How to Wean a Newborn Lamb

Weaning is the practice of removing lambs from the ewes and replacing the milk diet with a grass- or grain-based diet. Weaning ages vary by farm and depend on the availability of feed, pasture and the use of the sheep. In most instances, weaning occurs after the lamb is at least 3 weeks old. Prior to that, the lamb can only digest milk. By 3 or 4 weeks old, the rumen has sufficiently developed to allow the lamb to begin to eat forage or grain. Weaning is a crucial time for lambs and can be very stressful. The stress of weaning should be minimized as much as possible.

Things You'll Need

  • Lamb feed
  • Fresh water
  • Grass hay
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Instructions

    • 1

      Develop a plan for weaning including procedures and facilities one week prior to the actual weaning. Review and be comfortable with all of your steps to make sure your weaning is successful.

    • 2

      Ensure that your lambs are eating an adequate amount of creep feed. Prior to weaning, lambs should be consuming at least 1 percent of their body weight. For example, if your lamb weighs 25 pounds, it should be eating 3/4 lb. of feed per day. Diet should consist of a high-protein feed (18 percent to 25 percent protein) and grass hay.

    • 3

      Use partially processed, rolled or cracked grains and make sure that the feed is palatable to the lambs. If the lamb is not interested in the feed, try adding molasses for flavor.

    • 4

      Feed at regular times at least twice a day.

    • 5

      Monitor your lamb's intake of water prior to weaning. The lamb should be accustomed to drinking water on its own.

    • 6

      Separate the ewes from the lambs once the lambs reach at least 3 weeks of age. Ewes and lambs should be housed far enough away from each other so that they are not able to hear one another. Lambs should remain in their original stall or pasture and the ewes should be moved to a new area to reduce the amount of stress involved. If lambs are used to being with siblings or other lambs, they should remain together during weaning.

    • 7

      Monitor the lambs closely during weaning as the lambs are faced with the challenge of being separated from their mother and the need to feed themselves.

    • 8

      Maintain the same feed brands and rations for two weeks prior to weaning and two weeks after the ewe has been removed to alleviate the stress of introducing a new type of feed during weaning.

    • 9

      Ensure that fresh water is available at all times.

    • 10

      Maintain separation of the lambs from the ewes for at least several months. Lambs typically get past the stress of weaning within 10 days but will recognize their dam even after two months of separation.