{"id":6123,"date":"2022-08-07T07:09:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-07T07:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=6123"},"modified":"2022-08-10T07:25:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T07:25:15","slug":"what-to-feed-an-orphaned-baby-goat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/what-to-feed-an-orphaned-baby-goat\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Feed An Orphaned Baby Goat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are many situations in which you, as a goat farmer, homesteader or backyard hobbyist, may need to take care of an orphaned baby goat. Of course the most obvious would be a situation in which the mother goat has died leaving a baby to be cared for<\/a>, but it’s not always sad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other situations that might find you bottle feeding a baby goat include the purchase of baby goats from a dairy farm that separates babies from mothers in order to maximize milking. Additionally, if one of your does has three babies (as opposed to the usual two) you may need to take one baby and bottle raise it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we present the basics in feeding an orphaned baby goat. Read on to learn more on what to feed an orphaned baby goat<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Should You Feed An Orphaned Baby Goat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The most obvious thing to feed a baby goat is goats\u2019 milk. If you have a doe in milk, you can simply milk her, put the milk in a nursing bottle and give it to the baby goat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t happen to have a doe in milk, you can purchase commercial goat kids starter milk from your local feed store. If they don’t happen to have this specific product, ask for lamb or calf milk replacer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll need to have enough milk or formula on hand to provide the kid with about 5 ounces per pound of bodyweight every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can You Give The Kid To A Doe To Raise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You might think that you could just give the baby goat to a doe in milk, but this doesn’t always work. Very often, does will reject babies that are not their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are going to try to have a doe adopt an orphaned baby, it’s important to make sure that the orphaned baby doesn’t smell like its natural mother. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the baby has never nursed from its natural mother, it will not smell like her. If it has already nursed, give time for the baby\u2019s last meal to make its way through its system before introducing it to a potential adoptive mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you happen to have a doe who has lost her baby, she\u2019ll be much more likely to accept an orphaned baby. A doe with only one baby will probably accept an orphan. One with two babies probably will not accept an orphan and probably could not raise an orphan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what the situation, keep a close eye on the doe and the orphaned baby until you’re absolutely certain that she will take care of the baby and will not harm (head butting<\/a> is a typical issue) or kill it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottle-fed Vs. Mother-Raised Baby Goats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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https:\/\/youtu.be\/f8pC5xx-Ys8<\/a>