Recommended Products
GOlamb Whey — Our dedicated lamb milk replacer — a full whey formula developed specifically for New Zealand lambing conditions. Palatable, digestible and purpose-built for the lambing shed.
Milligans MMR — Multi Milk Replacer — Our original multi-species formula — designed for lambs and equally suited to mixed operations. Available in 20kg, 10kg, 5kg and 2kg.
GOmulti — Whey and casein blended for versatile multi-species rearing.
ExcelPlus Colostrum — Full bovine colostrum powder for any lamb that misses out on ewe colostrum. Have it in the shed before lambing starts.
ExcelPlus Electrolyte — Therapeutic rehydration for scouring or dehydrated lambs. Have it ready before you need it.
Housing and Hygiene
Each newborn lamb requires approximately 1m² of space — this doubles by three weeks. Provide warm, dry bedding: straw, hay, sawdust, shavings or leaves. Keep the area dust-free to reduce respiratory risk and clean and dry to prevent disease spread.
Dip navels in alcohol-based iodine immediately after birth — right to the base of the navel. Alcohol-based iodine dries the tissue faster. Continue to check navels daily for the first few days.
Clean all bottles and teats thoroughly between every feed. Hygiene becomes even more critical as lambs reach 3–5 weeks of age, when the risk of bloat caused by bacterial build-up is highest. Diluted bleach is effective as a disinfectant — rinse equipment well before re-use.
When transporting lambs, use clean trailers with partitions of no more than 6–8 animals per section. Dip navels again before loading.
Colostrum — The Window is Short
Lambs must receive colostrum within the first 2–4 hours of birth. The immunoglobulin absorption window in lambs is shorter than in calves — it begins declining from around 12 hours and is effectively closed by 24.
Feed at least 15% of bodyweight within the first 12 hours. Get the first feed in as early as possible. Continue ewe colostrum for days 1–2, then transition milk for days 3–4, before introducing milk replacer.
If ewe colostrum is unavailable or poor quality, use ExcelPlus Colostrum immediately. A Brix reading of 22 or above indicates good colostrum quality. Well-fed ewes in good body condition produce better colostrum — managing ewe nutrition pre-lambing pays dividends here.
Feeding Guide
Starting on milk replacer — from day 4–5
GOlamb Whey or Milligans MMR from day 4–5. Little and often is the rule — lambs have small stomachs and overfeeding is a primary cause of bloat.
Mix at 38–40°C. Add powder to water, mix until dissolved, feed immediately via teat.
Feeding schedule (GOlamb Whey / MMR at 200g/L):
| Age | Feeds per day | Volume per feed |
|---|---|---|
| Day 5–7 | 4 | 250mL |
| Day 8–21 | 4 | 350mL |
| Day 22 to weaning | 3 | 350mL |
For automatic feeders: clean and calibrate weekly, check teats regularly and replace if damaged. If a power outage leaves lambs hungry, monitor individual animals carefully when feeding resumes to prevent gorging.
Water and dry feed
Fresh water available at all times from day one. Offer solid feed from day 7 to promote rumen development. By 4–6 weeks, approximately 50% of the lamb's nutrition should come from solid feed — good quality pasture or concentrates.
Weaning
Criteria: At least 40 days old, at least 15kg bodyweight, eating solid feed for a minimum of 21 days and showing rumination behaviour (chewing cud), drinking water freely.
Bottle-fed system: Reduce from 3 feeds of 350mL per day to 2 feeds of 350mL for one week, then 1 feed of 350mL for one week, then wean.
Auto-feeder system: Abrupt weaning at 4–5 weeks is generally fine provided lambs are at least 13kg, healthy, eating solid feed and ruminating.
Top Tips
- Little and often beats large and infrequent. Lambs have small stomachs. Four small feeds a day reduces bloat risk, improves digestion and more closely mimics natural behaviour.
- Colostrum — the window is shorter than most farmers realise. Two to four hours from birth, not twelve. Get it in early, and get enough in.
- Temperature every feed — without fail. 38–40°C every time. Cold feeds cause digestive upsets and are a key trigger for bloat. The thermometer is not optional.
- Check teat hole size. If milk flows freely without the lamb suckling, the hole is too big. Oversized teat holes cause rapid consumption and significantly increase bloat risk.
- Clean everything between every feed. The bacteria that cause bloat thrive in warm residue left in feeders and teats. Don't cut corners here — it's one of the most controllable risk factors.
- Add a probiotic to milk. A quality probiotic supplement added to milk helps maintain healthy gut bacteria and reduces the risk of bloat and digestive upset.
- Watch for watery mouth early. It moves fast and the window for intervention is short. Any lamb that missed adequate colostrum is at risk — know the signs and contact your vet promptly.
Common Health Issues
Bloat
Abomasal bloat in lambs is caused by a build-up of Clostridium perfringens type A and Sarcina bacteria in the abomasum. Milk sugars ferment rapidly, producing gas that cannot escape. It is estimated to be fatal in 75–100% of cases. Onset can occur within 30 minutes of a feed.
Signs: Swollen belly, lethargy, abdominal pain, teeth grinding.
Prevention:
- Feed little and often — never overfeed
- Consistent timing, temperature and volumes every feed
- Keep all equipment meticulously clean — bacteria from dirty teats and bottles is a primary cause
- Check teat hole size — milk should not flow freely without suckling
- Add a probiotic to milk replacer
- Yoghurtised milk is another preventive option: dissolve a packet of probiotic natural yoghurt powder in 10L of warm milk, keep at 37°C until thickened, refrigerate for up to 7 days. Feed at 1 part yoghurt to 7 parts milk at room temperature — introduce from day 7
Emergency treatment: Dissolve baking soda in 10mL of water and administer orally by syringe to help neutralise stomach acid. Contact your vet immediately — this condition moves fast.
Scouring
Nutritional scours: Pale or yellow, lamb is still alert. Caused by poor mixing, overfeeding or inconsistent feeding. Isolate the lamb, introduce ExcelPlus Electrolyte, and continue milk replacer as recommended. Allow at least 2 hours between electrolytes and milk feeds — electrolytes interfere with milk clotting.
Infectious scours: Bloody, foul-smelling — contact your vet promptly. If the lamb has not recovered by day 4, seek veterinary advice.
Watery Mouth (E. coli)
Most common in lambs under 10 days that received inadequate colostrum.
Signs: Salivation, cold mouth, lamb becomes rapidly depressed.
Prevention: Good colostrum management in the first 2–4 hours is the only defence. There is no substitute.
Action: Contact your vet immediately — this condition requires prompt treatment.
Infections — Quick Reference
| Cause | Age | Key signs | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli / watery mouth | Under 10 days | Salivation, cold mouth | Vet immediately |
| Rotavirus | 10–14 days | Liquid yellow scour, depressed | Rehydration, hygiene |
| Cryptosporidiosis | 5–10 days | Liquid yellow scour, may still be active | Rehydration, hygiene |
| Salmonella | Any age | Sudden deterioration, may be fatal quickly | Urgent vet |
| Coccidiosis | 1–4 months | Watery scour, may contain blood, stress-triggered | Rehydration, hygiene |
| Scabby mouth | Any age | Crusts on lips, nose and ears | Antiseptic spray — wear gloves, can infect humans |
| Pink eye | Any age | Weeping, half-closed eye | Wipe with clean cloth — one per animal. Vet if eye goes cloudy |