Lamb Nutrition Guide: Feeding Baby and Growing Sheep

Lamb nutrition changes quickly in the first weeks of life. A newborn lamb depends on colostrum for energy and immune support, then transitions to milk, and later to forage, water, and creep feed as the rumen develops. If a lamb is orphaned, rejected, weak, or part of a large litter, your vet may recommend hand-feeding with a lamb-specific milk replacer rather than a calf product. Merck notes that calf milk replacer can cause diarrhea in lambs because cow-milk formulas are often higher in lactose than sheep milk.

As lambs grow, the goal shifts from keeping them hydrated and gaining weight to building a healthy rumen. That is why clean water and small amounts of creep feed matter early, even while the lamb is still drinking milk. Merck recommends free access to creep feed from about 2 weeks of age, and water should be available by about 9 to 10 days old if creep feed is offered.

Minerals also matter. Sheep need balanced calcium, phosphorus, salt, selenium, zinc, iodine, and other trace minerals, but they are more sensitive to copper toxicity than cattle or goats. Feeding the wrong mineral mix is a common and preventable mistake. Sheep-specific minerals are the safer choice unless your vet or flock nutritionist recommends something different for your region and forage.

If you are raising bottle lambs or fast-growing feeder lambs, ask your vet to help you match the feeding plan to age, body condition, growth goals, and local mineral risks. That is especially important in areas with known selenium deficiency or where forage quality changes seasonally.

For orphaned or supplemented lambs, Merck recommends feeding 10% to 20% of body weight per day in colostrum or milk replacer, divided into multiple feedings. During the first week, that usually means 4 to 6 feedings per day. By 3 to 4 weeks old, many lambs can move to twice-daily bottle feedings if they are thriving, drinking well, and also eating some solid feed.

As a rough example, a 10 lb lamb may need about 1.0 to 2.0 lb of milk per day, which is roughly 16 to 32 fluid ounces daily, split into several feedings. Smaller, more frequent meals are safer than large bottles because overfeeding can increase the risk of bloat, diarrhea, and digestive upset. Mix replacer exactly as labeled and use a product made for lambs whenever possible.

From about 2 weeks of age, offer free-choice lamb creep feed in small, fresh amounts and keep clean water available. Lambs can often be weaned at about 4 to 5 weeks only if they are eating enough creep feed and drinking water well, but many management systems keep lambs on milk longer. Weaning decisions should be based on body size, growth, appetite, and overall health, not age alone.

For growing lambs after the milk stage, good-quality forage remains the foundation. Grain or concentrate should be introduced gradually, not all at once. Sudden diet changes can upset rumen microbes and raise the risk of acidosis or enterotoxemia, so any increase in concentrate should be slow and deliberate.

See your vet immediately if a lamb is too weak to stand, will not suckle, has a swollen belly, struggles to breathe, or develops sudden diarrhea. Young lambs can decline fast. Early nutrition problems may look subtle at first, but dehydration, low energy, and poor growth can become emergencies within hours.

Common warning signs include scours, repeated bloating after bottle feeding, poor weight gain, a hollow or tucked-up appearance, weakness, cold mouth or ears, and reduced interest in nursing. A lamb fed the wrong formula, mixed replacer incorrectly, or given large infrequent meals may develop digestive upset. Merck also notes that selenium or vitamin E deficiency can contribute to white muscle disease, which may cause stiffness, weakness, trouble standing, or even heart-related signs in severe cases.

Mineral mistakes can also cause trouble. Sheep are especially vulnerable to copper toxicity, so lambs should not be fed cattle minerals or feeds unless your vet has confirmed they are safe for sheep. In some regions, low selenium, low iodine, or poor-quality forage can also affect growth and vigor.

Call your vet promptly if a lamb is not gaining, seems persistently hungry after feeding, coughs during bottle feeding, or has ongoing diarrhea for more than one feeding cycle. Those signs can point to feeding errors, infection, aspiration, parasites, or a nutrient imbalance that needs a hands-on exam.

The safest first choice for a baby lamb is always nursing from the dam if that is possible and the ewe has enough milk. If that cannot happen, the next best option is usually stored ewe colostrum, then a commercial colostrum replacer, followed by a lamb-specific milk replacer under your vet’s guidance. These options are designed to better match a lamb’s digestive needs than improvised home recipes.

For growing lambs, safer nutrition choices include good-quality pasture or hay, fresh water, and a sheep-formulated creep or starter feed introduced gradually. Sheep-specific mineral mixes are important because cattle and goat products may contain copper levels that are not appropriate for lambs. If your area is known for selenium deficiency, your vet may recommend a region-appropriate mineral plan rather than guessing.

If you are tempted to use calf milk replacer, cattle grain, or mixed-species minerals because they are easier to find, pause and check with your vet first. Those substitutions can work poorly or create avoidable risk. A conservative feeding plan that uses the right species-specific products is often the safest and most practical path.

You can also ask your vet whether your lamb would benefit from a bottle system, bucket feeder, or a slower transition plan to creep feed and weaning. The best option depends on the lamb’s age, strength, social setting, and whether you are feeding one lamb or managing a group.