What Information/Warning to give!

[stacygoats]

I had a gentleman call this morning looking for two young goats, so he stopped in this afternoon:
- The first option he's considereing is a 16 wk old runt wether that has been weaned and a young buckling born 2/01/06. This buckling is really a big boy and eats hay/grain.
- The other pair he's considering are twin brothers born 3/03 and dam raised. He wants to bottle feed, which I've told him takes a lot of time, persistance and patience to convert over to bottle.

He has raised bottle babies from 1 week old in the past, but they were already on the bottle.What's the most important information to give this gentleman.

[witchysharon]

Since I am in goat rescue, my first reaction to someone wanting to buy male goats only is what is he going to do with them? Is he going to eat them? Use them to keep his land free of brush?? If you don't want to sell your goats for meat, you might want to find out this man's intent. I get suspicious when anyone comes asking to buy one of my goats. But then, I AM in rescue after all, so some of my goats came from some horrible conditions...neglect, abuse etc. and there is no way they will ever be sold. And certainly never for slaughter. But that is me. I know some people sell off their wethers/bucklings for meat and others raise meat goats.

If he has already raised bottle babies, he probably knows what to do. But getting 3 week old kids who have nursed off mom switched to a bottle is very difficult if not sometimes impossible. All you can do is tell him it "takes a lot of time, persistance and patience" which you've already done.

[stacygoats]

I'm raising meat goats (Boer and crosses), so I obviously do not have a issue with goats being purchased for slaughter.
He did mention a religious holiday or passover, not sure of the Jewish celebrations or traditions. Guess I better take a look at a ethnic calander, which would probably shed some light.
Anyway, he brought his son out with him and mentioned that his daughter and nieces would enjoy helping with the bottle babies.
He asked what I used to raise bottle babies in the past and I told him milk replacer, but that alot of folks use whole milk (Next time I'll use whole milk like a lot of people on this forum recommend.) I should probably warn him to watch for scours and give him some feed to take with him so there is no drastic chabge.