# Baby goats (bottle feeding- at what age can they be off it?)



## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Hi 
I am new to goats and I have not yet gotten some, but I am planning on it in march. I have a few questions about babies. I was planning on getting two wethers that do not need to be bottle fed (8 weeks old right?) and raising them with my brother to be pack goat 4-H projects. I have heard that bottle feeding is better because it gets the goat used to you and later is easier to train. Is this true? Also I have no idea about bottle feeding and at what age they can be off it. I also don't know how many times a day for how long they need to be bottle fed? I really don't want to bottle feed but if goats have to be past 8 weeks before they can eat pellets and hay alone then I guess i will have to. My plan is to try to get a young enough goat that can be worked with to pack but also young enough to be off bottle feeding. Any help is very appreciated.
P.S- I'm 15 and my brother is 12 (very new to goats for 4-H)


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Hi there- I'm pretty new myself to packgoats but from what I,ve learned, there are a couple things I could tell you-
1.you don't really need bottle fed to have extremely friendly and trainable goats. Mine were all raised by their moms and couldn't be friendlier. I got them at 4 and 5 months, weaned and just neutered. Leave the infant care to the experts-their moms.
2.there are three health issues to try to avoid, and here's how:
-avoid future urinary problems by not getting them neutered untill they are as old as possible- 4 to 6 months
-try to find a breeder who has a CL and CAE free herd. You can research what those things are and you will see why.
That's all I can think of for now- good luck!

Ali


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## feederseaters (Nov 8, 2009)

Hi, Like Ali, I am new to owning goats too. There is a LOT to learn, but by joining this Forum you are already off to a great start. This Forum is invaluable when it comes to trying to figure out what you are supposed to do when something is wrong with your new babies (especially in the middle of the evening, that is when everything always seems to go wrong). I too recently bottle fed 4 goats. I found it was easiest doing 2 at a time. Two in the barn, two feeding, then switch. I was told to take mine off of the bottle when they reached about 30 lbs. To be honest, I kept them on past that weight. My boys reached almost 40 lbs before my goat weight tape came in from Hoegger Goat Supply. I used whole cows milk, as I heard that the milk replacer is too rich for young baby bellies. I have found that bottle feeding was tough at first, but I really enjoyed and looked forward to every feeding. It goes by quick. Good luck to you.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

10 weeks is pretty mucn minimum but longer is better. Even 5=6 months.They need the alance diet milk gives them as well as the calories. 
The best milk replacer is a combination of 1 gallon of whole milk, one cup of buttermilk and a can of evaporated milk. Way cheaper and better than powdered replacer.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for the info but I really need to know what age goats can be weaned from their mother and if I do bottle feed how many times a day I have to do it: You see I'm kinda in a knot because I need to have 2 wethers worked with and able to be led and understand voice commands by fair time in august. The guy that I have talked to about going and looking at his goats said they won't be born untill March sometime. And I want to stay away from bottle feeding because i really don't have time to bottle feed because I have school untill June. So my mom would have to take over the feeding, part of the day. And If goats need 10 weeks-5 months with their mother then I would have 1 month of time left to work with one if I bought weaned babies.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Just a thought- how close is the breeder you are getting your goats from? If the breeder is willing, and you can get there, you could start visiting the babies in March or April after they are born, and maybe pick out two that seem friendly, outgoing, and cooperative and see if the breeder could leave them with their moms for three or four months but allow you to come over and handle them, feed them treats, take them on little walks with their moms ect. maybe once or twice a week. Then you could take them home when it's time for them to be weaned (I defer to those who know more than me on when that should be) They will cry their heads off for a day or so, but they will remember you being with them and their mom, and will transfer to you as their "babysitter" after a couple of days. I bet that way you could get them walking with you on leash in a month, and maybe do some simple commands because they will already know that you are their friend and will give them treats.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Oh, I see Caroline recommends at least 10 weeks before weaning at the very least, so I would go with 12 weeks minimum, which is three months.


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## Herb (Dec 12, 2008)

I would bottle feed those goats. Investing the time early is easier than trying to establish that bond later, and you have a time limit. 

You will spend less time than you will taking them off the doe late. Too many variables in leaving them on the doe with them not on your farm. Pick them up after a couple weeks of age and you'll be able to feed them twice a day. We would all like to offer the "perfect" care schedule, but reality includes family, work, school and plenty other commitments. The critters we keep in our lives, goats, dogs, horses, cats, ect., all learn to live with our schedule too, part of the deal.


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## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

We have raised serveral on bottle and our newest addition we let milk from Mom naturally. One year later, you wouldn't tell much of a difference, but at a couple of months of age, the bottle-fed kids were highly bonded and seeking human attention, whereas the naturally fed kid would still prefer to huddle with Mom and more slowly "warm-up" to new people. I'm sure there is a bit of individual personality coming through, but ... since being weaned and spending the last 6 months being fed predominately by humans now, she's just about on par with the bottle raised kids.

