Want opinion on bottle fed baby purchase

[Christina R.]

There is a doeling about 3 1/2 hours away from me. It is for sale from someone on craigslist who is selling his mini nubian kids and his pygmy kids. He is charging $150 each. I talked to him on Friday. He doesn't seem to want to lower the price unless there is a quantity bought (say a dam and all her kids).

Fast forward to today and I see a post that says he has a newborn pygmy doeling that the mom has rejected and will need to be bottle fed. Here's my questions: If I was to choose to purchase this little girl, would the stress of a 3 1/2 hour ride home be too much. He is in southern AZ and I am in Flagstaff (quite colder). I would keep her inside the laundry room or bathroom while I am gone for any period of time and in a kennel at night inside to prevent her from getting chilled. Would that be warm enough? I am reading that she will need to be fed every 3-4 hours, but then I read 3-4 times a day. Which is it?

Of course I worry about everything that can go wrong (scours, etc). I will be preventative with what I can be (cocci, etc).

I guess the stress of the ride home and the feeding questions are the most important ones. I've had kids before, but they were dam raised. Am I probably getting in over my head?

Thanks for your opinion.

[CaliannG]

The important thing is if she has had the colostrum. If so, then she should handle the ride just fine. Get her, feed her a bottle there, put her in a box and drive back.

Keep her in the house until it gets warmer. I am feeding newborns right now 4 times per day (they are currently 36 hours old) and they are fine. However, do NOT feed milk replacer. Feed store bought whole milk from the store .

The littlest newborn needed to have a heater for the first night. I have a $15.00 WalMart electric space heater for just that purpose. I have also used an electric heating pad under a folded towel. Warmth is very important for the first several days, so I prefer to err on the side of caution.

For the first couple of weeks or so, feed 4 times a day. Then 3 times a day, etc. I think Alice has the bottle schedule and she might post it for you.

Hope this helps.

[Christina R.]

Thanks for the info. Not to be dense, but does 4x a day mean once in morning, afternoon, evening and once during night or just 4 times during my awake or semi daylight hours (say between 6 AM and 9 PM.

I will check on things like colostrum. Should I think the dam refused her due to a problem with the kid (the post says she is healthy) or just because of any of the million of problems a momma will reject a kid.

He is saying his price on her is $150 firm, so this may all be a mute point as there is no way I can (or will) pay that much.

Thanks so much again.

[mygoat]

Most people feed baby goats way more than they need for way longer than they need - I myself am guilty of this and am going to try changing a little this year. As per a Langston study on bottle raising goat kids, a restricted diet and weaning at no earlier than 8 weeks actually promotes a healther rumen and most economical growth. No, they are not as huge as the free fed kids but free fed kids also cost a lot more to raise and in the end, the restricted fed ones catch up in time to be bred anyways - so why pay more?

Anywho, I suggest feeding at least 4x per day for the first few days. Then down to 3x per day until day 12 or 14. Then they can be cut back to 2x per day until 8-10 weeks of age (I will probably wean at 10 weeks). Amount to be fed is 10% of body weight (Langston study suggest 9%, calves are commonly raised on 8-9% bw intake). This is 10% of body weight DAILY, not per feeding. Therefore if your kid weighs 12lbs, you'd feed 1.2lbs of milk per day. Most people get to 12-16 oz per feeding for full size kids and stop there. For A mini, I'd max out at 10-12 oz per feeding. I currently plan to offer free choice hay, grain (which I mix with alfalfa pellets), minerals, and baking soda as early as 2 weeks old or whenever they show interest.

Make sure she had her colostrum from her mother even if she was refused - the previous owner should've milked out the dam somewhat and fed it to her in the bottle. First feedings with colostrum is VERY important within a few hours of birth before the gut is unable to take in large globular proteins and antibodies from their dam.

[mygoat]

Also, for 150.00, that pygmy kid better be registered, decent quality, and from a disease tested herd. Pygmies - especially unregistered ones are a 'dime a dozen', at least in most areas.

[CaliannG]

Ditto on what Dona said about those pygmy babies. They had better be clean as whistles and from pedigreed, registered stock for those prices.

I feed four times a day during daylight hours...and let them go the 8 hours at night without. They will sleep through the night, mostly.

Mommas reject kids for any number of reasons. I have one that ALWAYS rejects kids. Sure, she is proud of them, she likes them and licks them and wants them around....but she doesn't want them NEAR her udder. As far as she is concerned, getting milk out of the udder is MY job, not theirs. She has always had healthy kids.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I agree with Mygoat & CaliannG on the price. If those babies aren't registered & from a tested disease free herd with the paper work to prove it there's no way I'd pay $150.00 for a bottle baby.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Ditto. What they said.

[Christina R.]

Along with this, I was talking with a person in the western part of our state and she said CL and CAE are not an issue in Arizona. Can any of you verify this?

[CaliannG]

I can verify that it isn't true. CL and CAE are not *as much* of an issue in Arizona as, say, in Texas...but it is still an issue there. Buy from a tested herd and don't believe ANYONE who claims that they don't need to test because those diseases aren't an "issue" there.

I lived in the Phoenix area for four years and in Flagstaff for a year...it is an issue in Arizona, just like everywhere else.

[Creamers]

CL/CAE is there - believe me. . .

I agree with Mygoat & CaliannG on the price. If those babies aren't registered & from a tested disease free herd with the paper work to prove it there's no way I'd pay $150.00 for a bottle baby.

I always got $125 for doelings from my unregistered pygmy does back when I had them - they were CAE tested, but it just depends in the area.

I get $350 for bottle baby Nigerians all day long. . . reg, tested, great lines, of course. . .so $150 for anything isn't that bad if it is from a healthy herd. . .in my area

[CaliannG]

They go for about $50-75 here, Creamers. More, of course, if they are registered and from a tested herd.

[thaiblue12]

Bottle kids do not do well alone, she would scream while left alone. I raise mine in pairs or more. I currently have three brats, I mean bottle kids

I would not pay that much for a Pygmy that was not tested or registered. They are meat not dairy and not worth that much at least here.

CL and CAE are anywhere so if the breeder told you that, that would be warning one that there is no testing.

Too bad you are far, I have plenty of ND kids, some are wanna be bottle kids and try to steal it when I go out to feed the girls.



Hi Caliann

[LoneStrChic23]

Pygmies go for about $35-$50 here..... I see some registered stock listed over & over for $100, the same animals, so I dunno if they ever get their asking price.

[Donna1982]

I personally wouldn't pay that price.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I agree with thaiblue though, you will definately need 2. Goats don't do well alone & she'll need a friend.

[TroutRiver]

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

Pygmies go for about $35-$50 here..... I see some registered stock listed over & over for $100, the same animals, so I dunno if they ever get their asking price.

Same here. I have seen pygmy bottle babies advertised as low as $5-15. But I think prices in general might be lower here than they are in some parts of the country. I have rarely seen dairy does advertised higher than $250, even registered animals from good stock and tested herds. Bottle babies of any breed, registered or not, are very rarely advertised over $100.

Not trying to be blunt or rude, but what is so special about this goat that is worth driving for 7 hours and paying $150 for?

[MDKatie]

I pretty much agree with what everyone has said, except for the milk replacer. I have always fed milk replacer and I won't switch to whole milk. It's cheaper for me, and much more convenient to feed replacer. The key is finding a GOOD quality milk replacer, and mixing it correctly. I've never had any issues from it, and my kids grow well.

[Christina R.]

Decided to hold off on the bottle baby. I'm sure there will be some good pygmies eventually. Thanks for all the input.