Raising Healthy Bottle Babies by Proper Formula

By Deb Haines

There are alot of mixtures out there on the internet and from breeders that you can mix up and raise baby animals of all sorts on. And many of those animals grow up to live happy productive lives.

But they were designed to grow up on a specific formula with specific nutrients to maximize their growth and health. Although there is always the opportunity to stray from the specific formula for a species why would you want to? It usually doesn’t actually cost less and it just doesn’t have the same content of vitamins/minerals/fat/protein that they were made by God to grow up on.

Lots of people use it and can even use it successfully. But when people ask what is best, we try to be as honest as possible and tell them what is BEST, not what all the other options are.

Many people use all sorts of concoctions and raise seemingly healthy babies. But lots of people use pot, or drink loads of caffeine or are addicted to gambling and appear healthy as well. Or at least it hasn’t killed them. Doesn’t make it the right choice. Dr Burton

******Use A Goat Kid Specific Replacer ******

Yes, Formula can make babies sick if mixed wrong or the wrong kind. Formula should NEVER be one size fits all. If so wouldn’t you expect all milk to be the same nutrient content from elephant to rat. But it isn’t. Formula used properly does not make babies sick. Sick babies come from all kinds of places, usually poor colostrum consumption.

Why not get a formula for baby goats from the feed store? It would be better. if you follow the directions and do it right it will be very good for them. All the right nutrients. Too much powder causes diarrhea and too little powder causes diarrhea. Mix according to directions EVERY time. Dr. Burton

Ken Brown DVM … The Milk from the doe or another is always best but the manna pro,Doe’s Match or another kid specific replacer will be very similar to fresh goat milk in nutrient value if mixed properly.

Do Not use a Unimilk replacer they need more fat and protein than see in typical Unimilk replacers and would not have the minerals and vitamins goats need (which are different amounts than cows and sheep etc.)

***** “The Buttermilk Recipes DO NOT USE ***”***

Dr. Burton….Do Not use this formula. If it worked before for others, consider them lucky. No mixtures and concoctions for the babies.

Ken Brown DVM…..home-made junk is junk .. lacks fat, protein, vitamins the kids need to thrive.

M Nanette Chastine….. It is a common enough homemade recipe. The problem is that it isn’t balanced nutritionally for a goat and while it may seem to raise them fine, it can cause long term nutritional issues, interfering with proper growth and maturation.

******** Why not to use Cows Milk From The Store ********

Ken Brown Dvm……….whole milk from the store for people is junk. The ‘whole’ milk is only 3% milk fat and a kid needs more like 4.5% goat milk is 4-4.5% milk fat .. and higher protein .. and contains B vitamins and minerals a kid needs so the replacer is the way to go .. try Manna Pro Kid Milk ,Doe’s Match or another good Goat Kid specific repalcer.

so why feed a sub-standard “whole milk” that isn’t whole?

Dr. Chastine….store milk and add-ons is low fat, low protein, low calories and low minerals/vitamins .. just a low quality mixture

M Nanette Chastine Not recommended as nutritional balance not what kids need. Also, the change could upset their digestion and create unnecessary issues.

Cows milk is for people and cows. Goats do best on goats milk. Either from the goat or as a powdered milk replacer

The whole milk issue is based on a fear of old replacers or poor quality replacers using soy protein vs whey (milk) proteins quality replacers are all whey. This is no longer the case., but a internet/breeder conversation that has not died out yet with no facts to back it on good goat specific replacers.

***************** Feeding and Scours ********************

Ken Brown Dvm….. how scours is scours? too much milk can do it, as can low milk fat content. it is normal to see scours if are feeding sugars like the syrup and the electrolytes and yogurt, along with a low fat diet .. fats are solids they digest and is the basis for their poop to be firm ‘whole’ cow milk from the store is not whole – it is low fat, low protein, low minerals, low vitamins

Best Milk for Development of Healthy Goat Kids

( Recommend based on Facts and Science)

1) Milk from the mama is always best or another doe.

2) Raw cows milk which you can contact a near by dairy

3) A Good reputable milk replacer that is Goat Kid Specific

Keep in mind…. A kid rumen does not develop until 3 months and older .. there is some slow villa growth and development that starts as soon as get nibbling on hay and pellets, but real maturity is at 3 plus months – until then, there is not a functioning rumen.

Proper nutrition is important for healthy development.

Hope this was helpful to those inquiring and everyone just keep raising healthy baby goats.