Doe doesn't seem to let runt nurse enough

[cigi104]

One of our goats had triplets about 2 weeks ago. One was stillborn and another was chilled and almost didn't make it. His surviving sibling was twice his size. He seems to not have grown any yet his sister is thiving. I removed him from his mother and tried to give him warmed cows milk - the doe would not let me milk her. He took a little throughout the day but not nearly enough. Then I took him back to his mother and she kept walking away when he approached her. I was able to briefly distract her with some grain while he nursed but as soon as the grain was gone, she shook him off. I've tried to feed him with a sheep nipple - regular and with an enlarged hole - he didn't like it. I've also used a needleless syringe and one of those blue bulb syringes. He does best with the regular syinge but he's not getting near enough milk. I'm getting frustrated with the little guy. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Alice In TX/MO]

Do you have a milk stand so that she is restrained when you milk her?

Get a Pritchard nipple, a clean Pepsi bottle, and get him changed over to being bottle fed. If you can't put her on a stand and get her milk, then use whole cows milk from the grocery store. Warmed, of course.

When I had cattle, I had one momma that had to be restrained several times a day while the calf sucked until she accepted her calf. You could try that, too.

[cigi104]

These are meat goats, so we don't have a milk stand. Tomorrow I might have my daughter help restrain her. So, tonight the little guy is on what he'll take of the cows milk. Thanks.

[dunroven]

I have Boer goats and I have a milking stand. My husband built it for me last year. Best thing he ever did. I have one little goat that has to be bottle fed but he still gets his mother's milk. I put her on the stand and milk her and we get milk for the baby without having to buy it, he gets what he needs, and she gets milked out.

Also, if you haven't tried it, you should try some Boer goat milk! It is wonderful! Very high cream content! I love it!

[emanuelcs34]

You might want to try a regular baby bottle if you haven't yet.

[cigi104]

Dunroven, I'll mention the Boer goat milk to my husband and the milking stand. See if it sounds like something he wants to take on. We're almost empty nesters and rarely use milk anymore, except in my husband's coffee.

Update on the kid - I weighed him this morning; he only gained 1/2 lb. in almost 2 weeks! Good thing I removed him from the doe. He's drinking more milk today. He seems to do well being fed with a bulb syringe. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to fatten him up over the next week or so. Meanwhile, I have a goat wandering my house wearing a baby diaper. FYI for anyone buying diapers for a goat, make sure to buy a size much larger than you think you'll need. My goat only weighs 5 lbs. and the 8-14 lb. size was way too small; the 16-28 lb. size seems to be fitting just right.