WHILE BREEDING PRINCIPLES VARY among species, some apply across the board. I’ll discuss these commonalities in this chapter; specifics to individual species are covered in section 2. Some of the following material has been adapted from Storey’s Guide to Raising Meat Goats by Maggie Sayer and The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver (see Resources).
When you want to raise quality miniature livestock, the most important thing is to start with the best breeding stock you can afford and then take good care of it. These are some things to think about.
LEADING CAUSES OF INFERTILITY IN BREEDING MALES
Disease or injury
Physical defects (congenital or acquired)
Too fat or too thin
Improper feeding
Poor libido
Stress (including heat stress and the temporary aftereffects of high fever)
Age (too young or too old)
Never scrimp on your stud llama, stallion, jack, buck, ram, or boar. Depending on the species, females give birth to one to three or so offspring per year, but your male puts his stamp on a whole generation. Use a quality male, and have your vet give him a breeding exam six to eight weeks prior to breeding season to allow plenty of time to correct abnormalities.
The male should complement your females (small bucks with small females, for instance) and your breeding program, or investigate breeding by means of artificial insemination (AI). Choose bucks, rams, and boars from large, productive litters that are likely to sire multiples. Check a buck or bull’s teat structure; he has as much influence on his daughters’ teat structure as do their dams.
Up your breeding male’s plane of nutrition heading into breeding season. Don’t make him fat, but do make sure he has a lot of energy; he needs plenty of vim and vigor to do his job, especially if he’s expected to serve many females. In the heat of breeding season, vigorous hardworking males often forget to eat. If he’s lean going in to the breeding season, he won’t have the stamina he needs to do his job well.
I can’t say this often enough: If you keep breeding males, miniature or not, never, ever take them for granted. Rams and bucks in rut have maimed and killed humans; boars and bulls are notorious for the damage they can do. Friendly males are especially dangerous because handlers loosen their guard around them. Whenever possible, stay out of loose housing, pens, corrals, and pastures where breeding males such as bulls and rams in rut are kept. If you must go in, carry something you can use to defend yourself should the need arise, and never allow a breeding male to cut you off from your only avenue of escape.
The females you select for your breeding program should have good confirmation and be easy keepers, healthy, and productive. Then, they must be bred to a quality male.
Feed females correctly. No matter which species, unless they’re old or exceptionally poor keepers, dry (open; nonpregnant, nonlactating) brood females don’t need grain. Pregnant females don’t need grain until the second half of their last trimester of pregnancy.
Have your vet give bred females an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy and to see how many offspring they’re carrying. Ultrasound is effective and inexpensive, and it allows you to divide your females into groups and feed them according to their breeding status.
Vaccinate your females and give boosters a few weeks before they give birth so they’re sure to pass antibodies to their young through their colostrum. A neonate’s own immune system doesn’t begin functioning for weeks (the exact amount of time is species specific), so it needs to receive antibodies from its dam to stay healthy. At the same time we boost our does and ewes, we inject them with a selenium and vitamin E supplement called Bo-Se. This is a common practice when raising livestock in selenium-deficient parts of the country; check with your vet or county extension agent to see if it’s needed in your locale.
Be there when they give birth. Too much can go wrong to leave this to chance. We’ll talk about that again in a moment.
And protect those babies from predation. Even a fox can carry off a newborn miniature lamb or kid; coyotes love them (and foals and calves as well). Use your best guardian animals in pastures where neonates are present, or keep youngsters penned near the house until they’re older.
Finally, monitor babies’ health by visually inspecting them at least twice a day. It doesn’t take long for a youngster to die from coccidiosis, enterotoxemia, E. coli, bloat, or another fast-acting, life-threatening disease.
We pack our birthing supplies in a Rubbermaid toolbox-stool. It’s roomy, it has a lift-out tray for small items, it’s easy to lug to the barn, and it’s so much nicer to sit on than an overturned 5-gallon bucket.
It holds:
A bottle of 7 percent iodine solution used to dip newborns’ navels. Due to government regulations that went into effect on August 1, 2007, this has been difficult to obtain over the counter, but we prefer it and feel it’s worth the hassle. Some producers substitute solutions with a lower percentage of iodine, and the University of Minnesota recommends a navel dipping solution concocted by combining one part chlorhexidine (Novasan) with three parts water. Commercial iodine-based teat dips are less than 1 percent iodine and not sufficient as a navel dipping solution.
