# Bottle babies and homemade milk bar



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

What do you use to feed your bottle babies - lamb nipples or baby bottles? I have some lamb nipples, but am concerned that they might be a bit big at first. What do you prefer? 

Anyone made a milk bar for lambs? Would you share how you did it?


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

I don't use a milk bar, but I do prefer to use baby bottles/nipples. I never have but one or two on a bottle (and none this year!). I do enlarge the holes, as I don't want to spend 1/2 hr waiting for a lamb to suck down a bottle.. I've never tried the Pitchard teat nipple, but I did try the lamb nipple that snap on a soda bottle and didn't like them.


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## Goatsandsheep (Jun 7, 2006)

We use the Pitchard teat nipple on a Pepsi bottle. I've heard that the plastic beer bottle work well with them too. Shelly


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I have the potential of 12 lambs with the 3 moms only being able to nurse 2 each, that leaves me 6 bottle babies. they might only have 3 each, but I won't know until they arrive. I have the larger nipples that go on pop bottles, but wondered how easily those bottles can be washed. The plastic is so flimsy I am not sure they will last. We do do much soda...

I looked at the Pitchard - but they are $6 each here. Whew! Glad to hear that the baby bottle will work just fine. I enlarged the holes for my people-kids too.


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

Why are you having such large litters, but the moms can only nurse two? I always thought that the breeds that had larger litters could nurse more than two. Just curious....


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Back to the OP. I've used a homemade milk bar for calves and sheep. I simply cut a piece of 1" sch 40 PVC pipe long enough to accomodate 12" of feeding space per critter and use Tee's and reducers to turn it out and down at a 45 degree angle every 12" with a 3/4" female adapter on the end. The "filler" pipe that rises up off of one end of it is made out of 4" and needs to be about 3" tall for every nipple you put on the milkbar. This will accomodate the volume of milk it needs to hold for each lamb/calf. (you do need to measure you milk at first though to make sure you're not overfeeding. I just use the 3" rule because it works for calves and overfeeds sheep) 

Now, when you turn the 1" (reduced to 3/4 on the end) down at a 45 degree angle you install a 3/4" male threaded barbed fitting in the end of it and the type of nipples that fit the end of a pop bottle will fit on it with some work. It takes a few feedings to get the critters in to the routine of not all jumping on the same teat but they do figure it out and it saves lots of time. 

The catch is the cleaning. I made mine so it will hang over the side of the stall and could be lifted out once they are finished and hung up somewhere where I pour warm bleach water in it until it's running over. I let it gravity drain out and then rinse it well. It has been working fine.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

> I always thought that the breeds that had larger litters could nurse more than two. Just curious....


 Similar here. My Rideaus have more than 2 often, and depending on some variables they aren't great at rearing everything they birth. Under very good conditions (score 3+ body on a 2 yr old to 4 year old, in summer or at least warmer weather, with very good forage and probably a little grain.... not a problem. Upset those conditions and you have bottle babies. Speaking for myself that is.


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## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

That makes sense. For me that would be a management and financial nightmare to have so many bottle lambs, not having an inexpensive source of milk for the lambs.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

LibertyWool said:


> Why are you having such large litters, but the moms can only nurse two? I always thought that the breeds that had larger litters could nurse more than two. Just curious....


Sometimes they can, sometimes they can't. It's best to be ready in case they can't. And if you want really good weight gain, you need to supplement at least.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

francismilker said:


> Back to the OP. I've used a homemade milk bar for calves and sheep. I simply cut a piece of 1" sch 40 PVC pipe long enough to accomodate 12" of feeding space per critter and use Tee's and reducers to turn it out and down at a 45 degree angle every 12" with a 3/4" female adapter on the end. The "filler" pipe that rises up off of one end of it is made out of 4" and needs to be about 3" tall for every nipple you put on the milkbar. This will accomodate the volume of milk it needs to hold for each lamb/calf. (you do need to measure you milk at first though to make sure you're not overfeeding. I just use the 3" rule because it works for calves and overfeeds sheep) ......................_I cut this to keep it shorter....._
> 
> This sounds like a great idea. Not sure what I am picturing, but I will draw it up and maybe I can see it better. I was thinking of making something 6 baby bottles would fit into so I could hang it over the stall wall and then use my free hands to direct them to their own nipple. Then stand back and watch their little tails wag.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

LibertyWool said:


> That makes sense. For me that would be a management and financial nightmare to have so many bottle lambs, not having an inexpensive source of milk for the lambs.


These are $75-100 babies. That helps the cost greatly. Most of them are sold and I will just keep them a week or so to make sure they are well adjusted to MR. The ones the ewe's raise are $150-175 babies once weaned. One ewe had 4 this morning. Finally! I would love the ewes to be able to feed 3 easily, but I also have to think of the health of the ewe and what it will cost me to feed her to feed that many. It's a learning curve for me!


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## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

Callieslamb,

In last Friday's edition of the Wisconsin State Farmer there is a picture of a simple dairy bar for goat kids. I thought of your request and this evening found the picture on the website. The bottle holders are two part feed/mineral troughs that are available at our local farm supply store (Fleet Farm). Hopefully you have a similar store in your area. The producer probably used a wood bit to drill the holes. I'm going to keep a copy of the picture for the next time I have more than two bottle lambs. We were blessed this year to not have any from the 31 sets of twins and 4 singles our ewes produced.

http://www.wisfarmer.com/regional_wisconsin.php

I hope the link works. If it doesn't please let me know so I can try another way.

