bottle baby

Iluvboers · #1 02/26/09, 06:07 PM

I have a bottle baby that I want my daughter to use for her market goat since he will be more tame. I was using kid replacer until I read that it is not good. I have been mixing it with whole milk as I would rather not throw it away. I have also been giving probiotics once a week. Any tricks on getting better growth. He is growing, but it does seem slightly slower than non bottle fed goats. I do not have goat milk to feed him.
Would he gain better on the mild, buttermilk, evaporated milk recipe? Any other advice on good growth rate?

jBlaze · #2 02/26/09, 06:11 PM

We have a market wether that would not take a bottle. We hold a doe for him. She has a single and we pen the kids together and let them out 3 times a day. We no longer have to hold the doe. Growing just fine. He is full blood boer, and growing bulky where as the dairy kid on the same doe (oberhasli) is growing taller.
Have you treated for cocci? How old is he?

Iluvboers · #3 02/26/09, 06:38 PM

What is cocci? Sorry I'm a newbie. He is 3 weeks. I only had one doe with a single kid. She is small. I bread her a little early because she wouldn't be quiet when I separated her from her mother. Other does had triplets, except one who voluntarily adopted my other bottle baby.

Any restraining techniques for holding the doe. I may be able to manage since she is on the smaller size. I'm a little worried about her milk production. Also she has been the worst one at butting the whether. Worth a try though.

Iluvboers · #4 02/26/09, 06:41 PM

How often should I hold the doe for him to nurse? If I supplement with the bottle will that make her more reluctant to take him?

Citychick · #5 02/26/09, 08:03 PM

I think he should be eating around three times a day. My 1 month old is taking around 12 to 13 oz 3 times daily. Try to space feedings evenly. Not sure if it is the same for getting him to nurse. Maybe you could milk her out and then feed him?

Bearfootfarm · #6 02/26/09, 08:35 PM

Quote:

What is cocci?

It's a parasite:

http://www.google.com/search?complete=1&hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF-8&ei=fFGnSajyFoTSnQfo4aDTDw&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=coccidiosis&spell=1

Iluvboers · #7 02/27/09, 12:42 PM

He doesn't have diarrhea so I don't think he has cocci. He is gaining weight and growing. He is just growing a little slower than the nursed goats. Normally I wouldn't care because he is doing fine. But since my daughter is planning on showing him for her market goat, I want to make sure that he is growing as much as he possible can. I have been feeding him almost a pint 4 times a day. The last bottle baby I had cut down to 3 times by now. But he doesn't look fat and he is a little small so I have not dropped the 4th feeding.

Do they do better on the milk, buttermilk, evaporated milk diet?

jBlaze · #8 02/27/09, 02:53 PM

They can have a cocci load and not have direhea. The literature makes it sound terrible and so obvious, but that has not been my experience. Those horrible things they talkabout like smelly or bloody poo is near the end. Before then, they can have a load and even handle if well, just not do as well as without. Have the vet do a fecal for cocci, it's not expensive. He is the right age for it to show up.

For holding the doe: I hold their collar and horn if they have them and sort of put them against a wall and hold and put my knee just in front of their shoulder, maybe hold a back leg for a few days. My oberhasli doe was OUT TO GET that boer boy we held her for for about the first week. She would try to stomp him and bite his tail and everything. She is great now. I don't think she would accept him. She lets him nurse because that is the only time her kid gets to nurse, she is by no means adopting him, just tolerating him.
Holding the doe won't do much good if the kid does not remember what the doe is for.

Iluvboers · #9 02/27/09, 05:17 PM

Good point! I don't think he knows what does are for. Maybe I'll try anyway when I get over this cold and feel a little more adventurous. After all, I would save a bucket load of money. My daughter may be disappointed though, she loves being his mommy.

Can I just treat with a dewormer for cocci and skip the fecal? My vet is far away. I could not take a sample in for at least another week.

DQ · #10 02/27/09, 05:37 PM

cocci is not a worm its protazoa so standard wormers will not get it you must treat with a corid or sulmet or some other sulfa drug. you haven't said how much you are feeding it as in quantity not how often. maybe it just needs more. I have a 1 week old that is eating 16 oz 4 times per day that is 1/2 gallon and a three week old is going to need more, it is near its peak in milk needs. I doubt it is cocci.

Iluvboers · #11 02/27/09, 05:52 PM

He is almost at a pint per feeding 4 times a day. I have been increasing by one ounce each feeding each day until he shows signs of having enough. I would say is about an ounce or two under a pint per feeding. He is eating more than my last bottle baby at this age, but she was a girl. Really, he is just a hair under the other goats. But I would like a robust market goat.

How fast can I increase the feedings? I wasn't sure and I certainly don't want to end up with floppy kid syndrome.