A shot glass (to hold navel dip)
Sharp scissors (for trimming umbilical cords prior to dipping them in iodine); keep these scissors disinfected and stored in a sturdy resealable plastic bag
Dental floss (if needed to tie off a bleeding umbilical cord)
A digital veterinary thermometer
A bulb syringe (the kind used to suck mucus out of human infants’ nostrils)
A rubber leg snare (cord snares work well, too)
Shoulder-length obstetrical (OB) gloves
Two large squeeze bottles of lubricant (we prefer SuperLube from Premier1 — see Resources)
Betadine scrub (for cleaning up prior to assisting)
A sharp pocket knife (you never know when you’ll need one)
A hemostat (ditto)
A lamb-carrying sling (these work for miniature lambs, kids, crias, even tiny calves, and they really save your back from wear and tear)
An adjustable rope halter
Two flashlights (we like to have a backup in case the first flashlight fails)
Two clean terry cloth towels
Many livestock keepers approach birthing season with a combination of terror and delight. There is nothing more satisfying than healthy newborn baby animals. Still, things can go wrong at birthing time — terribly wrong — so the more you know about birthing the species you raise, the better off you (and your animals) will be.
It’s important to know your limits. If something is wrong and you have any doubt at all that you can handle it, call your vet! Minor things are easy to correct; a calf firmly wedged in its dam’s birth canal is not so easy. We won’t go into pulling calves with chains and tackle — that’s way beyond the scope of this book. But you should know the basics in case your vet isn’t available and you have to handle common dystocias yourself.
Keep in mind that most sheep, goat, and pig owners become quite proficient at this task, whereas correcting dystocia in larger miniature species such as llamas, equines, and cattle is a whole different story. Nonetheless, sometimes you have to try or your animal will die, and the following information is meant to help guide you through this process.
We’ll talk more about individual species’ birthing protocols in section 2 of this book. No matter what species you’re monitoring, keep the delivery environment low-key. Avoid bright lights, noise, and dogs. Snap photos if you like but do it from a distance. Unless something goes awry, don’t interrupt the female as she’s giving birth. Even then, work quickly and quietly, then get back out of the way.
Spend some time learning about the reproductive tracts of your females before your first llama, mare, jenny, doe, ewe, sow, or cow gives birth. You need to know where everything is located before you assist for the very first time.
While most births don’t require intervention, be ready to help if the need arises. Keep your fingernails clipped short and filed throughout birthing season (you won’t have time to do this when an emergency arises). Know how to determine the configuration of a “stuck” baby and how to correct it. If you think you might forget, photocopy and laminate instructions and keep them in your birthing kit.
Teach your fingers to see; this is especially important when assisting species prone to multiple births. To give yourself some practice, borrow a pile of plush toy animals. Put one in a paper bag not much larger than the animal. Without looking, stick your hand in the bag and figure out what you’re feeling. Switch animals. Find a larger paper bag and put three stuffed animals inside; see if you can sort out triplets.
Most breeders who monitor their animals’ births prefer that the event occur indoors. It’s easier to keep track of a stalled animal, and if something goes wrong, there are lights and running water close at hand. However, if you allow your females to give birth outside in a pasture, paddock, or corral (especially if you won’t be there), make certain it’s under hygienic conditions, the area is predator-proof, and the enclosure is such that she can’t lie down close to the perimeter and deliver her young under the fence.
A birthing stall is a better choice for all species except sheep. The stall should be completely stripped as needed, all surfaces sprayed with dilute bleach solution, and deeply re-bedded with dust-free straw (shavings and sawdust cause respiratory problems in neonates). It must be roomy enough for the female to walk around, roll, and stretch out in comfort. There must be no protrusions along the walls (nails, splinters, bucket hooks) that might hurt a newborn. It should provide privacy for the female but offer an unobtrusive spot from which an attendant can observe her giving birth. Water containers should be small enough or hung high enough that a wobbly cria or bouncy lamb can’t tumble headfirst into a bucket and drown.
Sheep have different needs. Ewes prefer to choose their own birthing spot near but somewhat secluded from their flock; when isolated in a birthing stall, they fret. One option is to bring a compatible flock mate to the birthing stall (the birthing ewe’s dam or a grown daughter is a good choice), or pen her where she can see other sheep.
