The 'five Qs' for successful feeding of young lambs

摘要

Lambs are at their most vulnerable in their first 48 hours because they are born with no circulating antibodies and are exposed to infection for the first time.Feeding plenty of clean, antibody-rich colostrum promptly gives the lamb a chance to absorb antibodies directly into its blood, and provides temporary immunity until it develops its own.Sheep vet Emily Gascoigne, of Synergy Farm Health, says 48% of all lamb mortalities on a sheep farm occur in the first 48 hours. "Unsuccessful colostrum feeding is a big risk factor," she warns.Colostrum is also veiy dense in energy which is important for keeping a lamb warm and growing.