Lamb Triplets are a fact of Life

Thursday 04 December 2008 00:00

Triplets are a fact of life that require time and effort just when your lambing team is already pushed to the limits. However introducing a few golden rules, coupled with an organised rearing system, can produce quality lambs that will pay dividends later on.

The big question is which lamb will you be removing from the ewe and introducing to a surplus rearing system? The chances are that you’ll instinctively choose the smallest or weakest lamb according to findings from a national survey of sheep producers carried out by Volac earlier this season, when in fact you should be turning your thinking on its head, according to XL Vets’ William Barker, of the Castle Vets practice, Barnard Castle. 

“Here’s the golden rule for the season: remove the strongest lamb from the litter,” Mr Barker says. “Why? When you remove a lamb from its dam it suffers intense stress, so it’s quite logical that the strongest one will be best able to deal with this upheaval.”  

The Volac survey of 145 sheep farmers found that triplets or even bigger litters accounted for more than half of the lambs that are destined for rearing away from the ewe. Furthermore 50% of the producers said they would opt for taking away the weakest, the smallest or a ewe lamb, while as few as 13% of the respondees said they would take away the strongest, the biggest or a ram lamb.  

“Leaving a ewe with her entire set of triplets is simply not an option as this typically results in high mortality or one or all of the lambs under performing,” says Volac’s milk replacer specialist, Maggie Gould. “By introducing the strongest from the litter to a well managed rearing system and leaving a balanced pair on the ewe, then you have the potential to rear three quality lambs and achieve an acceptable return on investment.  

“The cost of rearing a surplus lamb to up to 18kg deadweight and grading within the specification can appear relatively high, however respectable margins should be achieved in view of the fact the 2009 UK lamb market is destined to remain firm according to EBLEX; a 2.5% fall in the UK breeding flock will result in tighter supplies and there are no threats of additional imports on the horizon.” 

While these third or surplus lambs can sometimes be mothered on to another ewe, most commonly some will need to be reared off the ewe using lamb milk replacer, says Mr Barker. “In the first instance, it is absolutely essential these lambs obtain colostrum from their mothers before they are removed from the litter, so it is best to leave them with their litter for 24 hours and make sure that they suckle the ewe before removal. If the mother has died before the lamb has had a chance to suckle her, or if she has insufficient colostrum available, then you must feed colostrum from another source, either fresh from another ewe or an alternative such as cows colostrum or reliable high quality replacers. For the best health protection and energy a lamb needs 50ml/kg liveweight of a high quality colostrum or alternative. 

“There are technologies available to help rearing lambs, ranging from a teat on a bottle to fully automated systems that mix and maintain the temperature of the milk themselves. Your choice of rearing system will be based on the number of lambs to be reared and labour availability,” Mr Barker explains.  

“The most commonly used technology is a system consisting of a bucket with a heating element to maintain the milk’s temperature after mixing. These systems are superior to using a bottle and teat as they allow the lambs to drink little and often, which helps to avoid some gastro intestinal problems. However, if you choose an automated system, then remember it’s not a replacement for a human operator and the lambs must still be regularly observed to ensure that they are getting enough to drink and are in good health.” 

He adds: “Remember a well organised rearing system combined with high performance quality milk replacer, and good husbandry will ensure those third, strongest lambs respond to well invested resources and leave the remaining litter with the best possible opportunity.”

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