How to Care for Baby Goats

Make sure your kid has received colostrum. If you purchased your baby goat when they were at least five days old, don't worry. If you have a doe and plan on kidding yourself you need to understand colostrum. Colostrum is the first thick milk produced by your doe. It contains nutrients, carbs and proteins your baby goat needs. Most importantly, it contains antibodies, the only ones your young kid will have to protect him. The lining of your kid's digestive system changes within 24 hours of birth and he can only absorb those antibodies before the change occurs. Most does will make their own colostrum and you will have no worries. If your doe does not, you can buy colostrum at feed stores or from your vet.

Feed your baby goat regularly. Newborn kids have small stomachs and require feeding at least four times a day. This is easiest if the kid is left with his mother. There are cases when you may need to bottle feed your kid. Feed your baby goat using a baby bottle with a small "X" cut into the tip. Fresh goat's milk is best, but if you don't have access to goat's milk use raw cow's milk and add three tablespoons of corn syrup to each gallon. Your kid may refuse the bottle at first but be patient and persistent.

Provide your baby goat with a warm, dry place to sleep. The area should be covered to provide protection from the sun and rain. It should also be draft free. Straw is an ideal choice for bedding as it does not cling to your baby goat's coat, is easy to clean and provides good insulation. If your kid is born in the early spring or late winter a heat lamp may be required to keep him warm, especially at night.

Clean around your kid's ears, face and back legs daily using a warm, damp cloth. Remove all debris from his hooves and groom his coat with a soft brush.

Start your baby goat's diet on a good-quality, mold-free, grass hay such as Timothy, Orchard or Bermuda. Baby goats will begin nibbling on hay at one week of age. There are special hay racks designed just for baby goats which allow them to stick their little heads into the feeder. Gradually start to wean your goat at eight weeks and slowly introduce him to a special blend of goat feed. Each feed mix is a little different but a top-notch feed will contain a minimum of 16 percent crude protein and three percent crude fat. Read the directions on the container for how much to feed your kid.

Make sure your baby goat's hooves are trimmed. There are many agricultural programs such as the Future Farmers of America and the 4-H Club that host clinics or give free advice on trimming. Trimming your baby goat is easy if you take your time and are careful. It is very important to trim your kid regularly as they can develop leg problems, lameness and hoof rot if their hooves are not properly cared for.

Dehorn your baby goat. This may sound cruel, but goats can accidentally hurt themselves, other goats and their owners with their horns. Disbudding is best done at two weeks of age. If you are an experienced goat owner you can remove the horns yourself with the correct equipment. Novice owners should always seek help.

Vaccinate your kid against Enterotoxemia and Tetanus at three weeks of age. Follow this with a booster at at six weeks of age.

Neuter all males that you don't plan on breeding. Too many bucks can cause problems in your herd. There are three ways to neuter goats: cutting, banding and use of the Burdizzo castration device. Banding is the most common and easiest way for beginners to neuter their goats. A special tool, a band castrator, is used to put a small, heavy-duty rubber band around the goat's scrotum. This cuts off the blood flow to the scrotum. The testes die and eventually slough off within 14 days. Most males are mature enough to be neutered at four weeks of age.

Put your baby goat on a de-worming schedule. All goats suffer from worms, but over crowding, overgrazing and poor sanitation increase the problem. Start your kid on coccidiosis drugs before weaning.