Feeding Milk Replacer to Lambs

• Milk replacer is a complete and convenient way of delivering nutrients to the lamb. The instructions associated with the product have been developed to ensure animal health and growth.
• Mixing – ensure proper mixing, perhaps by using an electric appliance such as a hand blender. Lumps will contribute to abomasal bloat problems.
• Feeding Rates – employ the feeding rates with respect to amount of powder per animal per feeding per day and powder to water ratios. Diluted replacer may contribute to gorging (especially in free choice situations), as the animals are trying to compensate for lack of nutrients. The more frequently small meals are fed, the better.
• Sanitation – ensure feeding and mixing equipment is washed with sanitizing agents (e.g. dilute chlorine:water, 1:50), to prevent the proliferation of bloat and scour causing organisms.
• Chilled Milk – any milk fed free choice should be chilled. Ice packs in the reservoir or keeping milk in a refrigerator may be solutions. Bottle fed lambs should be fed as per instructions with product.
• Formalin – may be added to free choice milk (at 0.1% or 1.0 ml per 1 litre of mixed milk replacer) to prevent microbe growth, and to help restrict gorging (unpleasant flavour), especially if the milk is not chilled. Some lambs may reject the milk because of the formalin taste.
• Robotic and Automated Feeders – Some units are designed in a way which makes following milk replacer guidelines impossible. The mixing may be incomplete, sanitation poor or free-choice milk is provided at warm temperatures. This will contribute to abomasal bloat when milk replacer is used. If these feeders are used, ensure the sanitation, mixing and feeding cycles do not conflict with the product used.