How to Heat Up Replacer Milk for My Baby Goat

Knowing the correct procedure for heating up substitute milk for a baby goat may mean the difference between life and death for your goat kid. Milk that's too cool may increase your baby goat's chances of getting chilled, which could lead to other serious health problems, such as scours (diarrhea). Milk that's too warm burns your baby goat's mouth, which may cause it to refuse to eat, especially if you're just starting out with bottle feeding. Whether you plan to feed your goat kids artificial milk replacer (powdered milk) or frozen goat milk from another doe, you'll need the milk to be ideally about 100 degrees F, according to Gail Damerow, author of "Your Goats."

Things You'll Need

  • Powdered goat milk replacer
  • Tap water
  • Measuring cup
  • Glass jar with lid
  • Goat nursing bottle and nipple
  • Bucket
  • Candy thermometer
  • Frozen goat's milk
  • Zipper freezer bags
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Instructions

  1. Powdered Goat-Milk Replacer

    • 1

      Opt for a milk-replacer formula designed specifically for goats in order to provide your goat kid with the proper levels of vitamins and minerals. Check the mixing instructions on the bag to ensure that you're providing the correct ratio of powder and water. Never try to save money by thinning out the goat powder formula with extra water, since this drastically decreases the amount of nutrients that your goat kid acquires each day.

    • 2

      Use a measuring cup to measure the correct amount of cold water for one milk feeding into a glass jar. Pour the correct amount of goat milk powder into the jar, put the lid on the jar and shake it vigorously to mix the powder completely with the water.

    • 3

      Transfer the cold goat-milk formula to your goat-milk bottle and put the nipple on top of the bottle. Fill a bucket with hot tap water. Let the bottle of milk sit in the hot tap water to warm up. Pour several drops of milk on your wrist to ensure that you can just barely feel warmth or use a candy thermometer to verify that it measures approximately 100 degree F before feeding your goat kid.

    Frozen Goat-Milk Replacer

    • 4

      Store frozen goat's milk in your freezer in two-quart, zipper freezer bags. Take one of the bags from your freezer and set it on a table or counter. Turn on hot tap water that is no more than approximately 130 degrees F. Fill a bucket with enough of the hot tap water to fully cover the freezer bag.

    • 5

      Insert the freezer bag of goat milk inside a larger freezer bag to contain the milk in case the original bag developed splits during its time in your freezer. Gently drop the bag of goat milk into the bucket of hot water.

    • 6

      Let the goat milk thaw in the bucket, stirring the water occasionally to encourage a more rapid thaw. When the hot water in the bucket cools, dump it out and replace it with a fresh supply of hot water for thawing the goat milk. Repeat this entire process until the goat milk is completely thawed.

    • 7

      Transfer the goat milk to a bottle. Drop the bottle into a fresh bucket of hot water to finish the heating process. Feed the goat milk to your baby goat when it's warm enough for you to just barely feel the heat when you let a drop of milk fall on your wrist.