kid milk replacer?

[pipit]

I am getting a couple of mini Saanen kids soon and will need to bottle feed them. The breeder uses Sav-A-Kid replacer, but I was reading on a goat site that any milk replacer can kill kids and to use either goat milk, whole cow's milk or canned milk. I want to do what's best for my new babies and am new to goats. What is the consensus among all you experienced goat folks?

 

[calgal98]

If you don't have access to fresh goats milk, I would go with the whole milk from the grocery store. They accept it well and its easy to use. The replacer can give them scours and some won't drink it. The cow's milk tastes much like fresh goats milk.

 

[Sunshine Chick 1]

I got a 2 week old dwarf nigerian for Mother's day. The guy we got her from said to us the replacer. It gave her the runs and she did not like it at all. It was suggested to me to put 1 and half water to whole cows milk. So I started out with 2 oz cow's milk and 3 oz water. She is up to 8 oz. now and enjoys that much better. Also my little Betsy was having trouble getting the bottle feeding down so someone suggested to put molasses on the nipple. Well after that and the whole cow's milk. She loves her bottle. Good luck.

 

[key west chick]

I have bottle fed 5 nigi's and fed them straight, whole cows milk from the grocery store. They did excelent on that.

 

[lilhill]

We never water down the whole milk either, and our bottle babies thrived and grew at the same rate as dam raised kids.

 

[mekasmom]

Whole cow's milk works fine.
You will love bottle babies. They make the best pets. Enjoy them.

 

[Chatychick]

Yep you never water down cows milk...some water down replacer as its protien is to high for baby goats.
I feed either goats milk or whole cows milk to my babies...when first starting out did the replacer and had tons of problems with it...wont use it again. You can as some do mix replacer with the milk but I dont...

 

[pipit]

I've expressed my concerns with using replacer to my husband, but he thinks that since the breeder has been using it with their goats, and they have about 38 of different breeds, that should know what's best. I'm still not convinced. When we get them they will have been started on replacer. How can I change them over to whole cow's milk without hurting them?

 

[Chatychick]

I would just give it to them and add a pinch of baking soda to the bottles and I do this each morning bottle ...I have had them come here after being on replacer and I just give them straight milk and havent had any problems . I do add the pinch of baking soda also till they are at least 4 to 5 weeks old or older.

 

[ThornyRidge]

a pinch of cinammon in the bottles also helps..