Questions about starting him off right

[SmokyShadow]

I just bought my first goat, a 10-week old pygmy buck. He's adorable! He is supposed to have already been weaned but he keeps trying to suck on my fingers. Would it be ok to give him a bottle for a couple more weeks, and if so how much? Whole milk is ok, right, then water it down slowly? I think that would help with bonding, too. He is eating hay and browsing, and I have given him a *little* bread, sweet potatoes, apples and cabbage.

I forgot to ask if he has had any shots but I know he hasn't been wormed. What is the earliest you can worm a goat and with what? What shots should he have? I'm planning on getting three does and I am going to use prevention as much as possible. I'm in east central AL, if that makes a difference. Also, how soon can they be tested for CL and CAE?

[goatkid]

He is still young, so whole milk would be good for him, but don't reintroduce it by giving him alot at one time or he'll get the runs. Give a few ounces, gradually increasing to one or two 16 oz bottles a day. He can have milk for another month or two. When I wean my babies, I do not add water to their milk. I just start decreasing the amount in the bottles. He doesn't need bread and I'd watch giving him anything from the cabbage family. If you're wanting to supplement his hay and browse, a cup of kid developer pellets containing a coccdiostat and ammonium chloride would be best. You can worm him now. We use Valbazen on young kids. When he's older, folks in your area use Cydectin pour on orally. You can also start his shots. I give CDT - two doses three weeks apart. I think you can test for CL anytime. Test for CAE two months after he had his last goat milk.