And be sure to program appropriate numbers into your cell phone so you can phone several vets or mentors at the touch of a button.
First-stage labor begins with uterine contractions, includes dilation of the cervix, and concludes as the baby enters the birth canal. Although each species reacts somewhat differently to the onset of first-stage labor, all females become restless and attempt to isolate themselves from the rest of their flock or herd. First-timers are generally more restless than experienced dams. Females tend to lie down, get up, and reposition themselves frequently, and most kick or glance back at their abdomens.
The second stage comprises passage of the baby (or babies) through the birth canal, and third stage is defined by the passage of fetal membranes (the placenta) and closure of the cervix.
Once second-stage labor begins, the first thing to appear at the female’s vulva is a fluid-filled, water balloon–like sac called the chorion — one of two separate sacs that enclose a developing fetus within its mother’s womb (the other sac is the amnion). Either or both sacs can burst within the female or externally as the baby is delivered. This fluid provides lubrication for the balance of the delivery.
A calf in the normal headfirst birthing position
A lamb in the normal butt-first birthing position
Normal delivery position is a front-feet-first, diving posture. A foot appears inside the chorion (or directly in the vulva if the chorion has already burst), followed by another foot slightly behind the first one, and then the baby’s nose. Once the head is delivered, the rest of the baby quickly follows.
Also normal in some species (sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle) but not others (especially equines) is the caudle position in which the baby presents spine up but backward with his hind legs extended behind him. In a normal hind-feet-first delivery, two feet appear, followed by hocks. Because the umbilical cord is pressed against the rim of the pelvis during this delivery, it’s wise to gently help the baby out once his hips appear.
If it becomes apparent that you need to assist in a delivery, before you slide your hand inside a female, make certain your fingernails are short and that you’ve removed your watch and rings. Wash her vulva using warm water and mild soap or a product like Betadine scrub. Pull on an OB glove if you have one; if you don’t, scrub your hand and forearm with whatever you used to clean her, and then liberally slather your hand and arm or the glove with lube. Now pinch your fingers together and gently work your hand into the vulva. (Remember, you’re trying to form your hand into the smallest, most streamlined shape possible; don’t make a fist, rather keep your fingers stretched straight out and grouped tightly together.) When working with goats, the doe will probably scream (and possibly keep screaming the entire time you’re helping her — goats are notorious drama queens), so don’t be surprised (or intimidated) when she does.
Determine which parts of the baby are present in the birth canal. Closing your eyes and visualizing what is at your fingertips can help. If the baby’s toe points up and the big joint above the toe bends down, it’s a foreleg. If the toe points down and the major joint above the toe bends in the same direction, it’s a hind leg. If you can, follow each leg to the shoulder or groin, making sure the parts you’re feeling belong to the same baby. When you’re certain they do, if you can manipulate the baby into a normal birthing position, do so (see instructions for dealing with each abnormal position below), and then help pull it out (by this time the dam will usually be too exhausted to do it all by herself). If you can’t reposition the baby in 10 minutes, stop trying and call your vet.
Because of anatomical differences, you can’t pull the young of most species with tackle the way some producers pull a badly stuck calf. If you must pull, use lots of lube, be judicious, and pull only while the female is having a contraction. Don’t pull straight back; pull out and down in a gentle curve toward the birthing mom’s hocks.
If you’ve purchased a rubber lamb or kid snare, be aware that you can’t use it to actually pull a lamb or kid. It’s made to fasten around its legs so that you don’t lose track of them while correcting dystocias. If you pull, the snare stretches — this is not a good thing. To actually pull a baby of any species, grasp the legs with your hands, preferably above the pasterns but below the knees or hocks, then pull.
The inside of the reproductive tract is extremely fragile, and if you or the baby tears part of it, the dam will almost certainly die. When repositioning a baby, cup your hand over sharp extremities, such as hooves, and work carefully and deliberately; your female’s life depends on your gentle technique.
If you have to pull one baby and there are more present, pull them all. Your female will be exhausted; simply help her get them out so she can rest.
Any time your hands must go into a female to assist her, you must follow the birth with a course of antibiotics. Ask your vet for instructions.
These drawings (opposite) illustrate dystocia in goats, but they apply to all of the species covered in this book, except pigs. A sow’s reproductive system is considerably different from the rest of the females we’re discussing, so we’ll talk about assisting pigs in section 2 of this book.
