Baby Goat Feeding/Weaning Strategy Cliff Notes?

[SDGsoap&dairy]

It's not that I think it's hard work bottle raising because it isn't.

Are you CRAZY?! It IS hard work. We do it, but I won't pretend I enjoy the extra work.

I agree with Kate, I am careful about setting boundaries VERY early on with all the kids, but particularly the bucks. Just like with puppies, you have to think "am I going to be OK with him doing that when he's full grown?" If the answer is no, then don't encourage or allow the behavior when they're babies.

 

[20kidsonhill]

When they are topping 200lbs and trying to hump your back or leg, they aren't that cute any more. I would seriously reconsider ever buying a bottle baby again. It would have to be one heck of a deal. to put up with that.

We used him for breeding in December, and it seemed to help settle him down, seemed to help him understand who he was and what his job was, but our children aren't allowed anywhere near him, and I don't go in with out a club, just incase he forgot who he is and who I am.

I noticed none of the dairy people on here commented about if it is easier to sell a dam raised dair goat vs. a bottle raised. I thought I had read somewhere that because of CAE, most people prefer their dairy goats to be bottle raised. I remember reading about someone saying they tried to do dam raised one year and had a harder time selling the kids.


As far as weaning, dam raised kids have to have a seperate place to go, or mom will keep letting them nurse. KNow since I don't milk, not really sure how long mom will keep letting them do this, but I have weaned at 8 weeks and had a doeling get out atleast 3 or 4 weeks later and mom was letting her try to nurse. I now if she had not been mostly dried up, she would have just starting nursing. again.

as far as creep feeding(getting babies on their own grain/hay) We have an area built that babies can go into, but too small for mom's to get in. I see them start to use this area and munch on a little grain at arouand 3 weeks of age, and by 6 weeks of age, they are munching on a lot of grain and hay in their area. The babies even at 3 or 4 days of age, seem to really like laying in this safe zone, they like to feel like they aren't under foot of the big does, corners, dog house, barrels turned into dog houses can all be safe zones for the babies.

 

[Roll farms]

Usually it's not the method of raising that concerns dairy folks so much as the CAE status of the dam. Most will still buy a really nice dam-raised kid *if* the dam has negative CAE test results.
I have a friend who dam-raises all of hers b/c she has a CAE free herd (15 yrs running).
HOWEVER...I won't buy anymore of her does, they're not easy to catch / handle.
I have another friend whos starts all of hers on the bottle, then switches to a lambar, and her kids are buck-wild as if dam-raised...but she's been known to have 100 or so kids a year. She just totes the bucket out and hangs it, she doesn't actually spend time w/ them.

I hit 50+ several years ago and decided I wasn't ever going to do THAT again...

In our case, I won't buy a dairy doe that isn't bottle raised and prefer not to buy boers who haven't been. Not just because of CAE prev. but I REALLY, REALLY hate to chase goats.

With a passion. As in, chasing a goat will ruin my whole day.

I don't tolerate 'in your face' behavior from anyone, buck or doe.
I agree the hands-off approach Kate described (around 2 mos old) is the best way to keep them from being obnoxious.
Freeney jumped on my back today and got his face squirted w/ milk for his trouble. He didn't dig it.

Bottle feeding (for me) isn't a pain or a lot of trouble...it's the pasteurizing / bottle filling / bottle washing / milking part that's a PITA.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I bottle feed my kids because my doe tests CAE+. I HATE it. Hate it. I much prefer to have mothers raise their own babies, but I obviously dont' want to risk spreading CAE so I do it. My kids are SO annoying now. They are all up in my business and it's so hard to get anything done with them around because they have to chew on my hair, my pants, my chin, my leg, my arm, well, you get the picture! My doe was dam raised, and when I first bought her the girl told me she had me dam raised and "is a little standoffish but will come around with time." Her definition of standoffish must be different than mine, because June is STILL all up in my business now, even though she was dam raised. The good thing is she will come up for love and attention (or food!) but then go back to being a goat after a minute or two, unlike some bottle raised goats I've had.

