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Lambing Kit List: The Supplies Ontario's Sheep Fact Sheets Suggest, and What We List

The lambing and lamb-processing supplies Ontario's agriculture ministry suggests having on hand, and the OB gloves, lubricant, bottles, tubes, tags and rings we list.

Short answer: Ontario's agriculture ministry (OMAFRA) says that to be prepared for lambing you need "a hospital area to care for compromised newborn lambs, two supply kits, as well as additional lambing supplies." One kit is for assisting the ewe (obstetrical lubricant, disposable obstetrical gloves, syringes and needles, lambing cords and a lamb snare, navel disinfectant, towels and a clean pail); the other is a lamb processing kit (records, syringe and needles, navel iodine, ear tags or tattoo pliers, tail docking rings). When and how to assist a ewe, and what goes into a lamb, are questions for your veterinarian.

What OMAFRA's lambing kit includes

In its fact sheet "Assisting the ewe at lambing" (ISSN 1198-712X, published September 2021; web page updated May 4, 2026), OMAFRA says: "Before lambing starts, prepare a kit of lambing aids." It lists these essentials:

  • soap
  • disinfectant
  • obstetrical lubricant
  • disposable obstetrical gloves
  • sterile syringes — 10 mL and 1 mL
  • hypodermic needles of sizes suitable for the ewe and the lamb
  • antibiotics and vitamin E/selenium injections
  • lambing cords and lamb snare
  • iodine-based navel disinfectant
  • clean towels or cloths
  • clean pail for warm water

The lamb processing kit and other supplies

OMAFRA's companion fact sheet "Care of the newborn lamb" (ISSN 1198-712X, published December 2021; web page updated May 4, 2026) says: "The lamb processing kit should contain:"

  • record keeping book
  • suitable syringe and needles
  • iodine solution for dipping navels
  • vitamin E/selenium preparation
  • ear tags and applicators and/or tattooing pliers
  • tail docking rings or cutter

Under "Other basic supplies that should be on hand" the same fact sheet lists:

  • warming box, heating pad and/or heat lamp
  • clean newspaper for warming box
  • kettle for boiling water
  • frozen and/or powdered colostrum
  • milk replacer
  • stomach tube and squeezable bottles
  • nipples and milk feeding bottles
  • digital thermometer
  • sterile 60-mL syringes
  • sterile 18-gauge or 20-gauge needles
  • sterile 50% dextrose
  • livestock spray or crayon marker to identify at-risk lambs
  • white board for notes and reminders

The injectable items on both lists (antibiotics, vitamin E/selenium, 50% dextrose) are for your veterinarian to advise on, so this guide does not link any. The supplies below are the non-injectable items from OMAFRA's lists that Pipestone Farm Supply lists. Several of them are also grouped on the Lambing and Kidding Supplies and Castration and Banding pages.

Gloves, lubricant and lambing aids we list

We do not list lambing cords. Ask your veterinarian to show you how and when to use any lambing aid before the season starts.

Syringes, needles and stomach tubes we list

We do not list a 1 mL syringe. Which needle size suits a ewe or a lamb is a question for your veterinarian; gauge and length are explained in Cattle Needle Size Chart: Gauge, Length, Syringes and Injection Sites. Ask your veterinarian or an experienced shepherd to show you how to pass a stomach tube before lambing starts.

Bottles, nipples and feeders we list

How the nipple types fit is covered in Calf and Lamb Bottles: Snap-On vs Screw-On Nipples, Sizes and Spare Parts. The colostrum products we list are bovine colostrum products made for calves (see Calving Kit List: The Supplies BCRC Suggests Having on Hand, and What We List); ask your veterinarian what colostrum and milk replacer to keep on hand for lambs.

Heat lamps, thermometer and markers we list

Hang a heat lamp only as its fixture's directions say, and keep it clear of bedding.

Tags, tattoos and tail rings we list

The SheepStar tags are blank visual tags. For the approved tags needed to move sheep in Canada, check the Canadian Sheep Identification Program. When and how to dock tails or castrate lambs are questions for your veterinarian.

Related guides

Sources: OMAFRA, "Assisting the ewe at lambing" (ontario.ca/page/assisting-ewe-lambing) and "Care of the newborn lamb" (ontario.ca/page/care-newborn-lamb), both read November 3, 2026.