True breech presentation (butt first, legs tucked forward). Some does and ewes can give birth in this position and others can’t. Larger species such as equines and cows are unable to give birth like this. If your animal can’t, call your vet. It’s best not to try to do this yourself; however, if you must attempt to reposition this baby, try to elevate the female’s hindquarters before you begin. Push the baby forward, work your hand past its body (it’s a tight squeeze), and grasp one hock. Raise up the hock and rotate it out away from the body. While holding the leg in that position, use the little and ring fingers of the same hand to work the foot back and into normal position. Repeat on the opposite side. The umbilical cord will be pinched, so pull the baby as quickly and safely as you can.
One leg back. Many does and ewes can deliver in this position, but larger species usually can’t. Push the baby back just far enough to allow you to cup your hand around the offending hoof and gently pull it forward.
Head back. A small lamb or kid with its head bent back to its side can sometimes be pulled, but do your best to correct the position before pulling. Don’t try to pull larger species when the head is turned to the side. To correct the position, attach a cord or a rubber snare to the front legs so you don’t lose them, then push the baby back as far as you can and bring the head around into position. Alternate problem: Sometimes the front legs are presenting but the head is bent down. This is more difficult to correct. Attempt to correct this in the same manner, but call your vet and make sure he’s on his way before you try it.
Crosswise. This is a bad one, so call the vet without delay. Until he arrives, push the baby back as far as you can (elevating the dam’s hindquarters will help) and determine which end is closer to the opening. Then begin manipulating that end into position. These babies are usually easier to deliver hind feet first.
All four legs at once. Attach cords or a rubber snare to a set of legs, making certain you have two of the same kind (front or back), then push the baby back as far as you can. Reposition the baby for either a diving position or hind-feet-first delivery, depending on which set of legs you’ve captured.
Twins (or triplets) coming out together. Attach cords or a snare to two front legs of the same baby (follow the legs back to their source to make sure they’re attached to the same individual). Push the other baby (or babies) back as far as possible, and bring the captured individual into the normal birthing position.
Twins coming out together with one reversed. Follow the same protocol as for twins coming out together, but since it’s generally easier to do so, pull the reversed baby first. If both are reversed, pull the baby closest to the opening.
When the little one arrives, remove birthing fluids from its nose by applying pressure and sliding your fingers along the sides of its face. If the baby is struggling to breathe, use the bulb syringe from your birthing kit to suck fluid out of the nasal passages. If it’s really struggling to breathe or not breathing at all, firmly grip its hind legs between the hocks and pasterns, place your hand behind its neck (near the withers) to support it, and swing it in a wide arc to jump-start its breathing.
It’s worth mentioning, for beginners’ sakes, that an alarming number of newborn kids, lambs, and piglets appear to be dead. In most cases their hearts are pumping but they haven’t started to breathe. Swinging usually helps them to breathe, and tickling the inside of their nostrils with a piece of straw or hay works well, too. Don’t give up. If you keep stimulating these babies, chances are they’ll start to breathe and be perfectly okay.
Once the baby is breathing, place it in front of its dam so she can begin cleaning it. The taste and scent of her baby creates a maternal bond. At some point she may leave the baby to deliver another one. This is normal. Simply place both babies in front of her after the second has arrived.
Once all babies have been born (if in doubt, go inside the dam and check), think “snip, dip, strip, and sip.” Snip the umbilical cord to a manageable length if it’s overly long (2 inches is a good length in most species). Fill a shot glass, film canister, or dairy cow teat dip cup with 7 percent iodine solution, hold the container to the baby’s belly so the cord is completely submersed, then tip the cup back to be sure the cord is fully covered; don’t omit this important step. Strip the female’s teats to make certain they aren’t plugged and that she indeed has milk, then make sure the baby sips its first meal of vitally important colostrum within an hour or so after birth.
Colostrum is a thick, yellowish milk produced by female mammals for only 48 hours or so after giving birth. It’s packed with important nutrients, but more important, colostrum contains antibodies that neonates need in order to survive.
The lining of a baby mammal’s intestine can absorb maternal antibodies for roughly 12 to 24 hours after birth. Babies that don’t ingest sufficient high-quality colostrum lack immunity to disease until their own immune systems kick in, and they rarely survive; colostrum is that important.
