Lamb feed “imprinting”

Feeding lambs grain for the first time before weaning is a good way to ‘imprint feed’. This is a valuable management practice which ensures weaned lambs will be accustomed to supplementary feeding, avoiding a three-to-four-week training period with negative growth rates.

Lambs are strongly influenced by the grazing behaviour of the dams and other sheep in the flock. This is how they learn to graze, browse, and eat supplements. Imprint feeding should be carried out regardless of whether supplementary feeding is expected to be required that season as weaners will remember for some years these eating habits.

It is estimated that 3 to 4 feeds of 100g/ewe of grain will be sufficient for teaching using a thin long trail of a feed source that you are likely to use over the coming months with the weaners.

If “imprint feeding” has not been possible (lamb with ewe) it is recommended that untrained sheep are best educated in small paddocks,  weaners may need to be moved onto the trail to ensure they all have access to feed. Grazing weaners may not hear or recognise a feed cart so training with a horn can get the attention of animals and minimise the opportunity for individuals to gorge and potential grain poisoning.

If practical, a range of supplements should be offered to be imprinted in memory. New feeds that are introduced following weaning could be accompanied with a small amount of familiar feed for faster introduction.

Alternatively, after weaning a small number of trained ewes or wethers can be run with the mob which will encourage inexperienced sheep to feed.

For more information get in touch or go to the VIC DPI website.