Bottle feeding????
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Better to keep with other goats while doing it if you can
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Avoid milk replacers if you can.
Well, I'm not sure what kind of tips you're looking for, or what you already know about bottle feeding.
But here's a few tips about how I bottlefeed all my babies ...
Make sure the milk is WARM - they baby CAN get colic if it's to cool
Don't "overfeed" ~ you don't want to worry about overeating disorder
Make sure the baby is lonely - you should have atleast one other goat with it (a gentle one)
Make sure the baby is staying warm - as long as it sleeps with another goat it should be fine, but you might want to put a kid sweater on it at night if you're not sure
Try to pull the bottle away as soon as the milk is all - you don't want the baby to suck air
Keep the bottle vertical ~ at an angle that is "natural" to the baby - just like if it was nursing from mamma. INfact, most the time they kneel on their front legs to nurse - so this is how you want to bottle feed - that way it's as natural of a position as possible.
Rub/Pet the baby's back legs/butt/tail area when feeding - this stimulates them, their mother would normally do this
If you see any poo stuck on their butt (or even if you don't see any, this is still a good thing to do) - take a damp cloth or wipe and wipe their butt with it - to keep the area clean and to stimulate them to poo/pee - normally their mother licks them off and does this.
Feed the more frequently - in lesser amounts, INSTEAD of large amounts less frequently - it'll help them to digest everything easier and better, and keep them satisfied longer. So like every 2-3 hours when they're really young, then you can decrease feedings once they get older.
Well, if I think of any more tips - I'll post them, hope this was helpful to you and what you're looking for
But here's a few tips about how I bottlefeed all my babies ...
Make sure the milk is WARM - they baby CAN get colic if it's to cool
Don't "overfeed" ~ you don't want to worry about overeating disorder
Make sure the baby is lonely - you should have atleast one other goat with it (a gentle one)
Make sure the baby is staying warm - as long as it sleeps with another goat it should be fine, but you might want to put a kid sweater on it at night if you're not sure
Try to pull the bottle away as soon as the milk is all - you don't want the baby to suck air
Keep the bottle vertical ~ at an angle that is "natural" to the baby - just like if it was nursing from mamma. INfact, most the time they kneel on their front legs to nurse - so this is how you want to bottle feed - that way it's as natural of a position as possible.
Rub/Pet the baby's back legs/butt/tail area when feeding - this stimulates them, their mother would normally do this
If you see any poo stuck on their butt (or even if you don't see any, this is still a good thing to do) - take a damp cloth or wipe and wipe their butt with it - to keep the area clean and to stimulate them to poo/pee - normally their mother licks them off and does this.
Feed the more frequently - in lesser amounts, INSTEAD of large amounts less frequently - it'll help them to digest everything easier and better, and keep them satisfied longer. So like every 2-3 hours when they're really young, then you can decrease feedings once they get older.
Well, if I think of any more tips - I'll post them, hope this was helpful to you and what you're looking for
If you have an option...don't feed milk replacers. I have never had any luck unless fed with whole milk.
Have had good luck with whole cows milk (jug milk from store),
Keep bottles and nipples clean.
Small more frequent feedings better in the beginning then as they get older I have cut back to 2-3 times a day.
Watch their poo!!!
Sue
Have had good luck with whole cows milk (jug milk from store),
Keep bottles and nipples clean.
Small more frequent feedings better in the beginning then as they get older I have cut back to 2-3 times a day.
Watch their poo!!!
Sue
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28,342 Posts
use pritchard nipples or regular baby bottle nipples instead of the black -lambar nipples
Land -o- lakes makes a good replacer if you dont' have milk from mom
Land -o- lakes makes a good replacer if you dont' have milk from mom
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