If a baby can’t nurse from its dam but she’s still available, milk her and tube-or bottle-feed her colostrum to the baby in species-specific portions, a little at a time, until the baby has ingested 10 percent of its total body weight in fluid (see box above for estimating weight). If you can’t use colostrum from the dam, fresh or frozen colostrum from another female of the same or a similar species will do (horse colostrum for a donkey or vice versa; cow, sheep, or goat colostrum for any small ruminant).
WEIGHING MINIATURE BABIES
You’ll need a bathroom scale and a flat board at least 2 feet x 2 feet in size.
1. Bring the scale and the board to the baby.
2. Place the board on the ground and the scale on the board. Weigh yourself and make a note of the weight.
3. Quietly approach the animal, reassuring it that you aren’t going to hurt it. Catch it with a firm hold.
4. Hop back onto the scale and note your combined weight.
5. Put the animal down, return to the scale, and recheck your own weight in case things moved while you were weighing the animal.
6. Deduct your weight from the combined weight to get the newborn animal’s weight. Done!
A miniature calf being weighed
You can freeze colostrum for up to one year. Freeze it in single feedings in double-layered resealable plastic sandwich-size bags for easy access. Avoid storing it in self-defrosting freezers; constant thaw and re-freeze cycles affect its integrity. Never microwave colostrum. This kills the protective antibodies. Instead, immerse the container in a hot water bath until the colostrum registers normal body temperature for that species (see page 127). Measure the temperature with a thermometer to be certain.
If colostrum is unavailable, the baby may survive if promptly given a weight-appropriate injection of an immunoglobulin (IgG) replacer such as Goat Serum Concentrate (for sheep and goats) or feed Seramune Equine IgG (for horses, donkeys, and mules). These are not the same thing as the inexpensive, powdered supplements based on cow colostrum that you’ll find on the shelf at your local feed store; if you have nothing else, try them, but most who do report very limited success.
Colostrum-deprived babies should be exposed to disease as little as possible. Keep them in the house (in the case of bottle babies) or house them away from other livestock (in the case of dam-raised youngsters).
Your female will ideally deliver her placenta shortly after the birthing. In some species, such as with equines, it’s vitally important that it be delivered promptly, as a retained placenta quickly leads to toxemia and laminitis. Females of most mammalian species are hard-wired to eat the placenta. Try not to let that happen lest the female choke. Instead, wearing gloves, pick up the placenta and dispose of it by burning or burying it.
Neonates are delicate creatures, so don’t allow them to become wet or chilled. Keep newborns inside during inclement weather. If one should get soaked, bring it in, dry it off, and warm it up as quickly as you can.
Babies delivered in winter generally require supplementary heat to get them warm and to keep them from getting cold. Avoid hanging a heat lamp in your barn, however. Improperly hung heat lamps cause fires. For a better and safer alternative, fit neonates with body coverings that hold in heat. Commercial kid, lamb, calf, cria, and foal blankets are readily available, but it’s easy and cheaper to make your own. Snip holes in a man’s large woolen sock to make a stretchy sweater for miniature lambs, kids, or piglets. Or buy an infant-size cardigan sweater at your favorite secondhand clothing store, snip off the sleeves, and fit it to a calf, cria, or foal so it buttons along the baby’s spine. Also, deeply bed the maternity stall with straw so babies can hunker down into its warmth.
The first manure a newborn passes is a black, tarry substance called meconium (after that expect yellow-tan stools of puddinglike texture). If the baby seems to be straining or if you don’t see traces of black goo on its butt or in the stall, give the youngster all or part of a Fleet enema for human infants, depending on its size.
Stay safe. Whenever possible, warm neonates with coverings instead of heat lamps.
The young of certain species require specific immunizations and supplementations (for instance, piglets are born needing iron supplementation). Ask your vet what newborns of your species, raised in your locale, need.
For many reasons — a ewe has more lambs than she can feed, you’d prefer to drink your Miniature Jersey’s milk yourself, or you simply enjoy raising your stock from day one — raising bottle babies is often part of a breeder’s life.
Raising bottle babies should not be a part of a llama raiser’s life, however. Bottle-feeding baby llamas has been strongly implicated in the development of aberrant behavior syndrome (ABS) (see page 339 of the llama chapter). If you absolutely must do it, discuss the project with someone familiar with this problem in llamas, such as the Southeast Llama Rescue (see Resources).
