# Whole milk vs milk replacer



## Shepherdess219 (Jan 21, 2021)

So there seems to be a great debate about this.  Doing the math the price of whole milk to weaning seems to be about the same as a bag of Agri-melc 2000. Although I think I would have left over replacer raising a 2lb Nigerian dwarf kid to weaning.  But certainly preparing the milk replacer is much easier than warming up milk out of the fridge every feeding.  What are the thoughts of goat people.


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## Daxigait (Jan 21, 2021)

Shepherdess219 said:


> So there seems to be a great debate about this.  Doing the math the price of whole milk to weaning seems to be about the same as a bag of Agri-melc 2000. Although I think I would have left over replacer raising a 2lb Nigerian dwarf kid to weaning.  But certainly preparing the milk replacer is much easier than warming up milk out of the fridge every feeding.  What are the thoughts of goat people.


I supplement with whole milk.  a lot of the milk replacers just don't have good digestive/rumen results in my opinion. BTW if you're heating milk after the first couple weeks you're wasting your time.  I just let him warm to room temperature or cool to that depending on if it just came out of the pasteurizer.


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## Daxigait (Jan 21, 2021)

unless you are in some really cold climate


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## Mini Horses (Jan 21, 2021)

If lucky enough, you can use just milked from doe!   😁

Some pasteurize due to CAE precautions.  I'm clear and don't.   Either way, I have seen far less issue with natural milk than prepared replacer.  Mother Nature knows best but, replacer if nothing else. 

Adding -- I'm sure Daxigait is clear but, prefers to pasteurize.   Just a choice I make.


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## Shepherdess219 (Jan 21, 2021)

Daxigait said:


> I supplement with whole milk.  a lot of the milk replacers just don't have good digestive/rumen results in my opinion. BTW if you're heating milk after the first couple weeks you're wasting your time.  I just let him warm to room temperature or cool to that depending on if it just came out of the pasteurizer.


I get it from the store so good that way. Ok, so just set it out about 20 mins before feeding and should be good to go then. Thanks!


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## Shepherdess219 (Jan 21, 2021)

Mini Horses said:


> If lucky enough, you can use just milked from doe!   😁
> 
> Some pasteurize due to CAE precautions.  I'm clear and don't.   Either way, I have seen far less issue with natural milk than prepared replacer.  Mother Nature knows best but, replacer if nothing else.
> 
> Adding -- I'm sure Daxigait is clear but, prefers to pasteurize.   Just a choice I make.


I lost the mom and one kid. I managed to save one. Have a little orphan right now with main kidding/lambing in 5 weeks.


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## Mini Horses (Jan 21, 2021)

Sorry for the losses.   I usually set the bottle in hot water for a few min before I want it.  If I take longer and it cools some, no problem.   My house isn't always warming enough in winter here to get a warmer temp.


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## Shepherdess219 (Jan 21, 2021)

Daxigait said:


> unless you are in some really cold climate


Right now we’re in -10C night to -2C day,  for the next week. She’s in the house, but moving her to the garage (about +10) when my pen arrives next week.


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## Daxigait (Jan 21, 2021)

I usually keep it warm for the first week or two just because they are trying to get some body size but after that room temperature is good or like she said warm it up in water while you are doing something else.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 28, 2021)

I always used to cut the milk replacer half and half with milk since we needed milk for the house.  Feeding 1 quart am and pm per kid I did not have enough milk since we had standard Nubians that routinely had triplets and quads.  We never had any problem with replacer.  I just used an inexpensive powdered milk replacer.  I mixed it with hot water in the blender, then added more hot water to the right dilution and added half pasteurized goat milk from the previous night.  The goat milk had been refrigerated so by adding the hot water mixed replacer it took the chill off.  I used 1 quart of mixed formula and milk per kid and 1 quart extra for the bucket since we fed in buckets with nipples.

My herd was also clear of CAE and we blood tested everyone every year, but since we were showing a lot, we took no chances.  I even heat treated the colostrum.  

If you are only feeding a single ND kid, and are happy with the cost of feeding whole goat milk from the store I w9uod continue with that.


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