Tips for the new lambing and kidding season

Surely you want your animals to perform at their best? This requires your lambs to be reared in the best possible way! We’d be happy to support you with this. We’ve set out a few tips below. Would you like to find out more? Our young stock specialists would be delighted to discuss this with you!

1. A good start begins with resilience

A lamb or goat kid is born without antibodies. IgG is the most important antibody for the young animal. A high concentration of these antibodies (IgGs) in the animal significantly improves its performance. In addition to high concentrations of antibodies, colostrum also contains other components that boost the animal’s immunity and support the healthy development of the gastrointestinal tract.

2. Provide as much colostrum as possible within 2 hours of birth

The ability to absorb antibodies (including IgG) declines rapidly after birth. After 6 hours, the absorption capacity has halved. It is therefore recommended to feed the lamb or goat kid at least 5 per cent of its body weight (approx. 175 ml for a 3.5 kg lamb) of colostrum via a bottle, no later than 2 hours after birth. Repeat this feeding within 6 hours and give the third colostrum feeding within 24 hours. A total colostrum intake of 15 per cent of body weight is a good starting point for a healthy lamb.

3. Good colostrum contains 50 grams of IgG per litre

The precisely measured Brix value of this colostrum is 21% Brix. Our specialists have had positive experiences with enriching colostrum. Even colostrum with a Brix value above 22% is still worth supplementing, as the principle remains: the more, the better.  

4. Newborn lambs and goat kids: at least 21°C

Young lambs or goat kids need a lot of energy to keep themselves warm. In the first few weeks, the animals produce very little heat themselves. As soon as they start eating and their rumen begins to function, they start to produce more heat themselves. From that point onwards, the temperature can be turned down. The key indicator here is how the lambs and goat kids are lying; they’ll show if they’re too cold. To maintain optimal resistance and growth, follow the management actions below.

• To prevent lambs or goat kids from getting too cold, it is important that they dry off quickly. A warm and dry environment helps with this.
• Check the IgG levels in the blood of a number of lambs or goat kids to see if the chosen colostrum feeding method is working well. An adequate supply of colostrum helps to ensure high feed intake in the animals.
• It is important to ensure that the environment in which the young lambs or goat kids spend their first few days is sufficiently warm and dry (humidity of 50% to 75%). A favourable climate, combined with a good supply of milk, contributes to high feed intake.
• Use a CO₂ meter to check that there is sufficient fresh air for the lambs or goat kids, in order to keep the number of germs in the environment low. Elevated ammonia levels also increase the risk of lung problems.

5. Check the automatic feeder

Please ensure the milk powder is brought to ambient temperature one day before feeding. This is important to ensure the milk has a consistent flow property. Checking the concentration every week helps to ensure the animals are fed as consistently as possible. It is also important that the feeder, the hoses and the drinking water are clean.

Time for lamb and kid talk?

Want to work together to improve your lambs’ or goat kids’ performance? We’d love to talk to you!