[Penninehillbilly]

Hi
My Boer girl seems to be saying she hasn't enough milk for her 3 babies, so I am going to milk one who kidded Saturday and try to tube feed a little into each, tried with the bottle a few times but they don't want to know and the bottle cools down.
Any tips please? Worried about going down the wrong way.
Got one of the free lambing kits from Rumenco, presume it's too late to use the colostrum replacer (I believe they had enough at the start anyway), but I'll be using their tube.

[Anke]

Easiest way is to have another person helping you -possible?

Milk out other goat and put milk into jug and jug into warm water. I normally have the kid/lamb over my right leg and dangling down between my legs (gravity helps the tube go down). If you prefer to stand have the right leg up on a rung of a hurdle or milking stand or similar, again have kid dangling down between legs (if you are right-handed that is). Then just hold kid's body behind head with left hand, take bottom end of tube and slowly push into mouth from the side nearest to your body and down over the tongue. Just keep pushing down gently - the kid will swallow. I know everybody is frightened to get it down the lungs, but I honestly never have managed to do that... the tube should fit almost all the way down, and yes even with the tube the right way down the kid may splutter/gurgle a bit. (If you were to go down the lungs you would not be able to get it n till the end of the tube, as lungs much higher up in the body) Once down, preferably get other person to slowly put milk into the syringe bit. I never use the plunger on, actually have thrown it away. It will go down quite quickly. Once all you want to get down her is down, grip the tube bit with both fingers (to pinch it closed) and quickly in one swift movement take it out.  If you do a male kid/lamb he will pee on your leg while you are doing it - guaranteed.  I don't wash the tube between kids, but rinse with hot water between meals so to speak.

Don't be afraid - it becomes a routine task really quickly. Hope this helps.

[Penninehillbilly]

Thanks Anke
watched some on Utube
managed to get about 30ml in one, abandoned 2nd after about 10ml, just wriggled and yelled too much. I didn't use the plunger. Never thought of asking OH for help. mind you, last time I tried it I'd borrowed a tube/bottle from a farmer friend, as I was feeding the tube in looked up and OH was holding bottle upside down. Kid was in a bad way anyway, but I think that finished it off, dead next morning  .
Anyway, all 3 seemed OK, tummies seemed full, maybe in short term she could manage, may have problems when they want more?
I'll try your way of holding it next time, not a good idea bending to floor as though bottle feeding
 

[Dogwalker]

When one of mine had triplets a couple of years ago they wouldn't bottle feed to start with but after a few days when they were really hungry they took it eagerly, so it's worth offering a bottle again for top ups.  Those three stayed with mum but ran to me for extras.
I sold two and the third is now my best young milker.

[Brucklay]

Having just had triplet lambs here where one was not getting a look in and had to be taken off I asked my local farmer to tube and he showed me - I found it hard the first few times but by day 2 it was ok and by day 3 we managed to get onto the bottle - now day 5 I think (but I'm a bit brain dead) he runs to me - you'll get there

[Penninehillbilly]

I've upped the 3 adult goats feed, added in dairy nuts, so getting a bit out of the other 2 (they are holding back for their own so not giving much), Bonnie is giving more, and little one loves his bottle (then runs to mum for top up    ). One of the others also 'plays' with the bottle and takes a little. But must go and get some milk replacer tomorrow and up their extras.
Thanks All

[clydesdaleclopper]

Another thing to help with the tube feeding is to put the tube in hot water first as that makes it more flexible and helps it to slide down easier