Now, that said ... the "primary" caregiver (meaning the one who has been trudging through 30" of snow to feed and water them the past couple of days) is my 11 year old daughter. She worked out a schedule of bottlefeeding her first goats that was compatible with school... this was for a short period of time three times a day, before school, right after school, and then in the evening before bedtime. I think this lasted up until about 4-6 weeks of age, by which time they were at twice daily feedings until about 4 months old ... and the twice daily maintenance continues to this day with freshening of water, supplying hay, etc. 

So, point being, you'll probably want to commit to twice daily time with the goats anyway ... and that can probably be worked out with your school schedule and still be able to continue bottle feeding for some time if that is what you'd like to do.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

another thought...

is it an option for you and your brother to buy an older goat - say 1 year or so?

I don't know what plans you have for August, what tasks the goats are supposed to do by then but I have my doubts that a 4-5 month old kid can do them. Bottle-raised goat kids respond to humans and training well but they are still KIDS - physically and mentally - with a short attention span and a lot of things to do and learn in live about being a goat.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Thank you all soo much for the info! You all who said I should bottle feed as a comitment to having farm animals are probably right. So I think I will go ahead and buy the two kids at two weeks old (I had never thought of getting them at two weeks or maybe even 3!) So that way I can be able to train them and get them used to me and my brother and also I forgot to mention I just love the babies!!! They're so adorable! I also like the idea of getting a 2-3 week old so I can feed it just twice a day. One of you mentioned that going over to the breeders house would be good, but unfortunately I am planning to buy from someone who lives about 40-50 minutes away so that is not an option. And getting a 1 year old goat I'm afraid would be too old, I do not have to pack the first year, but just get them to understand leading and voice commands, stop, go, no, good. Basically just manners, which I'm sure will be very fun and I'm looking forward to it. Also I was wondering if any of you have pictures of goats that are approximately 5 months old. I would like to see how big mine will be when fair time comes along. So if u can please post some pics!
Thanks again- Hannah


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Here's a pic of my meat goat packing wethers at 4 and 5 months. The guy in the wheelbarrow is 5 months old. They are still little babies at this age, maybe 50 lbs. They were dam raised, but picked out of the herd of meat goats by the rancher to be pets because they were particularly friendly, and weaned weeks before I got them. They immediately walked with me without leashes on, and quickly learned to come to me when I made a clicking noise. In about an hour I taught them to jump up on a half barrel on command. nothing fancy. Like someone already said, they were like puppies, very short attention span, so I started with "tricks" that were things they already wanted to do.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

4-Hgoats said:


> I also like the idea of getting a 2-3 week old so I can feed it just twice a day.


Hannah,

whoa!

At 2-3 weeks of age they need at least (!) 3-4 feedings per day!!!! If you feed them twice a day that young you will stunt their growth and basically let them starve while being alive.

You can switch to twice a day at age 3 months or later.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

We fed kids older than three weeks twice a day for over 10 years with no problems. At three months they were weaned and weighed around 50 lbs. Make sure to have free choice grain and alfalfa even though they will only nibble bits here and there.


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## Herb (Dec 12, 2008)

Back when I got started, I got most of my advice from Rex and Terri, and have used a similar program for 13 years and a couple hundred kids. Two bottles a day after two weeks, free choice alfalfa, free choice grain until it needs to be rationed, and all they can eat fresh green pasture. They can't consume more, it's all they can eat. Weaned by three months and some give up on the bottle before then as they're content with the other offerings.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Ali- Your meat goats are very cute! I like how they are playing in the wheelbarrow. Ok, I see all of you wean at different times so I think will keep botlle feeding untill they are eating a little more free choice starter and not wanting the bottle as much. Also when they look like they're getting too big, like a little after 3 months. Thanks guys! Your also more then welcome to send more pics! I love to look at goats pictures, especially baby ones


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Weaning is a somewhat individual thing with each goat. Some babies need milk more often to thrive, and some need it longer than others, depending on their individual maturity rate. But remember, this is the time when kids are putting calcium into their bones and once adults they will need that calcium for the rest of their lives. So more is better.

Also research shows that kids that are fed more often generally digest their food better and do better. We feed four times a day for the first two seeks, three times for the next 2-3 weeks and then twice a day. Even the older kids, get some milk every day once a day till we dry the does off. No point in wasting it and the doe kids especially need the extra since they lose calcium when giving birth later.

The point is, what you can do and what is optimumum are not always the same thing. Think of weaning as taking off the training wheels a little at atime not a big event that only happens once.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

I got my goats at 10 weeks of age. They were not on the bottle at all, but handled by children every day. At ten weeks the mother was just starting to kick them off. 

