I'm considering switching to cows milk instead of milk replacer...should this be gradually or should i just switch??...I keep hearing terrible stuff about milk replacer.. :sigh:
What you want to do is switch gradually over a few days. A few days will let you know if it will upset her tummy. Anything you do to a goat needs to be slow to relieve stress or sickness. Heres a chart I always go by: 3/4 replacer 1/4 cow for 3 days 1/2 replacer 1/2 cow for 3 days 1/4 replacer 3/4 cow for 3 days and then all the way to cow. If any upsets occur, switch back to the one before the change and keep on that until the upset is gone and try again with the next change.
If anything, the drastic change from the replacer to straight cows milk will make her scour more, watch her and you can also add a little plain yogurt to her bottle to help with good bacteria in her belly and intestinal tract, yogurt is a good thing even in those that aren't ruminating.
