Most of the time, getting a baby goat to take a bottle isn’t too much of a challenge. There are, however, those kids that despite being hungry, refuse to suckle. Here are a few tips and tricks to try with a kid that is difficult to bottle-feed.
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Most of the time, getting a baby goat to take a bottle isn’t too much of a challenge. There are, however, those kids that despite being hungry, refuse to suckle.
Here are a few tips and tricks that I have picked up in the over 30 years of experience I have in raising goats. My hope is that one may help you get your little goat taking a bottle and on its way to growing up strong!
Before Attempting to Bottle-Feed a Baby Goat
Hold on!
Before attempting to bottle-feed a baby goat, make sure you have the basic knowledge and equipment that you need to be successful. If you don’t know what to feed, how much, or how often, you can refer to our other article, here, that covers the basics of bottle-feeding and provides a sample schedule for standard-sized goats like the Boers and Nubians we raise.
Important information on warming milk, not feeding cold kids, and the dangers of overfeeding are also included in the article referenced above.
1. Check the Baby Goat’s Mouth
If you have a baby goat that is having trouble latching on to a nipple, take a moment to examine its mouth. It doesn’t happen very often, but baby goats can be born with an anomaly that may impact its ability to nurse.
Parrot mouth is a condition where the lower jaw is shorter and does not align with the upper jaw. An animal with a cleft palate will have a hole in the roof of its mouth connecting to the nasal passages. Tongue abnormalities can also occur.
If you discover that your bottle kid has a congenital defect, consult with your veterinarian for recommendations and next steps.
2. Avoid Letting Bottle Kids Nurse on their Dam
If you know you want to bottle-raise your goat kids, don’t let them nurse on their dam. Switching from dam to bottle can be difficult. Once a baby goat latches on to their mother’s teat, they may be reluctant to take an artificial nipple because it doesn’t look, smell, taste, or feel the same.
Starting off with bottle-feeding colostrum right after birth is the best way to establish a good bottle-feeding routine. If the kids have had a few meals from mom, the sooner you switch to a bottle the easier it will be for you both.
3. Try Different Nipples
For a kid that is not enthusiastic about one nipple style, trying other types can do the trick. Most of our bottle kids prefer the Pritchard nipples, but we keep a few other nipples on hand for the finicky eaters.
We have black rubber lamb nipples and gray replacement lambar nipples that some of our bottle kids take a liking to. Try them all and see what works for your picky kid!
4. Try Different Feeding Positions
Some kids like to be held on your lap for bottle-feeding while others prefer to stand. Try different positions to find what your goat likes. You can stand in front of the baby goat or behind him, just make sure to keep the bottle at an appropriate angle for suckling.
5. Cover the Kid’s Eyes while Bottle-Feeding
You can use your free hand or a towel to cover the kid’s eyes for bottle-feeding. Covering the eyes eliminates distractions and simulates being under the dam and may help elicit the rooting response as they hunt for the teat. When nursing on their dam, it is dark and warm where they find their milk.
This tip is usually helpful for switching kids to a bottle that have nursed on mom at least once.
6. Rump Stimulation during Bottle-Feeding
To try this trick, you will need an extra set of hands. One person will be responsible for keeping the nipple in the kid’s mouth, while the other person will be busy stimulating the baby goat. The person in charge of stimulation should vigorously rub the baby goat’s rump and tail.
In a dam-raising situation, the mother will nudge the kid toward her udder and may lick him while he eats. Rubbing the goat while attempting to bottle-feed is a way to try and mimic these natural behaviors and can help get a kid that is just playing with the nipple to start sucking.
7. Be Patient and Persistent
It can be frustrating trying to get a baby goat to take its first bottle, but don’t give up! Once the kid gets it, bottle-feeding is fun and rewarding. Be patient and stay calm. If you have tried everything, take a break and come back to it.
You can syringe feed a small amount of milk to the baby goat while continuing to work on latching onto the bottle. When bottle-training, make sure the bottle is centered in the baby goat’s mouth and slowly move it in and out. You can gently squeeze the bottle to dispense a small amount of milk in the mouth so the kid can taste it and is stimulated to swallow. Be careful not to drown him in milk before he learns to suckle though.
If you have tried all the tricks, keep trying. At some point it will click, be optimistic and persistent!
8. Wait Them Out
The last tip that I have is to wait them out. Maintaining a feeding schedule for newborn baby goats is very important, but if they are refusing a bottle you may have to prolong the time between feedings and allow the kid to get very hungry so that he will eat.
Only attempt to bottle-feed kids that are alert, able to walk, and appear healthy. If your bottle kid has declined from lack of nutrition, he may need to be warmed and tube-fed before trying to offer a bottle again. If this happens, seek veterinary care as soon as possible.
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!