COLOSTRUM SUPPLEMENT  $19.95 (560gram tub) Want to pay with a check? Download a form and mail it to La Belle

LAMB FORMULA Finally, a true colostrum replacer formulated for lambs, not some generic product for animals of different sizes and nutritional needs. This is not milk replacer, it is true first day colostrum for those crucial first few hours. A highly bioactive product from bovine colostrum liquid collected from US Grade-A Dairies. Colostrum proteins combined with vitamins and minerals makes Premier Select Lamb Formula ideal to feed your small lambs as an additional nutritional support. Anyone who raises sheep knows lambing season can be a difficult time for ewes, vets, and sheep producers alike. Keeping newborn lambs alive and healthy is essential to the success of the entire sheep production operation. Unfortunately, things don't always happen the way we plan them to, and certain aspects of lambing seem beyond the control of even the most experienced flock master. More..

Don't risk your Lambs health, use La Belle Premier Select Lamb Formula

Tips For Raising Healthy Lambs Whether raising one lamb or hundreds, nothing is more important to your neonatal lambs' survival than a proper nutritional start, colostrum. Parturition represents exposure to common diseases to which the young animal has not yet been exposed to. Without proper management and adequate colostrum intake, your lambs may become highly susceptible to sickness and even death. Healthy Environment Tips: Birthing pen should be clean and bedded with straw or other absorbent material. Clean bedding often. Clean Ewe's teats before allowing lamb to nurse. Make sure adequate amounts of colostrum are fed to young lambs in Common Diseases In Sheep To Look For: Campylobacteror vibrio Toxoplasmosis gondi Caseous lumphadenitis Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Baby Scours caused by Salmonella or C. perfringens TYPICAL ANALYSIS Colostrum Protein 62 grams/lb (from lacteal secretions) Crude Protein 35% Minimum Crude Fat 10% Minimum Crude Fiber 0.2% Maximum Ash 7% Maximum Moisture 8% Maximum Calcium 0.9% Maximum Calcium 0.7% Minimum Phosphorous 0.54%Minimum Salt 0.5% Maximum Magnesium 4% Minimum Vitamin A 3700 IU/b Minimum Vitamin D3 300 IU/b Minimum Vitamin E 5 IU/b Minimum

Colostrum Help Saves Lambs
By Jesse DeGroff

Anyone who raises sheep knows lambing season can be a difficult time for ewes, vets, and sheep producers alike.Keeping newborn lambs alive and healthy is essential to the success of the entire sheep production operation.Unfortunately, things don’t always happen the way we plan them to, and certain aspects of lambing seem beyond the control of even the most experienced flockmaster.

It’s hard to put up with stillborns—even worse when lambs are lost due to bad weather or sickness.  That is why educated sheep producers minimize risks by careful attention to newborn nutrition, particularly colostrum intake.

What Is Colostrum, And Why Is It So Important To Lambs?

Colostrum is the “first milk” produced by all mammalian mothers, including ewes, immediately after birth.Colostrum is rich in nutrients, such as protein and fat that promote growth and development.  It’s also the newborn lamb’s only source antibodies to provide immune protection, neutralizing bacteria and viruses to prevent infection. At birth, newborn lambs don’t carry any protective antibodies, because antibodies do not generally cross the placenta from the mother to the fetus.  Instead, the health, survival, and performance of newborn lambs is greatly dependent on the ingestion of colostrum.

Depending on their birth size, lambs require between 6-16 oz. of colostrum—10% of their weight in colostrum—within the first 24 hours of life.  The ability of the newborn lamb to absorb the antibodies in colostrum is at its peak within the first few hours of life and decreases over time.  The value of getting even a few ounces of high-quality colostrum into the lamb within the first 2 hours after birth cannot be overemphasized.

Which Lambs Need Supplemental Colostrum?

Good for 3 years with no special storage.

All newborn lambs need colostrum, but not all ewes adequately produce it.  Flockmasters are able to assess the colostrum status of the ewe by checking for signs that might indicate an increased need to supplement, such as: •Excessively thick colostrum •Small udders •Slow colostrum flow at stripping •Multiple births It is also important to observe the health of the newborn.Supplemental colostrum has a very positive effect on the survival and vitality of lambs that won’t suckle. Supplemental colostrum has a strong positive effect on physically weak or orphaned lambs, too.

This is why it has become common practice among producers to freeze any and all surplus colostrum they can salvage for use in supplemental feeding at a later time.  Of course this is a limited resource, because healthy ewes normally produce only about 24 oz. of colostrum.  Further, unsuitable storage and/or improper thawing can greatly injure the activity of the protective antibodies in colostrum.

Alternative Colostrum Supplements

Recognizing the importance of post-natal nutrition to the health of the newborn, many producers rely on alternative forms of first-day formulas, such as frozen bovine colostrum, cow or goat’s milk, or milk replacers.  But while milk and milk replacers provide important nutrients to aid in the growth and development of the lamb, they don’t provide antibodies, so vital to prevent infection.  And although using some form of colostrum is always better than none at all, the wrong kind might actually increase scouring or esophageal and digestive problems.  Raw colostrum, for example, becomes a perfect medium for growing disease germs if the liquid wasn’t treated correctly—and freezing won’t usually kill the infectious contaminants.  Typical calf supplements are intended for calves, not sheep, and so may contain levels of selenium, copper, and other ingredients appropriate for larger animals, but risky to the health of newborn lambs.

Why Use Sheep-Specific Colostrum?

One company that has made big strides in sheep-specific colostrum formulation is La Belle, Inc., a family based business that is now the largest collector, manufacturer, and supplier of bovine colostrum in the world. In cooperation with individual growers, distributors, and research specialists, they have now introduced a line of scientifically formulated products based on bovine colostrum but nutritionally tailored exactly for sheep.  Their brand name for this is the “Premier Select.” Starting with a bovine colostrum base, they then add vitamins, minerals, and lamb-compatible probiotics.  Then the mix is carefully spray dried.  They also have it tested, to ensure antibody activity has been maximized in the final product.

Giving Bums A Chance

An unsung, underlying cause of many problems for small, weak, orphaned or undernourished (bum) lambs is the shepherd’s long, unpredictable hours in the lambing shed:  That’s when mistakes and accidental neglect become more likely. Successful lambing shed managers all agree that the more convenient their shepherding duties are, the more good lambs they have to show for their efforts.

Although the ewe will no longer be producing colostrum and the absorption of antibodies is reduced after the first day, the La Belle product provides additional nutrients that will continue to benefit the newborn, so they recommend feeding it to the lamb throughout the first 7 days—either alone or in combination with a good milk replacer.  As packaged, Premier Select Lamb Formula will feed 5 lambs for 7 days.