Bottle Feeding Baby Goats: Schedule, Amounts & Weaning
Whether you are raising bottle babies by choice (for friendlier, more handleable goats and controlled milk production from the dam) or by necessity (orphaned or rejected kids), bottle feeding is one of the most time-intensive but rewarding parts of goat farming. Get the schedule and amounts right and your kids will thrive. Get them wrong and you risk scours, slow growth, or worse.
Dam-Raised vs Bottle-Fed
Both approaches produce healthy goats. The choice depends on your goals:
| Factor | Dam-Raised | Bottle-Fed |
|---|---|---|
| Human friendliness | Varies — some are friendly, some skittish | Very friendly and bonded to humans |
| Your time | Low — the doe does the work | High — 3 to 4 feedings per day initially |
| Milk for you | Less available (kids are drinking it) | Full milk harvest from the doe |
| Kid growth rate | Often faster (on-demand nursing) | Good with proper schedule |
| Disease prevention | Risk of CAE/CL transmission through milk | Heat-treated milk or pasteurized eliminates CAE/CL risk |
| Cost | Lower (no milk replacer, no bottles) | Higher if using replacer; minimal if using farm milk |
The First 24 Hours: Colostrum
Colostrum is the single most critical factor in a newborn kid's survival. It provides antibodies (immunoglobulins) that the kid cannot produce on its own for the first several weeks of life.
- Amount: 10% of body weight in the first 24 hours. A 7-lb kid needs about 11 oz total. A 4-lb Nigerian Dwarf kid needs about 6 oz.
- Timing: First feeding within 1 hour of birth. The kid's gut can only absorb antibodies efficiently for the first 12 to 24 hours. After 24 hours, the gut "closes" and colostrum antibodies pass through without being absorbed.
- Frequency: Feed colostrum 3 to 4 times in the first 24 hours. Small, frequent feedings are better than one large feeding.
- Source: Dam's own colostrum is best. Frozen colostrum from a CAE-negative doe in your herd is second best. Powdered colostrum replacer (not supplement — replacer) is the backup option.
Feeding Schedule by Age
Standard dairy breed kids
| Age | Feedings/Day | Amount per Feeding | Total Daily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | 4 | 3 to 4 oz | 12 to 16 oz (colostrum, then transition milk) |
| Days 4 to 14 | 3 to 4 | 4 to 6 oz | 16 to 24 oz |
| Weeks 2 to 4 | 3 | 6 to 10 oz | 18 to 30 oz |
| Weeks 4 to 8 | 2 to 3 | 10 to 16 oz | 20 to 48 oz |
| Weeks 8 to 12 | 2 | 12 to 16 oz | 24 to 32 oz (begin reducing toward weaning) |
Nigerian Dwarf kids (smaller amounts)
| Age | Feedings/Day | Amount per Feeding | Total Daily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | 4 | 1.5 to 3 oz | 6 to 12 oz |
| Days 4 to 14 | 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 oz | 9 to 16 oz |
| Weeks 2 to 4 | 3 | 4 to 6 oz | 12 to 18 oz |
| Weeks 4 to 8 | 2 to 3 | 6 to 10 oz | 12 to 30 oz |
| Weeks 8 to 12 | 2 | 8 to 10 oz | 16 to 20 oz (reducing) |
How much milk does my kid need?
Enter your kid's breed and age for a per-feeding target based on the schedules above.
Every feeding and weight in one place
Once you have dialed in the amounts, log each kid's weights in Herd Manager to confirm a bottle baby is actually gaining, not just eating.
Track your kids free →What to Feed
Option 1: Goat milk from your herd (best)
Fresh, whole goat milk from your own does is the ideal bottle-feeding milk. It has the right fat and protein composition, the kid's digestive system is designed for it, and it is free if you are already milking.
- Can be fed fresh or stored refrigerated for up to 3 days
- Freeze extras in labeled bags for when fresh milk is not available
- Warm to 100 to 105 degrees F before feeding (body temperature)
- If pasteurizing for CAE prevention: 161 degrees F for 15 seconds, then cool before feeding
Option 2: Milk replacer
Use only goat-specific or kid-specific milk replacer. Calf milk replacer has different protein and fat ratios and can cause digestive problems in goat kids.
