The pre-weaning nutrient requirements for growth of lambs were assessed by feeding them on ad libitum creep mixtures with free suckling and free choice of Pala ( Z. nummularia) leaves. Thirty six lambs (15 days old) were divided into three equal groups and fed creep mixtures containing high (HEHP), medium (MEMP) and low (LELP) levels of digestible energy and protein. A cafeteria system of feeding management was used. The ratio of creep mixture, pala leaf and milk in the total DMI of HEHP lambs was 74.9:11.4:13.7. The corresponding ratios in DMI were 73.8:14.3:11.8 and 90.3:2.1:7.6 in MEMP and LELP regimens. Digestibility of DM, OM and CP was higher ( P<0.01) in HEHP than MEMP and LELP. Digestibility of NDF and ADF was also significantly ( P<0.01) higher in HEHP than MEMP and LELP. However, digestibility of cellulose and hemicellulose were higher ( P<0.01) in LELP than other two groups. The lambs in all the three groups were in positive N balance while per cent N retention was lower ( P<0.01) in LELP (52.6%) compared to MEMP (61.5%) and HEHP (70.4%). The lambs in HEHP, MEMP and LELP consumed 58.2, 51.6 and 83.5 g DM, 10.4, 7.4 and 8.0 g DCP and 250.4, 163.2 and 228.9 kcal DE/kg W 0.75/day amounting to an average of 43 g DCP/Mcal DE consumed/day and had 124, 108 and 124 g ADG, respectively. It is concluded from the study that ad libitum LELP creep mixture with free suckling and free choice pala ( Z. nummularia) leaves was adequate to meet the growth requirement for 124 g pre-weaning average daily gain.