When you are trying to raise an orphaned kid, a proper feeding process becomes effective. Taking care of a newborn goat involves a lot of tasks for over a span of a few weeks. And there is a lot that is required to be done to make sure it is growing up healthy.
Due to unavoidable circumstances when a goat dies after giving birth to a baby. Then it becomes a matter of concern about how will you save the baby goat’s life. For starters, how should a farmer care for an immediately born goat and what and how to feed them?
First of all, make sure to keep it in a warm environment during the first few weeks. Because it will be tough for the baby goat to adjust to the harsh weather conditions outside. Also, you need to feed them, to keep them alive. Here is what and how
– Clip off the cord to 3 -4 inches long and dip the navel cord in an iodine solution so that it is not infected in any way possible. Tie it with a surgical material if the cord is bleeding. Go for the trimming option only when the cord is too long and/or it does not break off naturally. Always make use of sterilized equipment while doing the same.
– Feed the colostrum milk immediately via a bottle within two hours of its birth cause this is vital for its survival and proper birth.
– Arrange a bottle of this milk in advance so that you can feed it immediately after the birthing and cleaning procedure is over. This is necessary because it is rich in antibodies that will help to develop the immune system. Freeze the colostrum milk that will not be used and this milk should be used within six months.
– The goat kid has to be fed with a bottle frequently and then milk replacer gradually. The baby goat has to be fed almost close to 3 to 4 times every day so that they do not suffer from any sort of digestive issues.
– One advantage of bottle feeding the goat yourself. Because it is an orphan it will get accustomed to the human touch sooner. Subsequently, it turns out to be friendlier than the ones that grow with their mother.
– Wean the baby once it has reached a weight of about 20 pounds.
Colostrum milk is essential for baby goats. In case you don’t have other options to feed them, you can make Colostrum milk in your home. The ingredients include 740 ml of Cows/Goat Milk, 1 Chicken Egg, One T-spoon unflavored cod liver oil and One teaspoon glucose sugar.
Now, if you are a beginner to goat farming, this may seem troublesome but you will love the results of your hard work.
Starting Solid Foods
You can start giving solid foods to the goat after the first week of its life along with the normal milk supply. After a duration of 10 days, as the farmer, you can start giving the baby goat a starter feed that has almost 18 to 20 percent protein. It can be made to taste the pasture and hay after it has grown almost 8 weeks old. At this age, they can be fed on goat feeds. It must have access to the fresh water from any source all the time.
In order to develop the rumen, provide a starter grain that has almost 16 to 18 percent of crude protein. The ruminating occurs by rechewing the partially digested food. Provide a high-quality fodder or fine stemmed hay or pasture mix.
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