There are several reasons why you might want or need to bottle feed your baby goat. We have a doe who after kidding refused to feed her babies. The young ones seemed to scare her to death! She was very good at watching over them from a safe distance, but if they came near her, she would bolt! We would milk the doe then bottle feed the babies. You might have a doe who just doesn’t have the milk supply to adequately nourish all her little ones. You might want to supplement the kiddo’s milk with a bottle just to increase their socialization and encourage them to be more people friendly. You might be taking on some kids from another farm who had been nursing off their mom but are not quite old enough to be weaned. Whatever your circumstance, bottle feeding your baby goat should not be a difficult or dreaded process. It should be fairly simple and enjoyed as much by you as the babies.
First consider the supplies you will need: nipples, bottle, a funnel, bottle brush and milk. There are many options available with these supplies, so I will tell you what I use and why. If you are expecting some baby goats, it’s a good idea to have these supplies on hand, just in case, rather than having to run around in the middle of the night looking for something that will work.
Nipples. I use the black rubber lamb nipples. To me, they look more like the size and shape of a momma goat’s teats. The opening at the tip of the nipple is a very small “X”. I have found that this nipple works best if you use a pocket knife and enlarge the “X” just a little bit. It seems to be easier for the goats to get milk. Don’t cut the “X” too big or milk will come out too fast for the goat and you risk the goat choking/coughing and wasting milk. I have never had a problem using these with our Nubian and Saanen babies. If you have a smaller breed of goat or are trying to bottle feed a sickly or premature baby goat, you might want to try a smaller nipple, like the red screw on teats. Some people have even tried regular baby bottles and nipples from the dollar store with success. It’s not a bad idea to keep a couple of different types on hand just in case Mother Nature throws you a curveball.
Bottles. For years we just used empty plastic water or soda bottles. I still use soda bottles, but many of the water bottles are just too flimsy these days and you might just end up with all your milk on the floor! The black rubber nipples fit tightly over the top of the plastic soda bottles while the red teats screw on. We have also used glass pop bottles with success, or you can purchase bottles from your local feed and tack store. Whatever bottle you decide to use, make sure that it is sturdy and compatible with the nipple you decide to use.
Funnel & Bottle Brush. A regular kitchen funnel makes filling the bottles so much easier and a lot less messy! To clean out the bottles I use hot water, antibacterial dish soap and a bottle brush. Both items can be purchased at your local dollar store.
Milk. Ideally, feeding your babies goat’s milk is the best. It is important that newborns get antibody-rich colostrum ASAP within the first 6 hours of birth to boost their immune system. If momma’s colostrum is not available, you can generally find a colostrum replacer at feed stores. The one momma we have that refused to nurse her babies, was a very protective mom and a great milker. She just would not nurse her little ones. My son would milk momma at least twice a day and we fed this milk back to her babies. If for some reason goat’s milk is not available, either from the mom, another goat on your farm, or available for purchase, there are other options. There is a powdered milk replacer that you can use in place of goat’s milk or as a supplement. It’s a good idea if you are going to use milk replacer that you get the one formulated specifically for goats and not a lamb or multi-species blend, as not all baby animals are created equally. Personally, I have never used a milk replacer product. I prefer to make up my own blend using a gallon of whole cow’s milk, 1 can of evaporated milk and 1 cup of buttermilk. This recipe is rich and ensures that young kids are getting the fats that they need. As my babies get older or if I bring in older goats from another farm, I feed them just whole cow’s milk. All my goats have seemed to do well with it. No matter what milk you decide on, it’s a good idea to warm the milk before feeding it to your little ones. Cold milk could cause a belly ache. If you are feeding them raw goat’s milk from momma, heat the milk in a pan of warm water rather than the microwave to preserve the good bacteria. It might take a few minutes longer, but worth it. Milk that has been pasteurized can be heated safely in the microwave, just make sure to mix it thoroughly to prevent hot spots. As always, if you have a baby goat who has diarrhea or does not seem to be thriving, be sure to consult your veterinarian.
The easiest way to get your baby goat to bottle feed is to calmly put the goat on your lap and get comfortable. Think about the angle they would be holding their head if they were nursing. While holding their head angled slightly upward, gently pry the goat’s mouth open and insert the nipple, tipping the bottle so that the nipple fills with milk. You don’t want them sucking down air. Gently hold the goat’s mouth closed around the nipple. As they taste the milk they will begin sucking. Watch carefully to make sure the kid is sucking and swallowing, you don’t want the milk gushing faster then your goat can swallow. Talking to your baby in a soothing manner seems to help keep everybody calmer. The calmer and more relaxed you are, the calmer and more relaxed your little one will be and the more likely you are to be successful. Try to get some milk into your baby at each feeding. Don’t think they will drink when they get good and hungry. It might take several tries and a couple of feedings with you holding their mouth around the nipple before they figure this bottle feeding thing out, but there will be no doubt in your mind when they finally catch on. Feed them on your lap for as long as they will let you and enjoy it! As they get bigger, they will be so excited to eat and they will all want to eat at the same time – it becomes more of a feeding frenzy! I love to watch their little tails wag in a demonstration of pure joy as they suck down that bottle. It’s awesome! It doesn’t matter if it’s a newborn you’re trying to feed for the first time, or a 6 week old goat that had been nursing, the technique is the same. Patience, calmness and diligence will pay off.
I try to bottle feed until my little ones are at least 2 months old and generally longer. I think they tend to do a little better and be a little friendlier if bottle fed until about 3 months old. As they get older and eat more hay/pasture and grain you don’t need to feed them as much milk, or as often. I recently got three 6-week old babies who nursed until I got them. We began bottle feeding them as soon as we got them home, and they have been doing so well. At 8 weeks they are eating hay and drinking water as well as enjoying 12 ounces of whole milk twice a day. I will continue with this for about another month. They are growing well, have not had any bouts of diarrhea, and seem satisfied with the amount of feed. Be flexible and be observant. Do what works best for you and for your goats.
How often do you feed? There are lots of feeding charts available on the internet. Quantity depends on the size of goat: standard or Pygmy, preemie or sickly. As a rule of thumb, small frequent meals during the first few days of life are better than larger infrequent feedings. I would feed a few ounces every three to four hours for the first three or four days, gradually increasing the amount and decreasing the frequency, watching my goats to ensure they were active, gaining weight and thriving. Bottle feeding requires time and commitment, but I can pretty much guarantee that you will enjoy the experience.
