Bottle feeding question

[fishhead]

I was reading the thread about bottle feeding and someone said that it's possible to overfeed milk and cause problems with young goats.

Why doesn't that happen in the case of a doe with a large amount of milk and only one kid?

[DQ]

I am curious if this is really only a problem with milk replacers/formula. I know it is with human infants, in human mothers milk there is a substance that helps baby chemically/hormonally to feel satisfied, and formula fed babies often just eat until their stomachs literally can't hold any more. I suppose it could be the same for goats. or maybe bottle babies get larger meals less often and are so hungry when they get the bottle they gorge themselves. I'm curious to see what people with more experience have to say.

[shezaruby]

I think the doe knows when the baby has had enough. I've seen my does walk away to make their babies stop sucking.

[susanne]

yes the dams are watching over their kids that they don't overfil.
but i guess the other theory has some truth too.

[dosthouhavemilk]

Kids take little sips more often when on does.
Bottle fed kids aren't fed larger meals less often. Our kids have access to milk 24/7. It starts out warm and they drink quite a bit, but they still drink throughout the rest of the day as well. Even as it cools down. We're feeding whole raw cow's milk.

[ozark_jewels]

The problem is when you suddenly feed more milk than a kid is used to getting. That can cause scours. If a kid is used to getting a set amount of milk, then you must up that amount *slowly* to allow the kid to acclimate to it.
I feed my kids free-choice every feeding from day one. They eat till they are full. By day two they are on the bucket feeders. I make sure each kid has its fill, then I put another gallon or two in the feeders for snacks. They sip whenever they feel like it. I've never had one over-eat and cause problems on this schedule. BUT! Take a bottle kid who is used to getting a set amount of milk 2-3 times a day and let them free-choice it?? You will most likely have problems as they are simply not used to it.
And yes, milk replacer is notorious for causing bloat and scours and I imagine its easier to go wrong on it than on milk.
So kids being dam-raised on large producing does don't get scours because they are used to eating all day long. They don't gorge themselves.

[fishhead]

I had wondered if maybe part of the problem might be from a sudden increase in milk.

[susanne]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

I feed my kids free-choice every feeding from day one.

i do the same. still with bottle but will switch to lambar soon.

[fishhead]

Thanks for the replies.

One more question.

Does it hurt to go back and forth between whole cows milk and goats milk?

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by fishhead

Does it hurt to go back and forth between whole cows milk and goats milk?

Hasn't mine. They never skip a beat. I don't switch over slowly either. But I am using raw cows milk. Don't know if the store stuff would be different.