Bottle feeding kid goats
Jun 03, 2020
After kids consume their colostrum, they can be left with the doe to nurse or started on milk replacer, such as LAND O LAKES® Doe's Match® Kid Milk Replacer.
When bottle feeding, keep kids on a proper feeding schedule and restrict intake, since overfeeding can lead to diarrhea, bloat and even death due to Clostridium perfringens, which thrive on excessive starches and sugars in the digestive tract (this is called “overeating disease” or enterotoxemia). Kids can be aggressive eaters, and it is tempting to give them more than they should have, so be adamant about sticking with a recommended program. A typical kid goat feeding program is outlined below.
| Age | Amount of liquid milk per feeding | Feeding Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Colostrum, 10% of body weight* | |
| Days 2 - 10 | 4 - 6 oz | 4 - 5 times/day |
| Days 11 - 21 | 7 - 12 oz | 3 - 4 times/day |
| Days 21 - weaning | 12 - 16 oz | 3 times/day |
*e.g., a 4-lb kid would need 0.4 lbs of colostrum, or about 6.5 oz (0.4 lbs x 16 oz/lb)
Smaller kids should eat at the lower end of the range, larger kids would need the higher amount in the range provided.
-----Purina Animal Nutrition