Most farmers will, if possible, avoid leaving triplet lambs suckling ewes. However, while it is not for the faint-hearted, with precise management and a few factors going your way, it can work successfully. The following are aspects to take into consideration before progressing down this route.
Adequate facilities: Ewes with three lambs will generally need to be maintained in individual pens for longer, as lambs are often born weaker and at lighter weights and need a longer period of care before being released into group pens or outdoors. This will also put pressure on labour and needs to be factored into decision-making (and there may be a need for some larger lambing pens).Good condition and sufficient milk yield: Three lambs should not be left suckling where ewes are in poor body condition or have a poor milk yield. Doing so will only result in one or more lambs performing poorly and falling off or also increase the risk of mastitis, grass tetany or sore teats/udders from lambs suckling vigorously.Evenly sized lambs: Where lambs are poorly matched, there is a high risk of larger lambs essentially preventing smaller lambs from suckling, with issues compounded over time and lambs at risk of being stunted.Potential for separate flock: Triplet-suckling ewes and their lambs require higher levels of management and as such should be run in a separate flock. This includes having paddocks where rotational grazing can be operated and creep facilities for lambs.If the above factors can all be met, the next hurdle to overcome is nutrition. Previous studies carried out by Teagasc show feed requirements of ewes suckling three lambs being 10% higher than twin-suckling ewes, which are in turn 25% higher than single-suckling ewes.
While indoors, ewes should essentially be fed to appetite, with many flock owners reporting the best results from supplementing with 1.5kg to 2kg concentrates. Protein is also a key driver given the high milk yield, with a protein content of 18% to 20% recommended. Soyabean is the protein source advised as it is high in energy while also providing a source of undegradable protein which has been linked to better lamb thrive. Don’t forget access to water and good feed management to prevent digestive upsets.
Once released outdoors, ewes should have access to adequate grass supplies of at least 5cm, with grass supplies on offer remaining sufficient to meet demands of an increasing milk yield and grass intake from lambs. Grass supplies will also influence concentrate supplementation at grass.
Early research carried out by Teagasc pointed to no benefit in continuing concentrate supplementation at 1kg/head/day after three weeks of lactation once grass supplies are sufficient.
Advice stemming from more recent experience in Teagasc Athenry takes a balanced approach of offering ewes 0.5kg concentrates for the first five weeks of lactation to help peak milk yield to be achieved. This level should be increased for factors such as poor grass utilisation or inclement weather. Where grass supplies are insufficient, concentrate supplementation should be continued for longer, but where supplies look questionable, leaving three lambs suckling may need to be reconsidered.
The general recommendation is to offer lambs access to creep feeding at a rate of 300g/head/day. Where grass supplies are tight or quality is limiting, this will need to be increased to 500g to 600g/head.
Feeding ad-lib meals will improve weaning weights, but will also significantly increase concentrate inputs and costs. In reality, lambs will also need to be continued on this plane of nutrition post-weaning, while lambs receiving 300g can be joined with the main flock for finishing off grass.
The final piece of advice farmers operating the practice give is to pay close attention to detail and early identification of problems. This includes removing lambs that start to drop in performance.
Cross-fostering tips
Cross-fostering lambs on to single-suckling ewes provides a good outlet for triplet or orphan lambs, as long as the ewe is capable of rearing the extra lamb or one lamb in the case of ewes that have lost lambs: foster ewes be in good health, in good body condition score and have plenty of milk.
The success of cross-fostering depends on a number of factors and comes down to fooling the foster ewe that she has delivered two lambs.
The best results are obtained where delivery of the single lamb is assisted and lambing fluids are collected. Some flock owners will deliver the lamb into a plastic or rubber tub and also collect the contents of the water bag, or post-lambing fluids, if possible.
The lamb to be fostered should ideally be close to hand and washed in warm water to remove any scent and make it easier to contract the scent of the new lamb. The lamb should be rubbed against the new lamb and the lambing fluids.
The newborn lamb should be kept away from its mother initially and the foster lamb offered to her. Restricting movement by securing the lamb’s legs together with cable ties or similar means will give the impression that the lamb has just been born.
After a period of 15-20 minutes or so, introduce the newborn lamb and release the constraints on the foster lamb’s legs. It is important to monitor closely for the first day to ensure that the ewe takes to the two lambs.
If a ewe rejects one of the lambs, the next option is to put her into a foster crate. Holding a ewe or putting a halter on her to let a lamb suckle can work in the case of single lambs in the absence of a foster crate, but will not generally work where there are two lambs present.
It is advisable when removing a lamb from the triplet ewe to pick a good strong lamb that will be better able to compete with the single-born lamb.
