Last year I raised 3 bottle lambs on goat milk and they did great. My neighbor just informed me they will start lambing in the next few weeks, and I will likely end up with 1 or more bummers again. However, due to other priorities on my time, I've dried up nearly all my milk does. I do have enough milk in the freezer for maybe 1 lamb, but if I get several I will have to buy some milk replacer. I know some replacers are good, some so-so, and some aren't fit to be fed. Can someone give me some tried and true brand names that I can use? I live in central Oregon. Also, if I get several bummers, I thought the best plan would be to start them all on goat milk, then gradually switch them over to part milk, part replacer. I'm thinking the lambs will get a better start that way, and have less tummy upsets from a mixture of goat milk and replacer than from pure replacer. Is that a realistic idea, or is there a better way to do this?
We use Grober brand with very few problems. It has to be thoroughly mixed and weigh it for mixing don't scoop the powder. Sounds like a good plan to me, real milk is the very best and young lambs will benefit from the milk to start.
I raise my bums on goat milk, too. But on a few occasions when I had too many bums and couldn't get rid of the goat kids fast enough I have mixed it with milk replacer with no problems. I am sure different brands are sold in different areas of the country. I have used LAMA, which seems to mix up well and comes in a medicated (no thanks!) or non-medicated version.
Hi Lenette, I have used Land O' Lakes and Advance Lamb milk replacers with equal success. I prefer the Land O' Lakes for its formulation and ease of mixing though will admit it is the more expensive of the two. My experience with orphan lambs I've raised in the past is that quantity more than source (pure goat milk vs. a milk-replacer mix). Those first few days make sure to feed them small quantities frequently during the day. I have a chart that I could post with quantities and intervals, if you're unsure. Good luck, Karen
I've raised bunches of lambs on milk replacer as I never had any goat milk available. The last one I used was Advance and I was pleased with it. I liked it because it would mix cold. I will probably use that again this year if, and when, I need to. I used Sav-A-Lam for several years and liked it until I got a bad batch last year. Sorry folks, I won't use it again. I used Lama many years ago but I seem to remember more scouring problems. I was less experienced at the time so it may have been me and not the replacer.
Thanks for the recommendations. I'll have to go to the feedstores and see which of these brands are available locally. I'm hoping we do get at least 2 bummers this year. Last year we sold the 2 older lambs and butchered the youngest one in the fall. He is providing us with some pretty nice meals (hanging weight was 137 lbs.), and now we're wishing we'd put at least one more in our own freezer rather than selling. We've discovered we REALLY like BBQ'd lamb!
