Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Kids can be fed milk using either pans or bottles. Once a kid has learned one method, it is dif-
ficult to get it accustomed to the other. Pans are easier to wash, sterilize, and fill than bottles,
but many goat breeders do not recommend pan feeding because the kid must lower its head to
drink, and this may allow milk to get into its rumen. When a kid nurses from its mother, its
neck is raised at an angle that closes off the passage to the rumen and allows the milk to go
straight into its abomasum. Kids also tend to step in the pans or knock them over in the ex-
citement of feeding. To accustom a kid to pan feeding, let it suckle on your finger a little, then
lead it to the pan and gently hold its nose in the milk until it starts to drink. You may have to
repeat this process several times. Always wash and sterilize the pans after each feeding.
Many types of bottles and nipples are used for bottle-feeding. The simplest (and cheapest) is a
nipple that fits over an ordinary soda bottle. Bottles and nipples especially designed for feed-
ing goats can be purchased from goat supply catalogs for $6 to $8. Once you have taught a
kid to drink from the bottle, the bottles can be placed in a holder or rack placed just high
enough that the kid has to raise its head to drink. Raise the height as the kid grows. If you are
feeding multiple kids, you can also a commercial feeding device, usually referred to as a lamb
bar — a large container with several nipples sticking out around its sides. Each nipple is con-
nected to a tube that goes down to the bottom of the container so the kids suck up all the milk
as they drink. You also can purchase the nipples and tubes and make your own device out of a
bucket.
Teaching a newborn kid to drink from a bottle may be a challenge because it does not know
what a bottle is and wants to drink from its mother. Nipples should be warm and soft, and the
milk should be warmed to about 104 degrees F, the normal body temperature of a goat. Hold
the kid in your lap and gently but persistently dribble milk from the nipple into its mouth until
hunger takes over. After the first few days, the milk can be fed warm or cold, but most goat
keepers continue to feed warm milk. The important thing is to be consistent.
What milk to use
Fresh or frozen goat's milk is the easiest and most natural milk to give a kid. If this is not
available, you can use fresh raw cow's milk or regular whole cow's milk from the grocery
store. Do not use canned goat's milk. You can add 3 tablespoons of corn syrup, which adds
nourishment for the kid, to each gallon of whole milk or make up one of these mixtures:
• Five parts whole milk to one part dairy half-and-half