We threw the three of them in the back of the minivan and I rode with them. When we got home it was turning dark. And I let them out of the back before realizing that it was probably not a good idea. They were in a strange area, didn't know anyone, getting dark, scared, and away from mama. A few quick attempts to catch them told me I would soon have them all over the city. 

So I dropped down on all fours and started eating grass. Within minutes they joined me and I could put leads on them. I spent the night in the pen with them. 

I think the combination of force weening and separation set back their bonding clock. They followed me without a lead thereafter. The only trouble I had was that Curley was afraid to cross the stream on our first hike and laid down under a bank as we walked off. 

I went back and got him, and led him across. But never had another problem. At that young age they would start to complain about the distance. I'd make them walk a bit farther before taking a rest. Now they can out walk me.

Now that they are older they will wander a bit farther off the lead, but they stay with me. And hiking in the dark they are right under foot.

Some of the pros out there may wish to try this and see if it is repeatable since it would relieve you of the bottle feeding regimen.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

From what people have been telling me here, 10 weeks is too young to be off bottles, they say 3 months! So i guess if it worked for you then that's fine? I know this is randome but what do you have for your goats, collars or halters? How'd the grass taste?


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

4-Hgoats said:


> From what people have been telling me here, 10 weeks is too young to be off bottles, they say 3 months! So i guess if it worked for you then that's fine?


No, it's not fine and you shouldn't aim for the minimum possible. There are many reasons why a goat will kick off their kids at 10 weeks: mastitis, sore teats or simply no more milk because she herself is in a poor state are the most common.

Unfortunately you can't switch a 10 week old goat that knows only to drink from it's mother switch to a bottle (that can already be difficult if they are 2 or 3 weeks old) so you have to make the best out of a bad situation. That it works somehow does not mean that you should do the same if you can do better.

When you look at goat mothers they will let their kids nurse until the kids are 5-7 months (!) old.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

I have collars for them. I only use leads in parking lots and crowded situations. 

The older goat that I adopted at four years likes to start back on his own if we stop too long. I suspect that's why they gave him away. So I will hold on to him.

Grass is better than worms... but that's another story


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

I consider myself a pro and would not use such a schedule. Just because I kid can survive on this minimum doesn't mean they are thriving. I advocared such minimums in Practical Goatpacking but as the years have gone by have changed since I could see the difference. After somewhere in the neighborhood of `1,000 goat kids I feel that later is better. All kids aren't the same but at least 12 weeks is minimum aorund here and usually much later. If they go to new homes before that my recommendation is to at leas tgive cow's milk/buttermilk/evap milk replacer till 12 weeks.

I did have one kid weam himself at 6 weeks but that was an exception.


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## 4-Hgoats (Feb 6, 2010)

Ok, sorry. Yes I know that most people and the right time is 3 months 12 weeks, i just see that this forum has some people that wean before that, but since my goats will be pets and i will have them for a long, long time i will make sure they are ready to be weaned when they want to be. I'm not a cruel person and i try to find out as much info as possible before i go and buy a new animal, this forum has helped me so much. So thank you. Don't worry my goaties will b fine  I love goats and i would not try to hurt them or starve them. But i do wish to have a schedule for goats and bottle feeding. I have found a chart that tells how much they need at what ages and how many times a day, but it is very little of amounts (not sure if it is right, i got it off of some breeder website) then i found one here but it was what one person used for her big big goats. So if anyone has any approximate chart that would be great! I am a visual person so it might help me alot.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

There's a saying "the eye of the master fattens the cattle" meaning that with animals you have to make room for individual adjustments and can't rely on schedules only.

Here's my schedule, using either raw cows milk or goat milk:

first week: up to 8 feedings per day; 5 ounces per feeding
2 to 3 weeks: 6 feedings per day, 6,7 to 8,5 ounces per feeding (depending on how much the kid can take)
3-5 weeks: 5 feedings per day, 8,5 to 12 ounces per feeding (increasing towards the 5th week)
5-8 weeks: 4 feedings per day, 13,5 to 17 ounces per feeding
8-16 weeks: 3 feedings per day, 17 ounces per feeding
16 - 20 weeks: 2 feedings per day, 17 ounces per feeding
20-24 weeks: 1 feeding per day, 17 ounces per feeding

I start them on grain at about 4 weeks but don't offer it free choice. Also our pastures are mostly browsing and low energy grass and weeds. I rather give more milk and less grain. 

The transition can be fluid. F.e. if I notice that a kid at age 7 weeks is satisfied with 3 feedings and refuses the fourth bottle, I adjust accordingly. Same with a kid that is still hungy and needs more, this I will leave on the "more feeding schedule" a while longer.


