Bottle babies, what do I need?

[hermityfarmer-women]

We are looking at getting some bottle babies and I would like to know what we need. Such as brands/kind of milk replacer/bottles/feeding schedule? Just general info is fine, I just need an idea what to expect. Thanks!
Christine

 

[helmstead]

I primarily use cheap human baby bottles with an X cut in the nipple, but I also keep pritchard nipples on hand.

For milk, check with the place you're getting them from first. I usually recommend to just use whole vit. D milk from the store. Most replacers are too high in sugar and cause scouring, but there are a couple good ones out there.

Feeding schedule goes from 4 times a day when they're wee things, down to 3 times til they're a month old, when I switch to twice a day til they wean. Most breeders vary on this a little.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I used the basic kid milk replacer from TSC for our dear little Pup. But given the opportunity(hopefully this year), I will bottle feed heat treated colustrum and milk from one of my does over the powdered stuff.

I know many believe in it, and haven't had any problems, but I personnaly don't like giving one species' milk to another... unless it is cow's or goat's milk for me and my family.

 

[Roll farms]

I know many believe in it, and haven't had any problems, but I personnaly don't like giving one species' milk to another... unless it is cow's or goat's milk for me and my family.

Isn't that a contradiction in terms????

Goat milk is known as the 'universal milk replacer', you can raise everything from rabbits to puppies to human babies on it because it is so easy to digest.

Homogenized Vitamin D cow milk is very easy for goats to digest, and when I don't have enough goat milk to go around for the 30-50 kids a year we have born here, that's what I use.

Most of the goat replacers I've heard of people having good luck with (Land O Lakes is one I've heard good things about) are costly, compared to the 'cheap' multi-species replacers.

I buy Vitamin D milk on sale and stock up / freeze it.

There are many different types of nipples, I like the Caprine nipple for standard-sized kids. Bigger kids seem to get frustrated w/ the smaller Pritchard nipples when I've tried them in the past.

http://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&category_id=db9d71081f12517fbc1005d34c750991

They just pop onto a 20-oz pop bottle.

We feed all babies 3x a day....from birth on. 8am, 2pm, and 9pm.
At 2 mos we go to 2 bottles a day, then at 10 weeks, 1 bottle a day...wean at 3mos.

 

[20kidsonhill]

We have used land 0' lakes Kid milk replacer with success. WE use empty soda/water bottles with the Pritchard Nipples(buy at farm store). I follow the directions on the bag for the amounts. If they are just a week old I try to spread out 4 feedings, but if they are closer to 2 weeks old I go to 3 feedings(I am lazy).

Warm the bottle to body tempurature(100 to 103), Once they are are willing to take the bottle, hold it lower to the ground so they have to squat their front end down for it, You want it to be low like an udder. As they get a little older you don't need to keep heating eat. And eventually you can just serve it cold out of the frigerator, so if you are doing milk replacer you can make a batch at a time.

You will want to beable to start offering them some tender grass hay fairly young(couple weeks of age) this helps develop their rumen. and at 3 to 4 weeks of age start offering them a sprinkle of pelleted Goat feed. Most people take them off the bottle at 8 weeks to 12 weeks

Notice I have mentioned Kid replacer and Goat feed. They do make all-purpose feeds and replacers, but goats have very high copper requirements that sheep do not so an all-purpose feed or mineral will not have exactly what a goat needs.


Have fun with the new kids.

 

[Livinwright Farm]

Land o' Lakes is what our Pup was on wen we first got him, but couldn't find it in our area. We checked TSC, Blue Seal, and the local Farmer's Union... nada.

Roll: I suppose I should have stated that I don't like giving one animal species' milk to another species of animal.

 

[Roll farms]

I suppose I should have stated that I don't like giving one animal species' milk to another species of animal.

Then you might want to reconsider using any replacer then...nearly all replacers (even for goats) are made from dried cow milk.

Just an FYI...

 

[Livinwright Farm]

I suppose I should have stated that I don't like giving one animal species' milk to another species of animal.

Then you might want to reconsider using any replacer then...nearly all replacers (even for goats) are made from dried cow milk.

Just an FYI...

This is why I stated: "I will bottle feed heat treated colustrum and milk from one of my does over the powdered stuff"

 

[hermityfarmer-women]

Thanks,it looks the we will be getting babies that are either 1-2 weeks or 3-5 weeks old. I am so excited! Now I need to decide what to get the 1-2 week old males are free the 3-5 wk old males are 10 and the females are 50. I am almost thinking spend the money on the females just in case in the future we do decide to breed.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

My menagerie is all about the interspecies milk consumption. When we have an overflow my chickens, cats, and dogs LOVE the extra goat's milk! In fact, it's the only thing that keeps weight on my kitty Walter when he's having an LPGS "episode." He gets the foam and a little warm milk after the AM and PM milkings. He knows EXACTLY what those stainless steel pails are for and I have to be super careful not to set the bucket down and turn my back to grab the filter or he'll have his whole kitty face straight into the bucket. Eeeww!

My Waltie's the classic tabby.

I use regular human baby bottles and whole cow's milk if goat's milk is unavailable.