Bottle Feeding

mmurrey · #1 05/07/06, 09:37 AM

I was wondering how long to bottle feed two little goats that a gentleman had given to my girls. They were born on Easter and I was told to bottle feed them till they are 4 months but the bag of milk replacer says till they are 30 days and ween them to starter feed. Please help I have never had goats, had about everything else to bottle raise but I am clueless when it comes to goats. Thanks for any help!
Mellissa

cmharris6002 · #2 05/07/06, 09:56 AM

You should bottle feed them for at least 2 months, three months is better, four months is great too.

Wendy · #3 05/07/06, 08:48 PM

I bottle feed twice a day until 8 weeks & then once a day for at least 4 more weeks. The longer you give them milk, the better. They will grow out nicer. I have 2 now that are still getting a bottle because I have so much extra milk.

Sarah J · #4 05/08/06, 10:41 AM

Ditto. I have noticed that all milk replacer bags tell people they can wean their animals at an early age. NOT! Milk grows kids, to quote Vicki from the Dairy Goats Plus forum. I keep mine on the lambar for three months. Depending on their status at that point (dairy doe, wether or breeding buck) they get weaned off slowly until totally weaned at 10 weeks (wethers), 12 weeks (breeding bucks) or 16 weeks (dairy does).

At two or three weeks they can be given access to free-choice hay, minerals, alfalfa pellets and water. Grain only on the milk stand for milking does and the last month of pregnancy. Wethers will get grained in their last month to add some extra bulk before heading for the locker.

But definitely keep them on the milk replacer for at least 8 weeks, preferably 12 or more.

Sarah

TexCountryWoman · #5 05/08/06, 11:01 AM

I have a question too. I am bottle feeding some doelings that will be 8 weeks old this week. Presently they are getting 3 bottles a day. Can I go to 2 bottles a day now? When can I go to 1 bottle a day?

Sarah J · #6 05/08/06, 11:07 AM

Yes, you can go to two bottles a day if you need to. I raised three years worth of goat kids on 20 ounce pop bottles twice daily until 10 weeks old and then weaned them. I am finding a HUGE difference this year in their growth and health with them on the lambar twice a day. Each of them gets about 30 ounces per feeding (those tummies sure get big!) rather than the 20 ounces from the bottles. They are growing faster and better than previous years. But the ones I raised before did just fine, too - took them a bit longer, though.

If you can keep them at three per day for another few weeks, I'd do that, but if you need to it won't hurt them to go down to two. You can reduce them to one bottle a day at 12 weeks and then wean them at 16. Again, the longer you can keep them on the milk, the bigger and better they'll grow.

But goats are awfully adaptable!

Sarah

TexCountryWoman · #7 05/08/06, 11:20 AM

Three times a day is getting tiring and expensive. They are getting 28 oz three times a day. How many oz should they get twice a day now? We are using 32oz pop bottles.

Sarah J · #8 05/08/06, 11:26 AM

You should have no problem at all moving to twice a day at this point, with those larger bottles (where do you find 32 ounce pop bottles? Huh...maybe I need to start drinking more soda! LOL).

If they're used to getting those three times a day, keep the same amount in each bottle and move to twice a day for a couple of weeks. Then you can move one feeding down to half a bottle (usually the evening feeding goes first). Then the other feeding down to half a bottle the following week. At that point they'd be down to two feedings of about 14 ounces each. At 14 weeks you can remove one feeding completely and at 16 weeks take the other one away. This whole time they have access to hay and/or alfalfa pellets as well as water. They should be doing great on those already and will only get better as the bottles dwindle down and they replace their empty tummies with the hay or pellets that you want them on.

I know some people keep their kids on milk until they are 5 or even 6 months old. Those are the people who have a lot more time and energy than I do, and must have gobs more excess milk to be able to go that long!

-Sarah

TexCountryWoman · #9 05/08/06, 11:37 AM

Thanks! yes, they are in a big pen with lots of browse and have been eating alfalfa pellets and hay for a very long time. They also eat a bit of grain twice a day. they have had access to water and minerals their whole lives. They eat like big goats except for their bottles.

We had to look for those big pop bottles but found them at some convience store. Those kids are really growing!