Hi everyone; I am Elizabeth and was on the old board as well--actually all the way back to the old Countryside forums when I got my first horrible scrub goat and tried to milk her. I never have posted much, actually only when I need help or have an emergency :blush. Anyway, this time I need help with my new bottle babies. I used to have a schedule (from Vicki) on how many ounces the first few days and so on, but I can't find it. It's been a while since I had bottle babies, and I just don't remember. Searching online the info I've found varies widely, with some feeding all the kids will drink, and some say give them 1/2 cup (4 oz) 4X day. My twin kids were born 24 hrs ago weighing 8 lbs each, and I've given them 7-8 oz colostrum per feeding, ,4 times so far. I'm not sure if I'm giving them too much, but they suck it down eagerly and want more, although when I leave they seem content and go to sleep again. So, my question is, how much milk now at one day old? Thanks, Elizabeth
You will always get varying answers I feed as much as they want the first day, when I see them stirring I give them some, even if all they take is a few ounces. Important to get that colostrum into them. After 12 hours they get no more colostrum and move onto milk. They then get first thing in the morning, and about every 4 hours until I go to bed at night. Only little multiples need a bottle at night, if they do they come onto my porch for the night so I don't have to walk out to the barn. But overnight is not 12 hours at this age, it's more like 6 or maybe 8. Onto the lambar when there are 4 kids, it's 4 times a day, as much as they want until I am sick to death of them and they go to 3 times a day. I have never had luck with free choice here since kidding in March and April simply gave me moldy or curdled milk that makes and awful mess of the lambar, so I free choice, but 3 or 4 meals. This year I am going back to weaning at 12 weeks, as much milk as they want, but no more after 12 weeks. Minimum I would say each kid is drinking 16 to 22 ounces each feeding, that is how much I offer in the lambar each. Vicki
Fat!! the goats not me In getting all my goat paperwork in order when Ric moved to Alpines I found the girls old record books, my weights were not above what they were back when the girls were limited fed milk and weaned at 12 weeks. They were taller, but that is also bloodline. I can't justify having the doelings drinking milk that I need to sell and make into soap. Vicki
I have raised two mini-mancha's now and both were on the lambar with as much as they wanted with the nubain doelings. I am sure they drank less, simply because they wouldn't have been able to hold much, but they were offered the same amounts. IF there is a secret bullet in raising competetive stock that milks is milk when a kid and weaning to alfalfa, and only weaning when they can really eat enough to sustain that protein and calcium they were getting in their milk. Vicki
