along. Mom cleaned her but would NOT let her nurse. I milked out colostrum and gave it to the little doe kid (yes, way smaller than first two. also black spotted, not white like others). anyhow -- Doe did all motherly care for #3, except feed her.
She was given only moms milk -- knowing they smell them - but, not letting her nurse. I could hold her by collar & place Peanut at teat, she would nurse but, soon as I let go...mom turned and walked!

Nine months later, mom and Peanut & Sugar (the 2nd doeling, sold buckling) all sleep, eat & poop together -- perfect family. She grew nicely, had only moms milk.....odd. BUT so glad I co-parented and save that kid!

I hope things go well for yours. We can't save them all but, it's a miracle to watch when we do.

 

[mystang89]

I haven't read many of the responses but here's my thoughts. It's weak because of some factor, whether that is because of a bad mother, bad internal components, genetics etc. So if you try to save it there is a possibility that these bad traits MIGHT be passed on. However there is a chance they might not and it might end up being a great sheep. I look at it as a challenge. I have been challenged to see if I can keep this baby alive. I've had 2 times that I've been challenged to do this. One time I succeeded in keeping it alive, one I didn't. The one I succeeded with is still alive and well. The other one is Dead but I learned, so I still obtained something I didn't have before. Just my 2 cents.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

The baby is weak because of a rough birth...it was behind a bigger lamb that died "in transit." Those babies that are second in line are often getting the brunt of the uterine contractions and get pretty beat up during the process. I applaud @shepherdO for trying.

As you mentioned, it sure is a learning process!

 

[shepherdO]

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[shepherdO]

He's coming around. Slowly. Getting a rounder tummy, but still very lifeless. No way he could nurse from a sheep right now, FAR too weak. I think I'll keep him alive, it's just hard work! I gave him to my 11 year old son for his birthday today - told him if he helped raise him (feeding him, helping me milk mom and train him to nurse eventually) he could have him and all the money if/when he's sold.

I'm going to leave him uncastrated and with a tail b/c he's too weak to go through the process, and so I guess he'll be my 'ethnic buyers special' sheep, 100% in tact!

We toyed with the name "Lazarus" b/c he 'came back to life', but after I gave him honey and it perked him up, my wife quoted another verse in the Bible about Jonathan, King David (also a shepherd)'s best friend, who was exhausted and famished in battle:

1 Samuel 14:27 - "But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened."

So now he's named Jonathan

 

[Baymule]

I hope he keeps improving. We haven't had to raise one yet, but there is always that possibility. I read posts like yours and by your example, someday I'll know what to do!

 

[mcjam]

I am one of those crazy people who buy (at a substantial discount) bummer lambs from a local farmer who just doesn't have the time to mess with them,
and try my best to save them. I have young children who need work to do, and bottle feeding lambs is one of their favorite jobs. I also have a 2 family milch cows
So have a constant supply of fresh raw milk and saved colostrum. Ewe lambs grow to be Mama's, ram lambs are destined to the freezer, with a lucky few given the chance to be a papa first. Some don't make it, but most do. I am building a small heard of Kathadin sheep that I would never have been able to afford otherwise and learning a ton along the way. I have more time than money, so this is worth the fuss for us.

 

[BreanneRN]

Well, saving a lamb is a highly personal decision and dependent on your personal situation... I always try, so many times they just need a little help and most of the time are highly responsive to that help, which is rewarding and educational... The value of a lamb can be effected by different circumstances... How special was the breeding? Is this from a favorite or very valued ewe? To that ewe, this lamb is her world right now, and it is good to provide a good motherhood experience if you can... If you have the time and can keep going, I always would try. Even if you can't continue, once the lamb is stabilized you can sell if to someone that has the time to continue the care if you can't successfully return it to the mother. Even if you have to give it away or enlist the kids to help, you will still have gained valuable experience that can be used again when perhaps the next weak lamb is far more important to you for various reasons.

 

[RathdrumGal]

The title probably sounds very cruel and heartless. However, I'm currently sitting with a tiny lamb in a box with a blowdrier, having already soaked it in hot water for 5 minutes

The blasted thing is coming back to life, and whereas earlier it did nothing but lie motionless with very little sign of life, it now had the gsll to try to stand. Mind you it's nowhere near that stage yet. It like to weigh about 5 lbs from a 2 00 lb rambouillet x Suffolk crossed texel Shropshire...

I was dribbling in 1or 2ml of of colostrum at a time,, when it started sucking from the syringe, plunger depressing all by itself. I think it probably frank about 50-60ml in a couple minutes? Not bad for a mostly dead lamb...

Anyhoo, is it worth saving a weak lamb? Assuming this guy even makes it, is it worth the work I might need to put in? Ie, will he be healthy in the long run. Will he grow like the others, etc etc etc..

Also will his mum even accept him back tomorrow? I'm not putting him back with her tonight as he's way too weak, so tomorrow at breakfast time is the earliest... Although technically he can't even Stans right now, and I presume that's the absolute minimum he'd need to be able to do. How he's going to suck off his mom's cowsized tests I don't know....

Yes, it is 100% worth it, especially if he is already eating. I rescued two cold lambs a few years ago. They are now both big, healthy wethers and a staple of my fiber flock. The smaller one - named Little Guy -- I supplemented with a bottle, but he also nursed from his dam when able. Mama had had 4 lambs (she is a Finn) of which 3 survived. She never rejected him, but he would get pushed aside by his larger siblings. He would come to take the bottle when I went out on my front porch and baa'd for him. I know this is not supposed to be possible, but he took both bottle and his mama. He is now indistinguishable from his larger, healthier siblings.

 

[shepherdO]

I just realized maybe I should have been more specific initially.

I have raised one rejected tripled for the past week and a half and things are going great. Tim-Tam is healthy and drinking well, you can't tell her from her brothers, etc.

The other ram lamb, however, is a real time drainer, and is showing very little return. He still lies there lethargically, requires syringe-feeding, etc. So he's not your regular bum lamb, or reject, or hypothermic lamb. He is a tiny little runt

So I was more asking about those tiny preemie-type lambs. That said, we're still giving it a go and learning along the way, as many have said.