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How to Feed Orphan Pygmy Goats

There are times when you have to step in and take on the role of mother (doe) for your kid pygmy goat. Sometimes the doe tragically dies giving birth, or can't handle more than one at a time and thus rejects the others. If this happens, you may find yourself taking on the new "bottle baby" kid that has been orphaned. The pygmy goat --- as its name implies --- is one of the smaller breeds of dairy goats, but it produces a decent amount of milk for its size. According to 4-H, the pygmy breed is one of the popular goat breeds to raise, because pygmies are easy to handle, affectionate, cute, lovable and playful.

Things You'll Need

Syringe
Bottle
Towel
Milk formula
Feed

Instructions

How to Feed Orphaned Pygmy Goats
- 1
  Gather your supplies. Purchase proper kid/goat starter milk formula, bottles and nipples from your livestock feed store. Have towels on hand to wipe up the spilled milk. Have hay ready for weaning.
- 2
  Ensure that your orphaned kid gets colostrum (mother's milk with the first round of antibodies) within the first 18 hours of life by gently squirting it into the kid's mouth with a syringe.
- 3
  Start bottle-feeding. At first, it may be difficult, because the kid is biologically programmed to only take its mother's nipple. You may have to use a little gentle force to get the kid sucking from a bottle.
- 4
  Feed around the clock (every two to three hours) for the first day. After that, the kid should be okay overnight, with day feedings every three to four hours. After one week, feed every five to six hours; at four weeks, twice a day. Be sure to increase the amount per feeding as the frequency of the feeding goes down.
- 5
  Wean the baby goat by introducing it to hay once it is about one to three weeks old. The entire process of converting from liquid to solid feeding takes about three months. After your kid starts eating some solid food, provide it with clean, fresh water at all times.

Animals & Science