- Look for replacers with at least 22% protein and 22% fat (for goat kids)
- Mix exactly per label directions — too concentrated causes scours, too dilute causes poor growth
- Lamb milk replacer is an acceptable alternative if goat-specific is unavailable (closer in composition to goat milk than calf replacer)
Option 3: Cow milk (in a pinch)
Whole cow milk from the store works as a temporary substitute. It is lower in fat and protein than goat milk but kids can thrive on it. Many goat farmers use whole cow milk for bottle kids with good results. Do not use skim, 2%, or ultra-pasteurized.
Equipment
- Pritchard nipple: The standard for goat kids. Red nipple with a yellow cap that screws onto any standard soda or water bottle. Cut a small X in the tip — not too large or milk flows too fast and causes aspiration.
- Lamb bar / bucket feeder: For multiple kids. A bucket with multiple nipples attached. Kids learn to self-feed, saving significant labor. Best for 4+ bottle kids.
- Feeding tube (emergency): For kids too weak to suck. This is a life-saving skill to learn before kidding season. Your vet or an experienced goat mentor can teach you.
Weaning
Weaning typically occurs between 8 and 12 weeks of age, depending on the kid's size, rumen development, and your management preference.
Signs a kid is ready to wean
- Eating hay and grain consistently for at least 2 weeks
- Chewing cud (sign of functional rumen)
- At least double birth weight (ideally triple)
- Active, healthy, good body condition
Weaning method
Gradual weaning is less stressful than abrupt cutoff:
- At 8 weeks, drop from 3 feedings to 2 per day
- At 9 to 10 weeks, drop to 1 feeding per day
- At 10 to 12 weeks, reduce the single feeding amount over a few days, then stop
- Ensure hay, grain, water, and minerals are freely available throughout the transition
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Kid refuses bottle | Not hungry, milk too cold or hot, wrong nipple | Wait 30 min, warm milk to 100 to 105 degrees F, try different nipple. Gently pry mouth open and insert nipple. |
| Scours (diarrhea) | Overfeeding, milk too cold, dirty equipment, coccidia, bacterial infection | Reduce volume per feeding, ensure proper temperature, sterilize bottles between feedings, start electrolytes if dehydrated. |
| Bloat after feeding | Milk entering rumen instead of abomasum (wrong feeding position) | Feed with kid standing (not on its back). The nipple should be at or above head level so the esophageal groove directs milk to the abomasum. |
| Slow growth | Not enough volume, poor-quality replacer, parasites, coccidia | Increase per-feeding amount, switch to goat milk if using replacer, check for parasites and coccidia. |
| Floppy kid syndrome | Metabolic acidosis, often in overfed kids under 2 weeks | Reduce feeding volume, give baking soda solution (1/2 tsp in 2 oz warm water). Consult vet for severe cases. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much milk should a baby goat drink per day?
Aim for roughly 10 to 12% of body weight in milk per day, split across feedings. A standard dairy kid needs about 16 to 24 oz daily in the first two weeks; a Nigerian Dwarf kid about half that. Use the belly test to fine-tune: full and rounded after feeding, not tight like a drum.
Can baby goats drink cow milk?
Yes, whole cow milk from the store works as a temporary substitute. It is lower in fat and protein than goat milk, but kids do well on it. Never use skim, 2%, or ultra-pasteurized.
What milk replacer is best for goat kids?
Use only goat- or kid-specific milk replacer with at least 22% protein and 22% fat. Lamb replacer is an acceptable backup. Never use calf milk replacer, whose protein and fat ratios cause digestive problems in goat kids.
When should I wean a bottle-fed goat?
Between 8 and 12 weeks, once the kid has eaten hay and grain consistently for at least two weeks, is chewing cud, and has at least doubled (ideally tripled) its birth weight. Wean gradually rather than cutting off abruptly.
Why is colostrum so important for newborn kids?
Colostrum delivers antibodies the kid cannot make on its own for its first weeks of life. The gut only absorbs these antibodies for the first 12 to 24 hours after birth, so the first feeding must happen within an hour of birth.
Know every bottle kid is on track
Herd Manager logs birth weights, feedings, and growth for each kid, so you can see at a glance whether a bottle baby is gaining like it should and compare bottle-fed vs dam-raised results in your own herd.
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