Dove Hollow Bottle Feeding Guide
For the 2023/24 breeding season, Dove Hollow will be bottle raising most kids, but may (on a case by case basis) co-raise with kids taking a bottle and being Dam raised 50/50.
Kids will also have free choice access to hay, water, SweetLix Meat Maker or Purina minerals and Home Fresh dairy medicated grow & finish pellets to learn to gauge their hunger rather than gorge on grain when offered later. This style will be offered starting around 5-7 days old. Keeper kids will be allowed free choice pellets until around 6 months of age, but each kid will be individually assessed based on growth rate.
This feeding style is encouraged for all kids leaving, but understand that this does not work for every circumstance. However you choose to feed, I am here to support and guide. There is no end-date on my offer of advice or guidance. Anytime.
Kids will also have free choice access to hay, water, SweetLix Meat Maker or Purina minerals and Home Fresh dairy medicated grow & finish pellets to learn to gauge their hunger rather than gorge on grain when offered later. This style will be offered starting around 5-7 days old. Keeper kids will be allowed free choice pellets until around 6 months of age, but each kid will be individually assessed based on growth rate.
This feeding style is encouraged for all kids leaving, but understand that this does not work for every circumstance. However you choose to feed, I am here to support and guide. There is no end-date on my offer of advice or guidance. Anytime.
While every breeder and owner may have their own method/schedule for bottle feeding (none of those being wrong) a bottle kid from Dove Hollow is already well-established with the schedule used here. This method/schedule has worked very well for our bottle-fed kids, allowing them to grow at a consistent rate without gaining too quickly or too little (failure to thrive)
I encouraged feeding 100% fresh goat’s milk from bio secure goats (tested free of diseased transmittable through milk- or pasteurized if there is ANY question as to the integrity of the milk ); however, in the event that supplementation is required or a new owner does not have access to goat’s milk, whole cow’s milk (red cap at the store) is the next best thing. We do NOT recommend any type of goat’s milk formula or replacer. Most are not formulated to the specific needs of goat kids and can cause a variety of problems with their sensitive, developing systems.
If using whole cow’s milk, I highly recommend adding a small amount of baking soda in their first bottle of the day, and a powdered pre- and pro-biotic to their final bottle of the day. These are incredibly helpful in providing some of the things lacking when switching to cow’s milk from goat’s milk. They are also just really great for goats overall and will not harm them in any way.
As a general rule of thumb, bottle fed goats should be fed a minimum of 10-20% of their body weight in ounces spread out across a 24 hour period. This amount depends on size at birth and several other factors that may influence how much they are able to consume at one time.
Don’t panic, here is an easy example and mathematical formula for a kid weighing 5 pounds (kid may drink a little less or more - but this is a base)
5 pounds multiplied by 16 ounces (16 ounces= 1 pound) = 80 ounces 80 ounces multiplied by 20%= 16 ounces
16 ounces divided by 3 feedings = (about) 5.5 ounces per feeding.
Please don’t feel overwhelmed by this calculation! I have learned to follow kids’ cues and allow them to drink what they want during their feedings. By the time a bottle kid goes to their new home, we have already established a feeding schedule of 3 feedings per day and are able to self-regulate how much they need, without the risk of overeating and digestive distress.
Kids who are allowed to eat what they want each feeding typically self-regulate very quickly (which is what we allow) Once they have self-regulated you can fill an empty water/soda bottle with warm milk (101-
105 degrees) and allow them to drink as much as needed until full. You will quickly establish how much they need, and it will continually increase. If they leave a lot in the bottle, decrease the amount given, if they empty what is given, add another ounce the next feeding.
Here is a typical example of how many bottles per day and times we feed:
First 24 hours after birth:
Colostrum every 4 hours give or take - follow the lead of the kid and their hunger cues. Colostrum is the building block of a healthy kid from the start.
2 days - 4 weeks:
9am
3pm
9pm
4 weeks- 16 weeks*:
9am
9pm
*Pending growth, sometimes we start decreasing the amount in bottles around 12 weeks to very slowly begin the weaning process , then eventually cut out the evening bottle as the entire herd receives grain in the evening
Other Helpful tips:
- While buckling and doelings can be weaned at 8 weeks, extended bottle feeding up to 16 weeks is highly encouraged, especially for doelings. The difference in growth with extended supply of milk is phenomenal.
-Hay and loose minerals should be available at all times. They may not eat hay, but will play with it in their mouths and quickly learn. I have had kids as
young as 2-3 days old munching on it. The action stimulates the development of their rumen.
To introduce to loose minerals, you can dip their mouths gently in a tiny bit of water and then the minerals so they begin to lick it off their mouths and understand it is safe to eat.
-Fresh warm water (all goats love warm water, especially on the winter months and it encourages them to drink) should be available at all times once kids are a few weeks old. They may not drink much (don’t worry if they don’t drink any at all- they are getting the hydration they need from their milk in the first 2 months or so… ) but they should be exploring the sensation of water on their mouths and taking little sips to learn. They will need this skill after bottles are reduced or eliminated.
NEVER GIVE WATER IN A BOTTLE!!! This can result in hemolysis/water toxicity (red blood cells in the body take on too much water, swell and burst- resulting in fatal anemia, neurological problems, lethargy and utimately death)
I highly recommend shallow water dishes such as dog/cat water bowls or small rubber feed pans. Please do not hesitate to reach out for recommendations. I cannot stress enough, until they are old enough and big enough not to fit inside a bucket- DO NOT PUT ANY TYPE OF BUCKET THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY DROWN IN ANYWHERE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO. This could result in devastation. Kids are curious- falling into a bucket, head first or otherwise, would likely
result in drowning.
-Grain can be introduced around 2-4 weeks and may take some time to develop an interest. Wethers over about 12-16 should not have grain due to risk of urinary calculi (often fatal if not treated immediately) unless a grain specifically balanced to prevent urinary calculi is an option in small amounts. Consult your veterinarian or a goat mentor if unsure about which brands of grain are safest.
-Babies like warm milk. 101-105 is suitable (think a little warmer than you would give a human. This mimics a goat’s internal temperature and what temperature milk would be freshly expressed from a dam.
Do not give cold milk. This can lead to a series of serious problems. We do start giving room temperature milk as kids are older, but it is slowly introduced and eventually they do fine with it.
-Empty water or soda bottles are perfect for Pritchard nipples and super cost effective. Don’t go out of your way to buy fancy bottles. Save a few empties, wash between feedings and throw them away when they start to look rough.
If you want easy to clean, reusable, sturdy bottles, we highly recommend Premier One wide mouth bottles. (These are the only bottles used here)
-If a kid is in a new setting and seems a bit hesitant to take a bottle at first, gently guide the nipple into their mouth and cup your hand under their chin while cradled in your lap. This establishes a comfortable bond, and your baby will be drinking well for you quickly.
Lastly, enjoy the lifelong bond that bottle feeding your new kid will create.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns. I am more than happy to help. This offer is extended indefinitely.