Lamb and Kid Raising Practices and Advanced Techniques
Chapter from the book:
Doğan,
H.
&
Baş,
H.
(eds.)
2025.
Integrated Perspectives in Agriculture and Biology: Theory and Practice.
Synopsis
Lamb and kid rearing is a critical process for herd productivity and economic profitability in small ruminants. Care, feeding, and health management practices implemented from birth to weaning directly impact lamb development and survival. In recent years, the use of advanced techniques, in addition to traditional methods, has played a significant role in increasing lamb and kid rearing success. In this context, ensuring timely and adequate colostrum intake is crucial for early immune development. Artificial lamb and kid rearing systems offer an effective alternative in cases of motherlessness or inadequate lactation in multiple births. Automatic lamb and kid feeding systems, combined with fixed ration planning, optimize growth performance while reducing the risk of stress and disease. Furthermore, supporting rumen development with early provision of concentrated feed and high-quality forage facilitates post-weaning adaptation. Among advanced technological applications, sensor-based monitoring systems that allow monitoring of body temperature, activity level, and feed consumption offer significant advantages for early disease diagnosis and intervention. Furthermore, selecting individuals with high lamb and kid rearing potential through genetic selection programs increases growth and survival rates across the flock. Consequently, integrating modern management strategies and advanced techniques into lamb and kid rearing not only improves individual animal performance but also ensures the sustainability of productivity across the flock. Therefore, increasing producers' technical knowledge and developing infrastructure will increase the effectiveness of modern lamb and kid rearing practices. This study evaluates studies on the effective parameters and advanced techniques for offspring growth in small ruminant farming and offers recommendations.
