Is it worth saving a weak lamb?

[Ridgetop]

The title probably sounds very cruel and heartless.

It doesn't sound cruel and heartless at all. You are thinking logically. Do you have the time to nurse along this sickly lamb? Do you have the milk, or formula, to feed it? Are you willing to let nature take it's course? In a large flock, this lamb would be a white speck on the grass, one of the casualties a shepherd faces during lambing. It would not stay on the grass for long either, since a predator would take it away for a meal. If you have the time desire, and milk to feed this lamb, then it would be worth it to try. A freezer lamb, even a small runty one, is worth $$$. If you don't have the time, or the milk to feed it, then you need to decide is it worth the effort and cost to try to save it? Since you are able to milk the ewe out, you are inky out the time and effort. Is the attempt worth your time and effort?

Since you have children to help with the feeding, it may be worth it to try to save the lamb. If the lamb doesn't survive, it will be a valuable life lesson for your kids. If it does, you have a freezer lamb for profit, and your kids will have helped to save it. Can your children do the milking or at least some of it?

Just so you know, since this lamb was trapped behind the first born, it may have suffered some brain damage through oxygen loss, etc. If it still cannot stand after a week, that may be what is wrong. Also you don't have to feed it all night long. They are not like human babies. Ewes do not nurse their babies all night long. If this lamb were not so weak, you would only bottle feed him 3-4 times a day. By the time he was a month old you would have him on 2 daily feedings, 1 quart in the am and 1 qt in the pm, with free feed hay starting at a month old. Since he is weak, you can divide up the feedings into smaller, more frequent feedings until he gets stronger. If he still can't stand and nurse on a bottle or his mother by 2 weeks, it will be time to decide on whether or not it will be worth the effort to continue.

If you decide not to try to save this lamb, do not worry about other people judging you over it. Only you can see this lamb's condition. Like I say, he may not be destined to survive if he has brain damage from birth trauma. You have already done a lot to save him, so if he doesn't survive, or gets worse, please move on and know that you made the right choice in letting him go. They are not all able to survive, nature is a harsh mother.

 

[Carla D]

@Ridgetop hit the nail on the head. It is all about priorities. If you or your children have the time to spare and the desire to try saving this baby go for it. That does NOT mean you can’t change your mind after a day or two if you aren’t seeing any improvement at all. It could very well be a fabulous thing for you and your family to try and save it, especially if you’ve never tried before. That experience might just save a baby from a special, expensive, great genetics goat. That in itself would come in very useful.

I’m also going to agree with Ridgetop on the fact that it is ok to not try as well. You are there to assess the situation, not anyone else. Some people are very much for letting nature take its course. Others are do everything you feasibly can to save it. I had several issues with my baby goats. There were a couple of people telling me to cut my losses. There were encouraging people as well. Then there were people who patted me on the back for sticking with it and not giving up. I went through heck the first two-three months of their lives. I’m so very happy I stuck with doing everything I feasibly could.

You know your situation, the abilities of yourself and family. Only you have the setup that you have, as well as animals, time constraints. You also know what you and your family can physically and emotionally tolerate and whether doing whichever you do is feasible. Maybe you only have a couple of sheep. The loss of a baby, even a week one could have a costly impact if you did lose it. Maybe you have a huge herd and one little and weak lamb won’t be missed. Do what is in the best interest of you, your family, farm, and herd.