FairviewFarm


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Many thanks Fairview! That is something like I was thinking of. Those seem like really big bottles! Or are the baby goats just small? I have several of those feeders around. i was going to use regular baby bottles for the easy of cleaning.

I thought maybe a 1x4 with holes for the bottles; placed at an angle with a board in the rear to hold them in.....all hanging from the stall wall.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

We use Pritchard nipples on glass bottles from Jones Soda or a few other kinds we found that had the right top (we actually went and BOUGHT the stuff specifically for the bottles!) Vex Vodka cooler bottles seem to fit as well. Never did like the black rubber 'pop bottle' nipples either. 

We have few bottle babies, so we hold the bottles ... but I saw a wooden box made to hang on the fence - it had an angled floor, and holes at the bottom, one for each bottle to poke through. You just slid the bottles in, tips out through the holes, and they rested on the slanted base. The wood was well affixed to the fence so it could stand up to the bashing they tend to do. 

We also have a calf bottle holder made of wire that we got at the feed store - it is too big for the lamb bottles to fit well, but when they are bigger, sometimes we use it with the larger bottle.


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## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

If you have quite a few bottle babies and don't want to mess with bottles as they get older- get one of these buckets. They work well, clean easily and have replacement nipples/valves.









The lambs figure out very quickly how to work the nipples. I use clips to hang it on the fencing but it does come with a mounting bracket. They show the bracket upside down in the photo for some reason...


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

Shel, that's the exact bucket we use! I couldn't find a photo to post or would have. We have three and love them. The most bummers we've had was six at one time so we used two buckets and the third to rotate in while cleaning. Ours are from Farm & Fleet and cost around $20 each, probably more now. I did get the softer brown nipples for transitioning lambs from the Pritchard teat on a pop bottle to the bucket. The red nipples are tougher and work better for lambs after a week or so.

I also got extra teat units and red rubber washers to have on hand. A gallon black rubber feed pan works great as a lid to keep the cats out. We figure one 25# bag of Kent milk replacer per lamb.

Yes, you can make something similar using a bucket rather than buying the complete setup. These teat units are very sturdy and work great. Never had a problem with one except to replace the gasket and nipples.

Peg


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## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

Yup- Farm & Fleet still has them- they are just over $20 now. I have 2- and when I've sold bummer lambs in the past, I've even sold the bucket too since the new owners didn't have a store that carried them near their farm.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

When I had bottle lambs, and now with just my goat kids, I prefer the nipple buckets that have straws running from the nipple to the bottom of the bucket. Less leakage, less mess, and less kids coughing from to much milk at a time. The kids grew better on the straw feeder vs the gravity feeder.



















Same for calves. Just don't like those raised on the gravity fed nipple buckets nearly as well.

FairviewFarm, I love the picture that you sent a link to. Sure can tell the breeder used a Lamancha buck over does of several other breeds.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

the only ones of those I have seen are over $60...Kind of pricey for not knowing how many bottle babies I will have. But I am sure both kinds of buckets work really well. It looks like the momma can keep up pretty much with the four lambs...but I will supplement so the bucket bar will probably be the easiest...If I end up with full-timers, I will switch to a bottle holder. 

Good to know about the red nipples verses the black ones!


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Actually, I make my own, just buy the nipples from Jeffers, the tubing and bucket from the hardware and my brother welds the holder for very reasonable. A heck of a lot less money than $60.


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## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

Nice idea- may use that if I have a bunch of bummers again next year.

I think the Syrvet bucket is the same principle- the ball valve opening sits on the bottom of the bucket so the lambs have to suck to get the milk out- it's not just gravity. If they stop sucking, the milk stops flowing.

That's the one thing I don't like about the pop bottle method- with some lambs they will inhale milk because they are so eager and get a really good flow going.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

well, it looks like I won't get to try any of your great ideas. All my lambs are sold...but the one I am keeping for the mom to wean. why do the cute ones always go first?


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

Emily, (Ozark Jewels)
Thanks for the straw feeder pic. I've actually never heard of or seen one of them. I'll definitely be building one. Do they help against pot-belly?


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

francismilker said:


> Emily, (Ozark Jewels)
> Thanks for the straw feeder pic. I've actually never heard of or seen one of them. I'll definitely be building one. Do they help against pot-belly?


The people I know that feed their calves on this type of feeder use a bucket with nipples and straws to get them started, then graduate to a 55 gallon plastic drum on its side in a metal holder with nipples running down both sides and a hole cut in the side that is on top. Hard to explain.....I haven't got my new calf nipple feeders made yet or I'd send you a pic. My old ones wore out.

In my opinion, the calves on this type of feeder do grow better and have less pot-belly problems. Though it seems that dairy steers always tend to have a little more pot-belly look than the heifers no matter what.....

You are talking about calves aren't you, or are we speaking of kids/lambs??


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

ozark_jewels said:


> The people I know that feed their calves on this type of feeder use a bucket with nipples and straws to get them started, then graduate to a 55 gallon plastic drum on its side in a metal holder with nipples running down both sides and a hole cut in the side that is on top. Hard to explain.....I haven't got my new calf nipple feeders made yet or I'd send you a pic. My old ones wore out.
> 
> In my opinion, the calves on this type of feeder do grow better and have less pot-belly problems. Though it seems that dairy steers always tend to have a little more pot-belly look than the heifers no matter what.....
> 
> ...


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

francismilker said:


> Yes, I'm referring to calves. Send me a pic if you have the opportunity once you get it put together. I've got more milk again this Spring than I know what to do with so I might as well be feeding extra babies.


I probably won't put mine together till fall. We are all but finished calving for the season but start up again in September.


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