# Can calves have goat milk?



## haviris (May 19, 2009)

Is goat's milk ok for calves?


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (May 19, 2009)

haviris said:
			
		

> Is goat's milk ok for calves?


I'm sure they CAN have it, but whether it's good for them or has all the right nutrients, I'm guessing no.  Then again, I have no experience, it's just logic, different animal, different needs.


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## Farmer Kitty (May 19, 2009)

I asked DH and he said yes. But, you may need to water it down a bit.


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## wynedot55 (May 19, 2009)

a few people raise calves on goats milk.they say the calves dont sour near as bad with goats milk as they do with cows milk.


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## WildRoseBeef (May 19, 2009)

Goats milk would typically have the same level of nutrients as cows milk only with a higher fat content I guess.  So yes I'd think that G M would be good for calves if it is just as good for goat kids.


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## Imissmygirls (May 19, 2009)

One of our local dairy farmers habitually puts calves on her goat.  They are fine and grown well.


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## haviris (May 19, 2009)

Thank you everyone, very helpful!

I have alot of goat milk, I thought maybe next year I'd get a bottle calf to raise on it, well next year came early I guess and now I have a bottle calf. My vet said the goat milk would give it scours, so I bought some formula, but I've heard others talk about raising calves on goats milk, and I'm pretty sure I've seen pics of calves nursing off a goat.

Can I mix the goat milk w/ the formula? I got a smallish bag and I'm not sure it will last til the calf is weaned, but thought maybe if I could mix it half and half it would save me from having to buy more (and I could go to straight goats milk if I run out of formula).

So if I did feed straight goat milk I would need to water it down?


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## kstaven (May 20, 2009)

We never have to water down goat milk with calves.


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## haviris (May 20, 2009)

Thank you for the help! Do you think it would be ok to mix it w/ the formula? (I'd like to use the goat's milk, but don't want to waste the formula, and if I run out of formula I don't want to have any tummy troubles by switching, if I do half and half, the calf will already be use to it).


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## kstaven (May 20, 2009)

I have never done it myself but do know others around here that do mix formula and milk without issue. The biggest problem I see with people bottle feeding is formula that is too cold and cause an upset.


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## haviris (May 20, 2009)

I always warm it, so I'm not worried about that. I'm sure I shouldn't have bought the formula, but we'd just run out of real milk (cow) and had just a few minutes before the feed store was going to close, we were at the vets and the vet said it would cause scours, so dad left to pick it up while I finished at the vets, I guess I'm not good under pressure, but I did want to make sure the goat milk was ok before using it.

Anyway, thank you again! I think I'm going to like this place!


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## Rence (May 21, 2009)

I give my little calf Jersey milk and Nubian milk (without watering down either) interchangeably, depending on which chores I'm doing when.

And in case you're wondering (because I wondered myself), you can give them cold milk out of the fridge on these hot days too - they love it. I wouldn't do it with a newborn (and of course, not when it's cold out).


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## Farmer Kitty (May 21, 2009)

Yes, an older calf can have cold milk. In a newborn you can end up with a calf with bloody stools so warm theirs.


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## Rence (May 21, 2009)

Absolutely, those babies can't handle cold milk.


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## haviris (May 21, 2009)

I am mixing it now, I wish I hadn't bought the replacer, I had every intention of using goat milk, although she wasn't officially mine until the replacer was bought, so that was another thing.


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