Most farmers will, if possible, avoid leaving triplet lambs suckling ewes. However, while it is not for the faint-hearted, with precise management and a few factors going your way, it can work successfully. The following are aspects to take into consideration before progressing down this route.
Adequate facilities: Ewes with three lambs will generally need to be maintained in individual pens for longer, as lambs are often born weaker and at lighter weights and need a longer period of care before being released into group pens or outdoors. This will also put pressure on labour and needs to be factored into decision-making (and there may be a need for some larger lambing pens).Good condition and sufficient milk yield: Three lambs should not be left suckling where ewes are in poor body condition or have a poor milk yield. Doing so will only result in one or more lambs performing poorly and falling off or also increase the risk of mastitis, grass tetany or sore teats/udders from lambs suckling vigorously.Evenly sized lambs: Where lambs are poorly matched, there is a high risk of larger lambs essentially preventing smaller lambs from suckling, with issues compounded over time and lambs at risk of being stunted.Potential for separate flock: Triplet-suckling ewes and their lambs require higher levels of management and as such should be run in a separate flock. This includes having paddocks where rotational grazing can be operated and creep facilities for lambs.If the above factors can all be met, the next hurdle to overcome is nutrition. Previous studies carried out by Teagasc show feed requirements of ewes suckling three lambs being 10% higher than twin-suckling ewes, which are in turn 25% higher than single-suckling ewes.
While indoors, ewes should essentially be fed to appetite, with many flock owners reporting the best results from supplementing with 1.5kg to 2kg concentrates. Protein is also a key driver given the high milk yield, with a protein content of 18% to 20% recommended. Soyabean is the protein source advised as it is high in energy while also providing a source of undegradable protein which has been linked to better lamb thrive. Don’t forget access to water and good feed management to prevent digestive upsets.
Once released outdoors, ewes should have access to adequate grass supplies of at least 5cm, with grass supplies on offer remaining sufficient to meet demands of an increasing milk yield and grass intake from lambs. Grass supplies will also influence concentrate supplementation at grass.
Early research carried out by Teagasc pointed to no benefit in continuing concentrate supplementation at 1kg/head/day after three weeks of lactation once grass supplies are sufficient.
Advice stemming from more recent experience in Teagasc Athenry takes a balanced approach of offering ewes 0.5kg concentrates for the first five weeks of lactation to help peak milk yield to be achieved. This level should be increased for factors such as poor grass utilisation or inclement weather. Where grass supplies are insufficient, concentrate supplementation should be continued for longer, but where supplies look questionable, leaving three lambs suckling may need to be reconsidered.
The general recommendation is to offer lambs access to creep feeding at a rate of 300g/head/day. Where grass supplies are tight or quality is limiting, this will need to be increased to 500g to 600g/head.
Feeding ad-lib meals will improve weaning weights, but will also significantly increase concentrate inputs and costs. In reality, lambs will also need to be continued on this plane of nutrition post-weaning, while lambs receiving 300g can be joined with the main flock for finishing off grass.
The final piece of advice farmers operating the practice give is to pay close attention to detail and early identification of problems. This includes removing lambs that start to drop in performance.
Cross-fostering tips
Cross-fostering lambs on to single-suckling ewes provides a good outlet for triplet or orphan lambs, as long as the ewe is capable of rearing the extra lamb or one lamb in the case of ewes that have lost lambs: foster ewes be in good health, in good body condition score and have plenty of milk.
The success of cross-fostering depends on a number of factors and comes down to fooling the foster ewe that she has delivered two lambs.
The best results are obtained where delivery of the single lamb is assisted and lambing fluids are collected. Some flock owners will deliver the lamb into a plastic or rubber tub and also collect the contents of the water bag, or post-lambing fluids, if possible.
The lamb to be fostered should ideally be close to hand and washed in warm water to remove any scent and make it easier to contract the scent of the new lamb. The lamb should be rubbed against the new lamb and the lambing fluids.
The newborn lamb should be kept away from its mother initially and the foster lamb offered to her. Restricting movement by securing the lamb’s legs together with cable ties or similar means will give the impression that the lamb has just been born.
After a period of 15-20 minutes or so, introduce the newborn lamb and release the constraints on the foster lamb’s legs. It is important to monitor closely for the first day to ensure that the ewe takes to the two lambs.
If a ewe rejects one of the lambs, the next option is to put her into a foster crate. Holding a ewe or putting a halter on her to let a lamb suckle can work in the case of single lambs in the absence of a foster crate, but will not generally work where there are two lambs present.
It is advisable when removing a lamb from the triplet ewe to pick a good strong lamb that will be better able to compete with the single-born lamb.
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