Baby Goats Eating Me out of House and Home

[Rob-bee]

With-out going threw allot of explaining I have 6 kids that I am having to bottle feed. And the milk replacer is 23.00 dollars a bucket. Going threw 2 buckets a week! Anyone got any ideas on a cheaper way to feed these little pigs without sacrificing to much of their nutritional needs?:confused:

[dcross]

First, buy your milk replacer in larger quantities, like 50# bags. Check with your local feed mill.

Get some type of starter mix in front of them(grain, protein, and molasses) and wean them as soon as they're eating enough to meet their needs. For a Holstein heifer calf, I think it's about two pounds a day.

http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/5445#Weaning

<<Hobby goat keepers tend to feed milk to kids for long periods, sometimes until the kids are 6–9 months old. This is an enormous and unnecessary expense for a species that starts ruminating at 2–3 weeks. Most other ruminants are weaned at 5–6 weeks when being reared on milk replacer diets.>>

[Jesse]

Jeez, beekeeping is expensive enough for me- although my girlfriend does like goat cheese!

[dragonfly]

How does cow's milk compare on the nutritional quality and the proportions of protein, fats, and carbs?

[dcross]

How does cow's milk compare on the nutritional quality and the proportions of protein, fats, and carbs?

It's different, but I believe it is an option once the kids are a few days old.

[Jesse]

I'm not sure - but I think it has a little less fat