Weaning goats

Tamne

In the Brooder
Mar 16, 2020
5
20
13
I have 3 two week old pygmys. Mom only nursed the two bigger ones. The runt is being bottle fed. It looks like after two weeks she has pretty much weened the females as they are eating alfalfa. I never see her nurse them only walk away when they try to nurse. She maybe nursing at night but...we have tried to give them the bottle but they won't take it. I am following the thread on weaning the bottle fed baby. But should i be worried about the other two? They are growing and acting well. This momma has not been as good a momma as our previous goat and we are a little lost on what to do. Thanks in advanced. Tamne.
 
Some does are just not good mothers. Trying to give kids that have been on their mothers a bottle is usually an exercise in futility. The kids are the biggest indicator of how well they are doing. If they are active. running around and their sides are not all sunk in and hollow they are probably all right. I have known of kids that got weaned at three weeks that grew up to be nice big goats. They need to have plenty of food to make up for the lack of milk though. Make a creep. This is something that the babies can get into but the mother can't. Provide grain and maybe extra hay in the creep. You can maybe block off a corner of the pen for your creep area. Another thing to do if you see the kids trying to nurse and her not allowing it is to catch the doe, tie her up, and restrain her so the kids can nurse. Maybe do this twice a day or so. Check her udder. If it is empty it means either the kids are keeping her milked out or she isn't producing any milk.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom