We will be picking up two baby pgymy goats, this Saturday, that are six weeks old. My husband has called around to different feed stores looking for Land 'O Lakes goat milk replacer and all anyone has in that brand is for sheep. Would that be okay to use? They also have a multi-breed milk replacer that says it includes goats.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt-tm@hotmail.com), January 10, 2002

Answers

The Land O Lakes replacer I get is for lambs and goats. There are different mixing instructions for goats as sheep's milk is richer. I can check the lable to see just how different it is (I really only look at the lamb mixing directions) Can't you get cow's milk for it? For goats I would use fresh cow's milk over replacer if you can. Might even be cheaper!!!

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), January 10, 2002.

Terry, I use lamb milk replacer for all my baby goats (kids). I would not reccomend cow's milk since it is harder to digest, for people as well as animals. The multi-breed milk replacer would work too, it usually comes in smaller size bags. At 6 weeks old you will want to offer them some feed, as well as, having hay and water availible to them at all times. Good luck with your babies, oh gee, You need to ask the sellers when they were dewormed too. karen

-- Karen in Kansas (kansasgoats@iwon.com), January 10, 2002.

My husband and I have raised baby goats successfully using a mixture of lamb and calf replacer to save on the cost and to lower the richness of the lamb replacer. This year we have a cow and are feeding our buck kids straight cows milk and have not had any problems as of yet. Whatever you use, be careful not to overfeed them or they can get sick.

-- cindy-wisconsin (t_c_schulzefam@yahoo.com), January 10, 2002.

I have used Land o Lake sheep milk replacer on my baby goats without difficulty. Since I raise both sheep and goats they all get the same. I do put about 1/4 cup of cider vinegar with the formula and I believe it helps to prevent diarrhea. I once tried a 10 Lb bag of multi specimen replacer and lost the little goats I was feeding-not enough fat or something. Good Luck, Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), January 10, 2002.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful answers, they are much appreciated.

The lady we are getting the goats from has named them Trixie and Dixie - one is white and one is black - so cute!! Can't wait for tomorrow to come!

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.

We bought the multi-breed stuff by mistake, but do not recommend it. A friend of mine also lost a little doe she was feeding on it.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), January 11, 2002.

If you are going to choose milk replacer, make it a non-soy product. Even then read up on bloat, how to treat it, and how to prevent it. Always follow the directions exactly. The kids drink much less of milk replacer than they do of goat milk or grocery store milk. In our area it is cheaper to use the grocery store milk, than to pay milk replacer prices unless you use the cheap uni=milks. If you can buy goats milk for awhile, there is simply nothing better to start them off with. The first couple of weeks will be the hardest on them. Buffer their tummys with Probios dispersable powder put into every bottle, sold in Jefferslivestock.com I would give enterotoxemia shots immediatly also. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 11, 2002.

Actually, its more of a question. Me and my friend's family have a newborn goat, just born this morning. The mother wouldn't feed the kid because she is only 8 months old. We have tried store-bought milk, whole milk, cows milk, and even soymilk. I just found this website a few minutes ago and want to know where I can get some replacement milk. I would appreciate it if I could get some information. thanks

-- Christopher-Owasco, NY (psychoreaper3@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.

Christopher, it is very important that you make the mom nurse the kid for the first 12 hours or so, you will have to milk her and feed the kid otherwise. There is no replacement for the first milk, colostrum. After that you can easily move on to grocery store milk or non-soymilk replacers. Just search the archives and learn about bloat, scours, worms, enterotoxemia and cocci. Think it might be eaiser to hold the dam 3 or 4 times a day, and make her nurse the kid?? Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.