Goat Question

[fancyhorse]

I just bought a 2 week old cutest, sweetest, most adorable goat ever! (Photos will be up tomorrow). She follows me around everywhere, lets me pick her up, loves the horses, etc. Anyhow, I was wondering if she is too young to be without mom's milk? The owner said she was ok to leave mom, but I'm not so sure. I have hay, water, and grain left out for her to eat, but is that enough?

[Lis]

If I'm remembering right, they're generally weaned at 3-4 months. 8 weeks is the earliest I think that's recommended Kind of sounds like the owner just wanted it gone...

www.luresext.edu/goats/library/lu1988-1.html

[fancyhorse]

I thought it was way too soon! Well, I guess my girl will have to go back to mommy until she is ready! The guy isn't a bad guy, I think he just doesn't know any better!

[hfhopper]

You could probably get a milk replacer for her. That's what we do with the calves at the dairy. They only get "mother's" milk for the first 3 days or so, then it's on to the milk replacer for 6-8 more weeks. A farm supply or feed store should have it available. And you'll need a bottle too.

[Pam]

My sis-in-law raised an orphan that someone gave her. It's not like a puppy or kitten where you have to feed them every 3-4 hours round the clock. She fed her baby I think 4 times a day until he was 2 weeks old, then cut it down to 3, then two over a couple weeks time. If I remember right, when he was about a month old, she started him drinking out of a bucket and he was completely weaned at 2 months old. You do need to make sure he is eating enough to live on, not just nibbling. Are you sure the breeder didn't tell you he was 2 months and not 2 weeks? 2-3 months is about average for weaning goats.

Here's a couple of articles I though you might find helpful if you decide to keep him.

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FEEDING FOR ALL AGES

Kids:

Bottle feeding schedule (if an orphan kid, unable to nurse from mom):

Age Amount Times per day
1 - 2 days ½ - 3/4 cup 4
3 - 7 days 1-1 ¼ cup 3
2 - 6 weeks 2- 2 ¼ cups 2
6 - 8 weeks 2 ½- 3 cups 2
8 - 12 weeks Weaning time for most goats, except Angoras at 4 months.
Wean by introducing alfalfa and grass hay into the diet gradually, starting at 1 week of age. Introduce pasture at 4 weeks of age.

Adults


Hay:

Grass hay, usually 3% of body weight per day, have available at all times.

Grain or concentrate


Only needed in the winter or if goats do not have access to good pasture.
Feed small amounts of grain if needed, less than or equal to 1 pound per day.
Important note: Goats can get VERY sick (rumen acidosis) if they eat too much grain so it is critical to store grain in goat-proof containers and not over-feed.
Only feed grain or concentrates made for goats, for example: goat ration, goat chow, goat grain. Make sure that the grains have been rolled, flaked, cracked or crimped to insure optimal digestion.
Horse grain or horse feed is not recommended because goats may develop an intestinal impaction.

Supplements:


Baking soda, available as free choice (they can eat it if and when they want) to reduce rumen acidity.
Trace mineral salt free choice. We use sheep mineral. Look for 300 ppm copper.
Regions with Selenium deficient soil (Northeast US, Southern Atlantic Seaboard and Pacific Northwest) should supplement selenium.
Regions with high Selenium in soil (Rocky Mountain States) should avoid supplements that contain Selenium due to the potential for Selenium toxicity.

Very Important Vaccinations


All goats should be vaccinated for:
Clostridium perfringens type C & D toxoid vaccine Use sheep product and sheep dose (2 ml subcutaneously). Vaccinate kids at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age, then booster annually. Booster all does one month before kidding. Booster adults annually.
Tetanus toxoid- vaccinate anually.

Very Important Vaccinations - Consult Your Veterinarian


In areas where the following diseases are endemic, or common, goats should be vaccinated with:
Leptospirosis Bacterin - If needed vaccinate does one month prior to breeding.
Contagious Ecthyma vaccine - Do not use this vaccine in newborn kids or sick goats because this is a modified live vaccine and may cause disease in young and immuno-compromised animals.
Chlamydia and Campylobacter Antigen - If needed vaccinate does one month prior to breeding.
Parasite Patrol or Parasite Control


De-worming:

Adults should be dewormed every six months.
Kids should be dewormed just prior to weaning, 3 weeks after weaning and at 6 months of age.
It is most effective to alternate between types of dewormers.
Three common types are Benzimadazole compounds (Thiabendazole, Mebendazole, Cambendazole, and Fenbendazole), Levamisol products, and Ivermectin (Ivomec). De-lousing:

Apply Extabar delouser topically in the fall since lice are most problematic in the winter.
It is important to repeat application of the delousing agent 2 weeks later to kill newly hatched lice eggs.

Hoof Health

Goats should have their feet trimmed a minimum of once every 6 months.
Pointed hoof shears, often call sheep hoof shears, should be used.
Consult an experienced hoof trimmer for advice on technique.
Simply lift up goat feet while the animal is standing, do not tip them up on their rumps like sheep.
Remove hoof wall that has over grown the sole, shorten the toe, and level the sole and the heel.
Use caution so as not to quick the feet which will cause bleeding and soreness.

Here's wishing you happy goat ownership! We hope you have learned a little something from these pages. Please consult a veterinarian if you have questions about your goat's health."

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"I know this may sound a bit bizarre, but it's cheap, washable and an inexpensive method. When I had a bunch of bottle lambs, (note - I was too cheap to get/make a lambar bucket) I got sick of holding bottles, so what I did was take a bunch of clean old socks, cut a hole in the bottom so the nipple could stick through, and I'd go to each pen and load a warm bottle into a sock - tie the sock to the panels, and they'd go to town on it. Seemed to be natural - same height as mom was - and they could bump and play all they wanted without me to get annoyed meanwhile! When you're done feeding, you can throw em' in the wash when they get grungy, or even throw em' out!
But, if you're looking for maybe a more profesional approach, then multicolored socks ;-) Nasco has calf bottles - 2qt plastic widemouth bottles and you can buy the metal over the fence bracket to go with it for a few bucks. Instead of the calf nipple - be sure to get the smaller lamb/goat nipple. I like these bottles better because they are easier to clean compared to soda bottles with a small neck, and you can put more milk in there versus the little soda ones. If you don't like dealing with the new rubber nipples that are hard to attach when brand new - they also have screw on ones. I'm cheap and just fight with the rubber ones :-)"

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[Dawn]

Yep she needs to be with momma or the bottle (momma goats can be fickle so if you have had her any length of time momma may not be interested in seeing her again, but then some mom's will be thrilled so..). But bottle feeding is very easy to do usually so you might want to do that, she will be friendlier that way, I have one goat who was a bottle baby and one that wasn't and while the other has come around it took quite a while and she still isn't as friendly as the bottle baby.

[fancyhorse]

Well mom and kid were more then happy to see eachother again and I do go visit my girl every day! All of the goats on our track get fed horse grain and none and ever vaccinated. When she gets bigger, she will be on hay and some grain and my BF will do doing her feet and I will look into getting ahold of some vaccines!