Many newborn orphaned lambs die each year because ranchers cannot easily afford to take the time required to keep nursing equipment clean. As a result they often make no attempt to raise the orphaned lambs. Adding a bacteria-killing agent to the lambs' milk would eliminate the necessity of daily washing of equipment and would make orphan-lamb raising a more profitable operation. Formalin, a 37% solution of formaldehyde, has been used for many years as a bactericide and as a preservative, but it has never before been recommended for use in milk fed to lambs.

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