This document provides guidance on caring for neonatal lambs and kids. It discusses: 1) Preparing facilities and having necessary supplies ready before lambing/kidding season. 2) The critical importance of colostrum for newborn lambs/kids' health and survival in their first 24 hours. 3) Ongoing care needs for neonatal lambs/kids including proper feeding, warmth, health monitoring and disease prevention in the first weeks of life.

1. YOUTH &
AGRICULTURE HEALTH ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT ENERGY COMMUNITIES
FAMILIES
P. P. P. P. P.-P. P.
To minimize problems:
Care of Neonatal Lambs and Kids
Dr.
Dr Susan Kerr Breeding Feeding Vaccinating Facilities Lambing
WSU-Klickitat Co. Extension
BE PREPARED! GOALS
• Know breeding dates
• Have doe/ewe raise 1+ offspring with
• Observe dams closely at least 2x/day for
those close to labor minimal assistance (#2 and 3 make you $$)
• Have medications up-to-date and on hand
p • No bummers
• Have equipment gathered and disinfected • May need to target small triplets for
• Have frozen colostrum available supplementation
• Have adequate facilities ready • Fewer chores = more sanity (or delayed
• Have a good late pregnancy nutritional insanity and longer time as a producer...)
program in place
• Crutch and clip udders if necessary
NEONATAL CARE NEONATES’ NEEDS
• Clip
• ENVIRONMENT: Dry, clean, (warm)
• Dip
• NUTRITION: Colostrum ASAP
• (Strip)
• HEALTH: Vit E/Se, navel care, +/- anti-toxins
• p
Sip
• Keep warm and dry: > 35°F,
>60°F, >75°F?
Hypothermia is a huge concern;
only born with enough “brown fat”
to maintain body temperature for
5 hours max
Photo from www.ehow.com Photo from www.sheep101.info/201/newborns.html
1

2. SPECIAL CONCERNS DAY 1, 0-1 HOURS
• Starvation
• Hypothermia • Colostrum
• Scours • Vit E/S l i
E/Selenium
• Pneumonia • Navel care
• Failure to thrive (clip and dip)
• Meconium impaction • Bonding
Photo from www.sheepandgoat.com/news/Spring2007.html Photo from www.sheep101.info/201/newborns.html
DAY 1, 1-6 HOURS DAY 1, 6-24 HOURS
• Standing • Increasingly active
• Nursing successfully • Warm mouth
• y
Dry • y
Full belly
• Warm mouth • Has passed feces
• Napping • Sleep, wake, stretch, nurse, wag tail, look
• Quiet (not crying excessively) around, sleep
• Bonding (+/- individual pens) • Bonding
DAY 3 + PROTECT FROM:
• Drowning
• Small groups of same-age pairs in small area • Electrocution
• Process those off to a good start (band, ID, • Barn fires
disbud if possible) • Drafts
• Do not put young onto area that previously • Crushing
housed older (Sandhills Calving System) • Dogs/predators
• Eventually combine small groups into single • Strangulation
large management group • Fractures
http://ucanr.org
• Lacerations
2

3. IDENTIFYING BUMMERS/ORPHANS/POOR DO-ERS CAUSES OF “ORPHANING”
• Death of dam
• Rejection by dam (behavior, interference,
• Gaunt, hunched-up twin or triplet any age
neonate’s health, twins, etc.)
• Weak, recumbent neonate, esp. <12 hrs. • Dam’s health issues (e.g. no milk)
• Evidence of scours or pneumonia
E id f i • Neonate health: hypoxia, prematurity, WMD...
• Dirty head (stealing milk) • Special health situations (e.g. CAE/OPP)
• High lambing/kidding percentages
Best outcome = early ID and fostering (<6 hrs) • May choose to bottle feed: friendly kids/lambs,
sell milk, you are nuts and love bottle baby
chores
GRAFTING WARM VS. COLD VS. DEAD
• Try it—saves work! • If temp below 99°F, neonate poorly responsive
• “Slime method” and <5 hours old: dry, warm, tube feed
• Pelt method • If temp below 99°F, neonate poorly responsive
and >5 hours old: give warm dextrose IP, warm,
5
• Restraint method
R i h d
tube feed
• Things get easier when
• Both will need continued after care (warmth,
dam can detect her milk perhaps more tube feeding)
smell at baby’s anus
• Tie feet of older graftees
—struggle and cry like Always investigate primary reason neonate was
newborns cold and/or starving
INTRAPERITONEAL DEXTROSE (HYPOTHERMIC NEONATE)
•20% warm dextrose solution at a rate
of 10 mL/kg body weight
•Calculate amount needed and multiply
by 0.4 to determine how much 50%
solution to use. Example: 5 kg x 10
mL/kg = 50 mL of 20% solution
L/k L f l ti
needed. 50 mL x 0.4 = 20 mL of 50%
solution. Draw this amount into syringe.
Then draw up the difference (30 mL) in
sterile water and warm to body
temperature.
•Inject into abdominal cavity 1” below
and 1” off the midline, pointing needle
Photo from
www.ukvet.co.uk/ukvet/articles/Sheep toward pelvis using 60 cc syringe and
From www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/98-089.htm#f6 _hypothermic%20lamb.pdf 20 gauge needle
3

