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Author Topic: Bottle feeding  (Read 1397 times)

Flump74

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Ceredigion
Bottle feeding
« on: May 27, 2018, 07:07:23 am »
I have two sets of kids that I would like to wean from mums, but really struggling with how much to give and when!

One set of triplets, 6 nearly 7 weeks and twins already 7 weeks.
 
1 triplet girl already has a bottle, one of the boys will happily have some if given, the other not so keen but I think will when hungry! 1 twin always happy to finish someone else's bottle and one really doesn't want to take one at all!

Weights last week were  between 11.5 (smallest triplet girl) to 13.5  all the others!

Just need some guidelines because I have been stressed recently with a poorly goat and it's all gone a bit haywire!

They're all eating hay and a little concentrate.

Thanks everyone x

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Bottle feeding
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2018, 07:48:17 am »
If not already drinking from a bottle it can be impossible to get them to drink at that age.  If push comes to shove as long as they are eating enough forage and concentrate then they can be weaned.  In this case offer both ad lib at the moment.

Many goat keepers keep kids on the bottle way past weaning time, especially those who show them and who push for maximum growth.  The commercial herd I worked at weaned kids at 6 weeks, and put in kid at 8 months.  They were fed for it and by the time they were two years old you would not have known they hadn't been bottle fed for 6 months or waited until 18 months to be put in kid.

You just have to replace the energy/protein that they would be getting from milk with their feed.  Personally I like feeding a pelleted feed as goats can be a bit choosy and often leave the bits they do not like from a coarse mix, frequently the pellets that contain the vitamin and mineral supplement in the feed.

Flump74

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Ceredigion
Re: Bottle feeding
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2018, 08:34:25 am »
Thanks for your reply  :)

Right, ok.

I think what I need is a plan. A starting point.

I've gotten myself so tired and stressed with the poorly goat last week that I don't know if I'm coming or going anymore! Routine has been all upset and chaos seems to reign!

So at this age, it would be fine to try and go for morning, noon and night?

With the little girl triplet, I've been sort of doing first thing, lunchtime, tea time and bedtime, about 300ml each time I would think.

Feeling like that seems a lot to try and manage for 5!

The two reluctant ones have taken a bottle before for various reasons so think I'll be able to convince them again if I want.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2018, 09:10:37 am by Flump74 »

fsmnutter

  • Joined Oct 2012
  • Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire
Re: Bottle feeding
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2018, 07:15:20 pm »
Just wondering why you're wanting to wean them onto bottles at this age, particularly if you've been having a hard time lately? It sounds like a lot of frustration and hard work?
At this age, I'd have thought it would be easier to just keep them on mums for a few weeks more and then wean them onto hard feed/grass/hay as the adults.
If you're looking to milk the adults, I'd suggest separating the kids overnight, to give milk for you in the morning, feeding the kids hay and feed overnight, and allowing them to access the mums during the day for milk.
If the mums are struggling with them and you're wanting to wean for the mothers' benefit, then that regime should help too, giving the kids and mums more concentrates to help put weight on.

Flump74

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Ceredigion
Re: Bottle feeding
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2018, 08:56:52 pm »
Yes, you're right. Not really sure where my head is at.

The mum of twins is an older goat with a very low udder and she has done really well so far. A brilliant mum but she has had a few days off colour and has been feeling the strain of large kids jumping all over her and butting her udder, bless her. Feel she needs to be relieved of duties and one of hers has been keen  to take a bottle every time I feed the little girl triplet.anyway. Also her two girls have been off her overnight for a few weeks now and keeping the little girl triplet company. Wanted them to bond together leaving the two boys as a pair on with mum.

What i have been doing the last few days is to keep the three girls together, letting the twins in with mum to feed while I bottle feed the triplet girl. That seems to be working ok.

The mum that had triplets is a first time mum and has done really well. Quite protective over her space and the boys, yet seems to be getting less tolerant of them feeding.

Trouble is I only really have the one spare pen for the kids and I can just see complete chaos if I try to let the kids out to various mums in the morning! Its bad enough with the three girls!

So was thinking it would be easier to just keep them all in together and bottle feed them all together so i can milk the mums.

Maybe I'll just try the overnight thing with the lads first and see how it goes.  Also bottle feeding the lads would keep them really friendly I guess and I have a possible pet home for them lined up.

Thank you for pointing out the extra work factor....clearly not thinking straight right now!

I suppose what I really need to know is how early can I got to bed? Currently popping down at half 9 to give last bottle tomtriplet girl and letting twins in to mum. And then down again in the morning at 7.

Would be nice not to have to still be goaty that time of night, Every night!

 

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