I also really like how they learn to be goats from their dam...they learn to eat, learn to be in the herd, etc. I understand people bottling dairy goats though, it does make it easier to get the milk, but I know dairy herds who let their mommas raise their babies and just wait until after weaning to milk. And I'd never bottle my lambs unless it was absolutely necessary. Same would go if I had meat goats.

 

[PJisaMom]

I have two Alpine wethers that just turned a year that were bottle raised by idiots who didn't take the time to check CAE status and bottle fed them CAE milk (although they were so *proud* of their pastuerizer)... those two boys are a PAIN in the ARSE! ALWAYS in your face, can't do anything without their help... and they tend to be a lot more aggressive (not sure if that's just being a boy or what) and frankly... I'm not all that fond of them at the moment. That said... they take oral meds way more readily, are a *little* easier to trim feet, etc.

I also have three ND does... all were dam raised, but are just the right kind of friendly. There are *there*, and come for pets and scratches, but aren't all up in your business.

I'm a total newbie, but so far... I'm liking the damn-raised, intensive early socialization plan... and what we hope to be able to pull off when we have babies in late June!

Good luck! I am appreciating the conversation!

 

[elevan]

It's not that I think it's hard work bottle raising because it isn't.

Are you CRAZY?! It IS hard work. We do it, but I won't pretend I enjoy the extra work.

I agree with Kate, I am careful about setting boundaries VERY early on with all the kids, but particularly the bucks. Just like with puppies, you have to think "am I going to be OK with him doing that when he's full grown?" If the answer is no, then don't encourage or allow the behavior when they're babies.

Yep! I AM crazy!

It's extra work but it's not HARD work...not saying that bottle feeding 40+ kids doesn't wear you guys out

I took in a boer cross (full grown) last fall who was a bottle baby. After he kept knocking my boys to the ground and was getting very pushy with me I had enough and he found a new home. If an unforseen circumstance were to happen and I was forced to bottle feed a kid then I would find them a new home as well. For me I'm not keen on the fact that bottle babies don't seem to know that they are goats and to me "act more like dogs". Just my 2 cents.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I have two Alpine wethers that just turned a year that were bottle raised by idiots who didn't take the time to check CAE status and bottle fed them CAE milk (although they were so *proud* of their pastuerizer

If all the milk was pasteurized then the CAE virus would have been killed.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I took in a boer cross (full grown) last fall who was a bottle baby. After he kept knocking my boys to the ground and was getting very pushy with me I had enough and he found a new home. If an unforseen circumstance were to happen and I was forced to bottle feed a kid then I would find them a new home as well. For me I'm not keen on the fact that bottle babies don't seem to know that they are goats and to me "act more like dogs". Just my 2 cents.

200 plus lb dogs with very hard heads, horns and hooves.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

A bottle baby doesn't HAVE to grow up to be an obnoxious, no boundaries, in your face goat. Just like a puppy that jumps all over you doesn't HAVE to grow up to be a 90 lb menace. Clear, consistent rules see to that. Goats aren't completely stupid... they can learn to respect space. Just like those wild, dam raised kids can learn people aren't alway dangerous, an imprinted goat can learn that people are not jungle gyms.

 

[20kidsonhill]

A bottle baby doesn't HAVE to grow up to be an obnoxious, no boundaries, in your face goat. Just like a puppy that jumps all over you doesn't HAVE to grow up to be a 90 lb menace. Clear, consistent rules see to that. Goats aren't completely stupid... they can learn to respect space. Just like those wild, dam raised kids can learn people aren't alway dangerous, an imprinted goat can learn that people are not jungle gyms.

We know that, we are just saying it can get ugly, and my dogs would certainly not be allowed to act like that. I think getting stuck with a poorly raised bottle sire/whether, really can be more than you bargain for. I think we are just gripping that we have to deal with the pain in the rear ends.

I sure hope mine throws some nice kids, otherwise he is going to visit the stockyards, eventhough I paid plenty for him.