Brace large neonates like equines and calves against your leg when teaching them to nurse from a bottle.
Bottle babies need colostrum for the first 24 to 48 hours of their lives. After that you’ll have to choose between milk replacer and real milk.
Folks who raise a lot of bottle babies almost invariably prefer real milk. Though milk replacers are carefully formulated for each species, they still often lead to scours and bloat. We’ve used pure, wholesome goat milk; real milk formulas; and milk replacers — and that’s how we’d rank them in descending order.
If you plan to raise bottle babies every year, invest in a dairy goat (actually, buy two because goats are social creatures and need friends). The young of virtually every species discussed in this book can thrive on goat milk, though obviously cow’s milk would be the first choice for calves. Or find a goat dairy to supply your needs; even in states where the sale of goat milk for human consumption is prohibited, it’s often available for use as animal feed.
You could also feed a high-quality milk replacer formulated for your species. Do not feed multispecies milk replacers supposedly designed for newborn mammals of all kinds, and do not feed soy-based products. The former won’t provide adequate nutrition and may lead to scouring (serious diarrhea); the latter is difficult for neonates to digest. Always mix the product you choose according to directions on the label and measure portions; it really does matter.
Some people say it’s okay to feed neonates two times a day. Don’t believe it! Baby animals require small amounts of nourishment that is fed often and at regular intervals as follows:
Days 1 through 7. Feed every two to four hours around the clock (feed weak neonates smaller amounts more often).
Days 8 through 14. Feed every four hours around the clock.
Days 15 through 21. Feed four times per day, omitting the nighttime feeding.
Days 22 through weaning. Feed three or four times per day. About two weeks before weaning, omit one feeding per day; one week before weaning, omit another feeding; at weaning time quit feeding altogether.
It’s impossible to make a blanket statement about how much to feed such a wide range of species. Talk to your vet or someone experienced in raising youngsters of your species. Here is how we feed a typical Classic Cheviot lamb:
Days 1 and 2: 1 to 2 ounces of colostrum per meal
Days 3 and 4: 2 to 4 ounces of milk per meal
Days 5 through 14: 4 to 6 ounces per meal
Days 15 through 22: 6 to 10 ounces per meal
Days 23 through 35: gradually work up to feeding 12 to 16 ounces per meal, depending on the lamb’s size
Week 12: cut meals back to 8 ounces each (by then the lamb is eating grass or hay and nibbling a small ration of commercial pelleted feed)
Between 12 and 14 weeks: gradually wean the lamb
Stand babies of larger species like foals and calves in front of you so you’re both facing the same direction. Brace its butt against your legs, and brace its fore-quarters with your elbows (you may have to sit on a bale of hay or straw to do this). Open its mouth with your left hand, and insert the nipple of the bottle. Place your palm under its jaw, and use your fingers to keep the nipple aligned with its mouth. With your right hand, elevate the bottle just enough to keep milk in the nipple, tilting the bottle more as the baby empties it. If the baby doesn’t suck, gently squeeze the bottle so a tiny amount of milk goes into its mouth. Allow time for the baby to swallow.
To start a baby of a smaller species, like a kid or lamb, sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Sit the baby on its butt in your lap, facing away from you. Open its mouth with your left hand, and insert the nipple. With your palm under its jaw, use your fingers to keep the nipple aligned with its mouth. With your right hand, elevate the bottle just enough to keep milk in the nipple, tilting the bottle more as the little guy empties it.
Every producer has his or her favorite bottle-feeding gear. We feed our lambs and kids with Pritchard teats attached to reused plastic water bottles. You could also use them for starting miniature donkey and horse foals. The Pritchard teat is an oddly shaped red nipple attached to a yellow plastic cap ring that is sized to fit standard screw-top household containers (including recyclable 12-ounce and 1-liter soda bottles). Its plastic base incorporates a “valve” that makes fluids flow smoothly through the nipple.
Pritchard teat
Other folks prefer human baby bottles, especially brands with ergonomically designed nipples (NUK is a good one).
Soft rubber lamb nipples from the feed store work well for most species. However, lamb nipples push rather than screw on, so eager eaters such as foals and calves sometimes yank them off the bottle at inopportune times.
