By Kirsten Williams,

sheep and beef consultant, SAC Consulting

NIGHTS are getting lighter and lambing time is fast approaching, and the main issue is to reduce what is estimated to be 20% lamb losses on some farms between scanning and weaning.

The largest causes of those losses are abortion and hypothermia. Both are preventable using vaccinations and management changes.

Thereafter, it is pre-lambing ewe nutrition, condition and management that become essential to reducing this figure. So, if lambing is to get of to a good start it is worth remembering some key points about keeping lambs alive.

Colostrum plays an essential role in preventing lamb mortality. Most lambs will suckle themselves without assistance, but must be monitored to make sure they are getting enough.

After lambing, it is a good idea to strip the teat to check both the quality and quantity of colostrum. It also offers the added benefit of removing the wax plug from the teat.

Lambs should receive 50ml/kg of liveweight colostrum in the first few hours of birth and by the time the lamb is 24 hours old, it should have received 200ml/kg. If lambing ewe lambs, it is good practice to crutch them to give the lamb easier access to the teat.

Every effort should be made to ensure ewes nurse their lamb, but there are always some who give birth to multiples, have large or misshapen teats, poor milk yield or infections like mastitis or orf on the teat and need help.

Help in the first few hours of life is essential and then little and often thereafter. Ewe colostrum is the best start a lamb can get but, if for some reason it is not available, there are other options such as powdered substitutes and cow’s colostrum.

If another ewe has excess colostrum this can be milked out, measured and frozen in ice cube trays or freezer bags. But beware that when heating or thawing frozen supplies, you do not denature the protein based immunoglobulins.

Remember if the water is too hot for your hand then it is too hot for colostrum. It should be heated to 39°C. If feeding ewes' milk through a tube or teat you may need to mix it with warm water to ensure that it flows easily.

Cow colostrum is often available from dairies but it is not as concentrated as ewe colostrum, so the quantity fed should be increased by approximately 30% to ensure for adequate antibodies. Remember, Johnes can be transmitted through milk, so ensure the colostrum is sourced from a Johnes-free herd.

Hygiene is crucial for lamb survivability in house and at grass. If areas and equipment are not clean and disinfected then there is a higher risk of infection from issues such as watery mouth, joint ill, scours, etc. Cleanliness is an area that does not cost a lot to keep on top of, but attention to detail is paramount.

Also, be prepared and have your lambing kit essentials purchased and home in plenty of time. Check that all existing equipment, like heat lamps or warming boxes are in working order and remember to disinfect all equipment.

Hypothermia is a common cause of lamb deaths and if you are concerned at all, take the lamb’s temperature. The normal temperature for a lamb is 39°C.

If the lamb is between 37°C and 39°C and able to swallow, then it should be fed warm colostrum by stomach tube and then returned to its mother in a warm bedded pen with no drafts. If the temperature is below 37°C and able to swallow then it should be warmed, using a heat box to 37°C, before being fed and returned to its mother.

However, if the lamb is below 37°C and more than six hours old, it is unlikely to be able to swallow. Lambs under six hours old will have brown fat 'adipose' to provide energy, but after six hours these reserves will have gone and the lamb will be burning muscle and produce ketones which can have a detrimental effect.

In this scenario an injection of warmed glucose can be given straight into the abdomen of the lamb. This is called intraperitoneal glucose and should be injected using a sterilised needle, one-inch below the navel and half-an-inch to the side of the navel, with the needles pointed towards the lamb’s tail head (10ml/kg body weight). Following this treatment the lamb should be placed in a warming box and checked every 20 -30 minutes.