# milk replacer recipe



## nbone (Dec 31, 2007)

I read here before but can find it, a recipe for a goat milk replacer. I t was store bought whole milk, butter fat, and evaporated milk, but cant remember the ratios,,I have two doelings mother has rejected, We hold mom in place too let them nurse, but shes not coming around too the idea, has been 2 weeks. Hoping I can get them on a bottle, any suggestions?


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## deafgoatlady (Sep 5, 2007)

Hey Just use the whole vit. D cows milk from the store. That is all you need to give them to ur baby goats. That is all you need for them. Cows milk is better than replacer..


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Pull the kids off the dam, and let the normal space of hours go by before you try to bottle them. Feed them on their dam for one of their scheduled feedings (should be 3x per day by now) and then take them away. Then 8 hrs later try the bottle. They'll be nice and hungry. At first expect them to raise heck and refuse (though some will take right to it) simply squeeze the bottle and let them realize yummy stuff comes from the bottle, lol. 

It really would be less expensive and just as easy/difficult to continue holding the doe for the kids 3x per day till the doe's empty. Either way you'll have to do it until kids are 3 months of age - though if your doe supplies the milk, you don't have to spend money. And those who bottle feed regularly know that it sure isn't easier to handle bottles/lambars, when faced with holding a doe. 

The recipe is unnecessary and expensive. It's 1cup buttermilk, 1 can evaporated milk, and 1 gallon milk. However, goats do JUST FINE on plain whole vitamin D cow's milk from the store. I never noticed a difference between the mixture and plain milk, IMO.

Why not milk the momma? Is she a hard to milk breed like pygmy or something?


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

The mixture is a boer goat invention and is not well thought out. You are adding two low fat products to your already low fat 3.5% whole grocery store milk, few if any goats have butter fat that low. So how does this recipe other than the busy work so many folks need to have to feel like they are doing something, would you make the grocery store worse? Now perhaps adding half and half ??  Teasing. vicki


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## nbone (Dec 31, 2007)

Thanks for the advice, Looks like whole milk might be the best solution for our situation, The problem with holding her 3 times a day, is that I work a weird schedule, that takes Me away for 3 and a 1/2 days a week without returning home.I was on vacation for the kidding.My wife has a hard time holding the doe by herself, but she seems too enjoy bottle feeding.We bottle fed two nubian doelings this spring and it is a pain in My opinion, but these were from a dairy, got 3 days of their mommas milk, and then came too us, wish I would have known of the whole milk, as we used milk replacer,dealt with bloat and scourers a few times, but are doing great now, weaned and eating machines! The doe we are battleing with now is feeding her one buckling, but wont feed her doelings. The problem with milking her is same thing, I am away and wife cant milk her alone, Doe is a boer/nubian cross, has never been milked.Her sister kidded two days after her, having two bucklings, and is feeding them fine.The two rejected doelings do get a little here and there from both does, if their boys are feeding, they will stand for them as long as one of their boys is under there. Thanks again!


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## jim/se kansas (May 10, 2002)

I have raised alot of kids on calf milk replacer and they did great. Hope this helpes, Jim


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