Author Topic: Bottle feeding (Read 4337 times)

Lesley Silvester · « **on:** August 07, 2012, 11:05:09 pm »

Cloud is now almost 6 months old and still greets her bottle with enthusiasm. I've never bottle fed before so I'm not sure what is the best way to stop it. She has 350ml twice a day. Should I cut the amount down or cut out one bottle or maybe just stop? She eats well, has concentrates, vegetables, Just Grass and hay, and is growing well.

jaykay · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2012, 12:38:13 am »

I would reduce the amount each time, it's what I do with pet lambs. Otherwise, that's quite a bit to suddenly remove from her diet.

sokel · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2012, 12:39:32 am »

we cut the evening feed down but still give the full morning feed then after a few days cut the late feed out altogether and just give 1 feed a day
then after a while we just stopped
be prepared for lots of shouting and getting mobbed every time they see you

wytsend · « **Reply #3 on:** August 08, 2012, 06:21:50 am »

I always give their concentrate feed first then a few minutes later, the bottle. This way you can 'forget' a bottle after a day or two.....by the end of the week the second bottle will go. Clearly you will be reducing the quantity in the bottle each time......I also reduce the milk by adding water, this way milk is being removed from the diet..

luckylady · « **Reply #4 on:** August 08, 2012, 08:25:03 am »

Would cut down the amounts gradually in each feed to start off with to probably about 200ml. 350 ml taken away in one go would, IMO, be too much. Reduce morning bottle feed and replace with handful hard feed. Then reduce evening feed. I replaced last few bottle feeds with 150ml water so they weren't that fussed about it. Then stop. This is how we did it anyway, but different methods work for different people and animals. I'm sure which ever way you decide will be right for you and Cloud. Follow your instincts.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2012, 01:49:43 pm »

Thanks, everyone. I had thought of reducing it to 200mls but wasn't sure. Diluting with water sounds a good idea too. The yelling and mobbing won't be a problem as she does that anyway.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2012, 09:19:54 pm »

I reduced her bottle to 150mls (meant to do 200mls but misread the bottle

). She couldn't believe it when she finished so soon and nearly ate the bottle. I've now dilute it 50:50 with water (but still 150mls milk) and she doesn't seem to notice the difference. I think I'll try her with pure water after a few days for one feed and se how that goes. Bottle feeding is quite useful as I do it in the gateway which leaves enough room for Pom to get past and go in the house for milking but keeps Curry in the yard. When I stop feeding her I will have to look for another devious way to keep two goats in and let the right one out.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2012, 11:28:49 pm »

I gradually addedd more water until she is now having a bottle of water twice a day. I know this isn't necessary but she enjoys it and it makes it easier to get Pom out of the yard for milking.

jaykay · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2012, 08:05:32 am »

If it makes you all happy, where's the harm

I think we will be needing some more pics to see what a big girl she's grown

Anke · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2012, 11:55:09 am »

Quote from: Mad Goatwoman of Madeley on August 08, 2012, 01:49:43 pm

Thanks, everyone. I had thought of reducing it to 200mls but wasn't sure. Diluting with water sounds a good idea too. The yelling and mobbing won't be a problem as she does that anyway.

If you are feeding proper milk to both goat kids and lambs do not dilute it with water, also not in the event of the kid/lamb being poorly/diarrhoea (advice from my vet). Diluted milk is not curdled properly in the stomach and therefore can do more harm than good. Just reducing the amounts at each feed will be fine for weaning. If you are not sure they are drinking enough, giving a bottle of pure, lukewarm water at their usual milk bottle time is quite good.
This is obivously not the case when feeding milk replacer, which should always be fed a bit more dliuted that on the instructions anyway.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2012, 03:25:39 pm »

Whoops! Too late! I think she is drinking enough, it just suits me to control the goats by giving her a bottle of water and she obviously enjoys the suckling. I daresay she'll want to give it up at some time.

Jaykay, you're right, I must take some photos. She's huge.