Another feeding new buckling Question?

mrs.H · #1 04/14/10, 06:04 AM

Surprise! My new buckling is coming home on this Thursday. So it looks like I will be bottle feeding for a couple of weeks. My question is, Do I have to warm the milk up first? Will it cause tummy upset if I don't? And, How warm does it need to be?

He currently weighs a little over 14 lbs. Of course he's a ND, I was thinking 9oz. twice a day. Is that good? More? I will be using Milkyways milk and store bought cows milk. This part is not optional. Her new high day is 15.2 oz.

Thanks for every thing,

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/14/10, 07:05 AM

There are a very few people who feed cool/cold milk, but the kids must be used to it. Otherwise, you risk making him ill and death.

Warm the milk to 102 degrees.

I don't know about amounts for Nigerian Dwarf kids, but he'd have to be eating hay pretty substantially to only require two bottles per day.

Found this website:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...6112753AA1Adci

mrs.H · #3 04/14/10, 08:13 AM

He is 7 weeks old. I forgot to put that info in my question. The lady I purchased him from is feeding twice a day, but she uses one of the buckets with multi nipples on it, so couldn't give me an exact amount he was getting. I like a lot of input, because I'm a nuby.

I remember when my children were small, I eventually gave them milk out of the fridge in a sippy cup. I didn't know if there was a goat age where that would be OK. Warming milk to 102 is something I can do.

Thanks for the link that was helpful.

QoTL · #4 04/14/10, 08:35 AM

I did read a number of sites discussing warm vs. cold milk. Apparently, some feed cold because it slows babies down a bit. I've always gone with warm.

I know what you mean about switching kids to a sippy with cold, but since you really only have to bottle feed for a short amount of time (with goats), it just wasn't worth the risk to me.

shiandpete.1 · #5 04/14/10, 08:52 AM

We feed it cold, but we slowly got them acclimated to it by decreasing the temp over a week. Although if it is cold out we warm it up. As for slowing them down, it does not slow ours down, they are huge pigs. Our babies ranging from one month to 6 weeks are getting 40oz a day each. Plus alfalfa and pelleted creep feed. These are full sized babies though.

QoTL · #6 04/14/10, 09:10 AM

I apologize for the thread hijack here..

Shiandpete.1- is that about the max you feed, and then start weaning down? That's the same amount my girls are eating, and at this point they are clearly also eating quite a bit of hay and I'm beginning to wonder if I need to start rationing grain.

shiandpete.1 · #7 04/14/10, 09:18 AM

That is about the max I feed, but won't start decreasing that for another few weeks with the does and in a couple for the wethers that are leaving here around 10 weeks. I plan on feeding the does until 14 to 16 weeks in hopes of breeding them this fall. Plus I have the extra milk and don't want to waste it. I would start rationing a little bit of grain.

Wags · #8 04/14/10, 07:58 PM

We feed warm milk to our bottle babies. I have found that cold or even lukewarm milk going into a Niggie leaves them shivering unless the outside temp is warm. They just don't have the body mass that a larger breed kid does at the same age to keep themselves warm.

A 7 week old niggie could go with twice a day bottle. (I personally don't go to twice a day until 8 weeks.) Total ounces in a day shouldn't exceed 24 - so your plan to give 9 ounces twice a day should be fine. I bottle feed my buck kids until 3 months of age and the does until at least 4 months.

mrs.H · #9 04/14/10, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wags

We feed warm milk to our bottle babies. I have found that cold or even lukewarm milk going into a Niggie leaves them shivering unless the outside temp is warm. They just don't have the body mass that a larger breed kid does at the same age to keep themselves warm.

How do you warm the milk up. In the bottle in a pan of hot water? Or in a pan then pour into the bottle?

Thank you all for your input. Being able to ask questions here makes me feel much better prepared!

Wags · #10 04/14/10, 11:06 PM

I usually put the milk in the bottle and then put them in very hot water for a couple of minutes. And then I test it on my wrist to see how warm it feels - just like with a human kid.

I have one 3 week old Nigerian buckling now that is very picky about his milk temp - will hardly take any if its not hot enough for his taste. His brother though will chug his milk no matter the temp.