Bottle Feeding

[canadiangirl]

When I had goats previously I allowed the mums to raise them, but I would like to bottle these kids in my new herd.... I've been flip flopping on this issue but with less than a month to go...I think I'm going to try to grab the kids as soon as they're born and give them pasteurised milk...so...
1. How much and how often? Will they just stop feeding when they are full?
2. Do you tape your does teats to make sure that babes don't get any milk? I am of course going to try my best to be right there and I only have 3 does due this month but best laid plans and all that...
3. How long until you can put kids in with milking does? or should they stay separate until they are weaned?
4. I do not have any colostrom here until my first doe kids...no one around here that I know practices CAE prevention. Should I try to get some from someone anyway or just wait? Since I will save some in the freeser after I get some, should I pasteurise it before or after freezing it.

Whew! I think that's it for tonight!
Thanks

[Madfarmer]

Most of your questions are addressed at dairygoatinfo.com. In "Goats 101," there's a thread "From Birth to Kidding." You have about 12 hours after birth to get colustrum into the kids. Sooner is better. In a pinch, if you're confident about due dates & watch for signs of imminent kidding, you can milk the doe before she actually kids. It's not as good, but it has been done. First-freshener colustrum isn't as good for antibodies as that from an older doe, so keep searching, you might find some yet. Avoid the powdered junk.

Heat treating for colustrum is not the same as pasteurization. If you have extra, you heat treat, then freeze. And you gotta be cautious. Colustrum will go to pudding quickly if you over-heat. And if you're not sure about it, you still have time to send blood off for CAE testing.

Madfarmer