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

One other thing to watch when weaning is the weather. If it gets hot and the kids aren't drinking water real well they should have an extra bottle to keep them hydrated. 
Also, kids who are taken away form mom and haven't been bottle trained can learn to drink out of a pan mor easily than converting them to a bottle, just stick their faces in it a few times and they will figure out it's good stuff. They are usually drinking water by two to three weeks anyway.


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## rtdoyer (May 6, 2010)

I'm in the process of weaning or thinking about it and have gone back through to read some of the posts. 

I have 4 alpine bucks that are 3 months old and 50'ish pounds (range from 47 to 52 pounds). They have 3 acres of grass/shrubs/field to eat and then alfalfa hay and grain (cob/goat feed mix). We have cut back on the grain as they will eat it all until it is gone in one sitting. We have cut back on the hay a little as they will stand and eat until their bellies are full. AND, we have cut back to one bottle a day (about 6 ounces). At what point do they not get that bottle anymore? I'm mixing the milk with Carolyn's recipe so I'm buying milk and it isn't an issue of wasting milk. They all seem very healthy (and a little round at times). They slurp down their bottle in 30 seconds or so. 

Does 6 ounces once a day make a lot of difference in their diet? I hate to cut them off the bottle too soon, but don't want to end up with super overweight goats either.

I have 4 month old girls in the same boat - about 50'ish pounds. The difference is that the girls only have access to the 3 acres for about one to two hours a day.

Any tips?

Tonia


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

We don't wean our kids until six months old if we are keeping them, and they are definitely not overweight. They each get a handful of grain (and chaff etc.) a day until they are five months old, then we wean them onto one bottle a day and they get two handfuls or more to make up for the less milk. From weaning onto one bottle a day they get up to three handfuls split between morning and evening until they are totally weaned a month later, and then they get two-three handfuls (depending on condition and size) once per day. This continues until they need more for pregnancy or if they are getting skinny, though the wethers are normally fine with that much when adults as well.
When we sell goats, they are sometimes weaned as early as three-three and a half months, but I don't think that is the best for them as they often need the extra nutrients. All of the kids get lots of grass and a little lucerne and branches if they are locked up, or a little of each hay and no branches if they are loose. I would continue bottle feeding your kids for a month or so iff there is no rush to get them off it, and make sure they have plenty of minerals, whether in block form or in their feed. If they are looking healthy and plump you can wean them now, just make sure they have enough grain and aren't losing condition.
Cheers,
Cazz


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## mjoe (Dec 26, 2009)

sweetgoatmama said:


> The best milk replacer is a combination of 1 gallon of whole milk, one cup of buttermilk and a can of evaporated milk. Way cheaper and better than powdered replacer.


Does it matter if the milk is pasteurized or does it need to be organic milk?


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

I know some people who use pasteurized and the goats are fine, but I would think unpasteurized would be better because of all of the extra nutrients. (same as for people)

I hadn't carefully read this whole post by the looks, as I've noticed some people talking about their feeding regimes which I hadn't replied to. Although I won't do an in-depth write-up on how I raise my kids, I have almost all of my kids onto two feeds a day when they are a week old, and they then stay on two feeds a day until five months old. (and then one feed a day for another month) Smaller kids stay on three feeds a day for longer, up to two weeks old, but they are normally out with the herd during the day by a week old and only get fed at milking times in the morning and evening. On a hot day, they are offered water or milk during the middle of the day, depending on age.

I have raised many kids like this (I bottle raise them from birth but with their mother, a technique I have perfected to suit me and get the best results) and have never had a problem because of the amount of feeds, except in babies I have bought in from other studs who didn't get fed the same, and I just fed them three feeds for a bit longer until they were ready. Neither have they been stunted, and have been just as big as dam-raised kids. 
You can probably find the exact way I feed my kids by searching through my posts, or I can post a link here.
Cheers,
Cazz


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Me and my other half kinda split the goats down the middle. She does the milking and I do the raising of the kids. For 20 years this has been my method.

After the first week, I only feed twice a day from a lambar and they eat till they are done. I do this 12 hours apart till the kid is 2 1/2 to 3 months old, depending on size of kid and if they are weaning themselves. But at the 2 week mark I expose them to grain and leave it free choice for 2 weeks. This help the rumin in their gut start to work. Hay is to harsh this early IMO. At the month mark I then expose them to hay. Small amount at first, free choice after a week. From this point on, I will have free choice hay (alfalfa in our case) till they are 9 months old at which time I feed 1 flake per goat per day. We average slightly less then 1 ton of hay per year per goat without supplemental feed other then grain for the milkers when they are being milked.

I also have free choice loose miner salt with high selenium (low in our area) and baking soda available to all our animals. Baking soda helps to keep goats rumin working as it should and stops things like floppy kid syndrome due to high bacteria levels in the soil.


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