4. WARMING METHODS FOR CHILLED NEONATES COLOSTRUM = LIFE
• NOT heat lamps • Source of nutrition (calories from fat and lactose, protein,
vitamins, water), laxative, antibodies
• Warm towels • Failure of Passive Transfer increases likelihood of illness
• Jackets (wool ☺ ) and death
• Neonate s gut is non selective at birth, initially lets
Neonate’s non-selective
• Warm bath antibodies cross intact. Becomes increasingly more
• Warming box selective with every passing hour
– Forced hot air • Target 1: minimum of 10% BW in colostrum in 24 hours.
Target 2: 3 oz. per pound of body weight div. into 3-4 meals
– Elevate baby • After 48 hours: serum Ig level of 1200 mg/dl protective
– Monitor • Colostrum with specific gravity > 1.029 is good quality
– Remove when mouth • Tube feeding = essential skill; can you do it?
Photo from www.shearwell.co.uk
warm (temp > 99°F)
PASTEURIZATION AND HEAT TREATMENT FEEDING POST-COLOSTRUM
• Milk vs. milk replacer?
Heat treatment of colostrum: Heat and hold at • Bottle vs. Lam-Bar vs. bucket?
135°F for one hour; stir • Warm vs. cold?
• Feed about 3 oz. per pound of body weight daily
Pasteurization f ilk Heat to 165°F; ti
P t i ti of milk: H t t 165°F stir di id d i t several f di
divided into l feedings. S ll f
Small frequentt
feedings are safer than fewer, larger meals.
• Increase amount fed with increasing body weight
• Quality milk replacer has animal-origin fat source
and milk protein source; >30% fat, >22% protein
(lambs); 20% fat, 26% protein (kids)
From www.carpinesupply.com • Creep feed, hay, water: start within first week;
keep clean and fresh
AVERAGE MILK COMPOSITION
MILK CONSUMPTION 100 g. Sheep Goat Cow Human
• Weeks 0-2: 1+ quart/day Total Solids % 19.3 13 12 12.5
Protein % 6 3.6 3.3 1
• Week 2-3: 1.5 quarts/day
Fat % 7 4.1 3.3 4.4
• Week 3-4: ~2 quarts/day
Lactose % 5.4 4.5 4.7 6.9
Ash %
A h 0.96
0 96 0.82
0 82 0.72
0 72 0.20
0 20
Calcium mg 193 134 119 32
Phos. mg 158 111 93 14
Vit. A µg 83 44 52 58
Vit. D µg 0.18 0.11 0.03 0.04
Vit. C µg Fourth First First Third
B-vitamins First Third Second Fourth
From www.dairygoatjournal.com
4

5. KEEPIN’ ‘EM ALIVE HUMPY = NOT HAPPY
• Supplemental heat: coats, heat lamp; prevent
mobbing/crushing
• Cleanliness and sanitation paramount
– Boots hands
Boots,
– Pens
– Feeding equipment
• Ventilation, not drafts
• Use good quality milk replacer
CONCERNS: SCOURS AND PNEUMONIA SCOURS TREATMENT
Prevention! • Isolate
• Keep pen and feeding equipment clean • Keep warm
• Ensure adequate colostrum intake • Replace milk feedings with electrolyte feedings
• Do not overcrowd • Do not hold off milk for more than 24 hours
• Feed smaller, more frequent meals vs. few large meals • Do not give oral antibiotics
• Do not mix ages in pens
• Give probiotics
• Fresh air, no drafts
• If severe, may need SQ or IV fluids
• Move groups into new, clean pens; clean and rest
previous pens • Re-introduce milk in small feedings at least 4
hours after electrolytes
• Make changes gradually
• Provide supplemental heat to prevent chilling
• If persists or widespread, consider diagnostic
work-up
CONTINUED CARE WEANING
Must be eating solid feed well and be gaining
• Selenium supplementation weight well before weaning
• Vaccinations
• Coccidia p
prevention/treatment Timing: Depends!
• No urea in diet until rumen fully functional (3 • At around 20# if feeding milk replacer? ($)
months)
• After feeding 20-25# of milk replacer?
• 18-20% CP supplement to 40#, then 12-14%
• At 3-6-8 weeks? 3-6 months?
• Weaning
Method: Abrupt seems best
5

6. “THE HUSBAND’S EYE” RESOURCES
Signs all is well:
• Lamb/kid stretches after rising, then runs to nurse
• Group not huddled in corner or always under heat lamp
• No excessive bleating or baaing
• Obvious urination and defecation www.sheepandgoat.com
• Belly looks full, not gaunt or bloated
• Mouth is pink, warm, moist
• Back not hunched up
• Contented sleep
• Kid/lamb bright, alert, responsive, active, playful
• “Happy attacks”
DISCLAIMER
The information herein is supplied for educational or reference
purposes only, and with the understanding that no discrimination is intended.
Listing of commercial products implies no endorsement by WSU Extension.
Criticism of products or equipment not listed is neither implied or intended.
Some medications mentioned herein are available only by prescription,
and other drugs are not labeled for use in goats. These drugs can only be
used on the advice of a licensed veterinarian when a veterinarian-client-
patient relationship exists. Other use violates federal law. Consult your
veterinarian about the extra-label use of medications.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of your
veterinarian. Consult your veterinarian whenever you have a question about
your animal’s health.
Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws
and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, gender, national origin,
religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. Evidence of noncompliance may be
reported through your local Extension office.
6