Treatment of hypothermia varies based on age, severity and the condition of the lamb or kid. Warming the lamb/kid and supplementing their nutrition are the immediate concerns. But knowing if feeding or warming needs to come first is vital. Making the wrong choice could result in death.

First off, colostrum replacers are not the same as colostrum supplements. Colostrum replacers typically have higher levels of antibodies than supplements and should be used for the first 12 to 24 hours if the mother’s milk is not available.

Determining temperature, age and general condition of the lamb/kid are the first pieces of information needed to decide if calorie supplementation or warming should occur first. Normal temperature is 101.5-102.5F (39C); mildly hypothermic is 99-101F (37-38C), and severely hypothermic is below 99F (37C).

In addition to body temperature, knowing if the lamb/kid is over or under five hours old, if they’re able to stand, and if they have a suck reflex and are able to swallow will assist you in determining what to do next. I always move babies to a warm place next to a heater then assess the situation to figure out the next step.

The two techniques used to feed and revive hypothermic lambs that cannot drink from a bottle include feeding with a stomach tube and administering glucose by intraperitoneal (IP) injection. Lambs and kids that have a rectal temperature of 99F can usually be tubed successfully, even if they don’t have a suckle reflex, but IP injections both warm and provide the needed energy.

Severely hypothermic lambs and kids with a body temperature of less than 99°F require aggressive treatment. A lamb/kid that is less than five hours old and severely hypothermic needs to be dried and warmed to 99F before giving colostrum via stomach tube. Time is on your side since they should still have fat reserves.

Lambs that are severely hypothermic and more than five hours old must receive glucose in some form before drying and warming since they have used up all their brown fat reserves. If these lambs are warmed before receiving glucose in the colostrum, they can convulse and die.

Products like Nutridrench will help, but the best option for older lambs is IP glucose since it delivers glucose immediately and can be given to a cold lamb/kid.

A stomach tube can be used to give colostrum once their temperature has reached 99F. Before reaching that temperature, they are unable to digest the milk. Warming could potentially take hours which continues to deplete glucose. Using IP glucose gives the lambs and kids the needed glucose.

Bottle feeding is only recommended for those lambs/kids that are able to stand, have a sucking reflex, able to swallow, and have a normal or near-normal temperature. Attempting to bottle feed a lamb that doesn’t have a suckle reflex can result in getting milk into the lungs and causing aspiration pneumonia or death. A temporary quick option for needed calories is to rub Karo corn syrup on their gums or use commercially available products like Nutridrench.

Colostrum should be thawed in a warm water bath, not in a microwave or in boiling water. Microwaves and boiling destroy complex proteins in the colostrum and destroy antibodies.

Once the lamb/kid has a suckle reflex, feed 50ml/kg body weight. Additionally, feed 200ml/kg bodyweight spread over three or four more feedings in the first 24 hours.

This same amount can be administered with a stomach tube. In addition, some recommend that lambs receive 10 percent of their weight in colostrum by the time they are 24 hours old. A 10-pound lamb should receive 16 ounces of colostrum within 24 hours of birth.

Warm towels out of the dryer can help dry and warm wet lambs. Warming in a commercially made hot box or near a ceramic heater is very efficient. Heat circulating completely around the animal warms it faster. Warm air blowing toward the nose so that it’s breathed in warms babies internally, as well as externally.

Hairdryers and warm water baths are not as effective as other options. A hairdryer will result in evaporative cooling rather than warming because of the high air pressure. Warm water baths are not as successful with lambs/kids because of their small body mass, although warm baths work well with calves.

Monitor temperature every 20 minutes so you don’t overheat them. The goal is a temperature of 100-101 degrees where the babies should become more alert. Once they are alert, I slowly turn down the extra heat source to ensure the lamb/kid is able to maintain its own temperature after it’s fed and completely dry.

I use a plastic tote, laid on its side facing the heater, with the lamb on a warm towel which helps the warm air stay around the lamb and keeps it dry should it urinate. Once the lamb is alert and standing, the tote can be turned on its bottom, preventing the lamb from escaping.

Taking out the towel and transitioning to hay or straw in the bottom of the tote keeps the babies clean while maintaining the smells of the barn. This is important if you want the ewe/doe to claim her lamb/kid.

The lamb/kids’ temperature should be brought up to 101, but it’s important to not overheat them. They need to maintain their temperature without an external heat source before leaving them with their mom. Additional monitoring is necessary to ensure the dam accepts the babies and allows nursing.

As explained previously, IP dextrose quickly gives the lambs needed calories and energy while also warming them. For severely hypothermic lambs, this provides your best chance of reviving them.

IP dextrose injection, using water and 50 percent dextrose solution, is more complicated than stomach tubing but is very effective in treating severely hypothermic lambs. The most straightforward explanation, along with helpful photographs, can be found at 

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/98-089.htm.

A fact sheet can be viewed at https://www.nfacc.ca/resources/codes-of-practice/sheep/omafra_hypothermia.pdf.

The fact sheet refers to a typical 4.5 kg lamb as typical, this is nearly 10 pounds. (2.2 kg/lb.) Adjust the dosage so that your lamb gets 5 ml per pound of the 2:3 solution of dextrose and freshly boiled water, cooled to 102 degrees (see chart).

The goal of warming the water is to warm the insides of the lamb while giving the needed glucose. The temperature of the mixed liquid needs to be 102-103 degrees. Too cold or too hot is not good.

Water boils at 212F, so caution must be used to ensure the mixture is not too hot before injection. I use a brand-new needle to draw up the dextrose and another new needle for the injection. This helps to keep the bottle of glucose uncontaminated and reduces the possibility of infection from the injection. Providing calories quickly is key to survival.