Lambs sucking off other ewes

arctictree

I have a few sets of triplets out in the field and I noticed that one triplet lamb was constantly sucking off another ewe who has a single. The ewe lets it suck for a while before moving off. I wonder is this type of feeding factored in to the teagasc figures on weight gain of triplet lambs? In general it seems common enough in my flock to see lambs sucking off other ewes. Surely this behaviour is good for the crop as a whole?

charolais0153

arctictree wrote: »

I have a few sets of triplets out in the field and I noticed that one triplet lamb was constantly sucking off another ewe who has a single. The ewe lets it suck for a while before moving off. I wonder is this type of feeding factored in to the teagasc figures on weight gain of triplet lambs? In general it seems common enough in my flock to see lambs sucking off other ewes. Surely this behaviour is good for the crop as a whole?

Well teagasc would be recommending to feed teiplets meal and aingles nothing so they'd be in sifferent fields

wrangler

arctictree wrote: »

I have a few sets of triplets out in the field and I noticed that one triplet lamb was constantly sucking off another ewe who has a single. The ewe lets it suck for a while before moving off. I wonder is this type of feeding factored in to the teagasc figures on weight gain of triplet lambs? In general it seems common enough in my flock to see lambs sucking off other ewes. Surely this behaviour is good for the crop as a whole?

No it's not good, usually means their mother hasn't enough milk. it'd be alright if they only robbed singles but they'd be chasing everything, it's definitely not a good sign to see doubles cross suckling
Drinking other ewes milk will change the smell of the lamb and eventually their own mother won't want them.
Putting ewes with triplets out with other ewes creates havoc, when teagasc do it in trials they put all the triplet ewes together in a separate flock, they put them on the best grass along with as much meal as they can eat, they also introduce meal to the lambs very early

charolais0153

wrangler wrote: »

No it's not good, usually means their mother hasn't enough milk. it'd be alright if they only robbed singles but they'd be chasing everything, it's definitely not a good sign to see doubles cross suckling
Drinking other ewes milk will change the smell of the lamb and eventually their own mother won't want them.
Putting ewes with triplets out with other ewes creates havoc, when teagasc do it in trials they put all the triplet ewes together in a separate flock, they put them on the best grass along with as much meal as they can eat, they also introduce meal to the lambs very early

Its the only way to do it but only some ewes are able to do it imo....this is our only one.

wrangler

charolais0153 wrote: »

Its the only way to do it but only some ewes are able to do it imo....this is our only one.

Most times it wrecks the ewe and leaves you with runty lambs

charolais0153

wrangler wrote: »

Most times it wrecks the ewe and leaves you with runty lambs

had a few more out but ended up taking a lamb off each of them and putting them on the feeder