Whatever type you use, enlarge the hole in the nipple so the milk flows better as the youngster sucks; otherwise the baby might get discouraged and quit before it finishes its meal. Don’t make the hole so big that milk pours down its throat and the baby aspirates fluid into its lungs.
Wash the nipple and the plastic soda or water bottle after each feeding in hot, soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. At the end of a 24-hour cycle, recycle the bottle. If you don’t use a clean bottle every day, sanitize the one you use at least once a day using a solution of 1 part household bleach to 10 parts water and then very thoroughly wash and rinse it out. But don’t bleach nipples; bleach degrades them very quickly. Simply scrub them well with good, old-fashioned soapy water.
There are few things as frustrating as a bottle baby that refuses to take a bottle. These are generally youngsters that nursed their dams and are pretty sure the stuff you are offering them is poison. However, the baby has to eat, so here are some tricks to try:
Try different nipples until you find one it likes.
Lightly coat the nipple with fruit yogurt or sugar.
Cup your hand above its eyes to simulate the darkness of its dam’s groin.
When the baby won’t nurse after you’ve offered it a bottle, put the bottle away and try again later. It may take three or four of these sessions until it’s finally hungry enough to eat. In the meantime, tube-feed it (have your vet tube-feed foals) if necessary. The baby must stay hydrated to survive.
Whatever you do, be very careful not to force milk down a bottle baby’s throat; if it aspirates fluid into its lungs it may die. Be patient and persevere. In time, most youngsters do nurse.
Most everyone approaches a first tube-feeding session with fear and trepidation. Don’t worry; the process is easier than you think.
You’ll need the proper equipment: a feeding tube and a 60 cc syringe with the plunger removed. Soft plastic tubes designed specifically for the job work best, but an open-ended, 6-mm-diameter piece of 20-inch-long plastic tubing (ask for it at the hardware store) will also do in a pinch. Always sanitize the feeding tube and syringe between uses, and warm the tube just prior to use by immersing it in a bowl of clean warm water. Here are instructions for tube feeding a goat (the procedure is largely the same for all species):
1. To tube-feed a kid, place the tube alongside his body with one end at the animal’s last rib, as shown in the illustration. Mark the tube near the animal’s mouth.
2. Sit in a comfortable position with the kid facing away from you, its shoulders restrained between your knees and its body dangling down between your legs. The goal is to insert the tube into the kid’s esophagus, not the trachea (windpipe), and with its body in this position, the tube is almost certain to go where it’s supposed to.
3. Take the tube out of the warm water, insert the rib end in the kid’s mouth, and slowly feed the tube down the baby’s throat. In this position, he will readily swallow the tube.
4. Check to make certain the tube is in the esophagus, not the trachea. Here’s how you can tell it’s in the esophagus: (1) As you insert the tube, you can see it advance along the left side of the kid’s neck; (2) the kid shouldn’t gag or cough (although it may briefly struggle); (3) the tube can be easily inserted all the way to the mark you made on it (a tube inserted into the trachea can’t advance that far).
5. Attach the mouth of the feeding tube to the empty syringe. Fill the syringe with warm fluid and allow it to gravity-feed into the kid’s stomach.
6. Next, detach the syringe and crimp off the end of the tube, then quickly and smoothly withdraw the tube (don’t allow fluid to leak from the tube as you pull it out).
Windpipe and esophagus when a goat swallows
Windpipe and esophagus when a goat breathes
A. Attach the tube to the syringe.
B. Fill the syringe.
C. Gravity-feed the kid.
Some people prefer to pan- or bucket-feed piglets, calves, and foals because it’s faster and easier than bottle feeding.
Most calves and foals learn to drink from a pan quite readily if you place your finger in its mouth, then, while it’s sucking, raise up a small bowl containing milk or milk replacer to its muzzle. Slowly remove your finger from its mouth while it’s drinking. If it stops drinking, repeat the procedure of sticking your finger in its mouth and letting it suck until it’s drinking by itself. Always bring the milk up to the baby; never force its head into a bucket. Once the baby has mastered the skill of drinking, you can hang a shallow bucket in its stall and replenish the milk at every feeding. Cleanliness is important: buy two buckets so you can thoroughly wash and disinfect one while the other is in use.
Piglets are easier still. Simply hold the piglet and gently dip its snout in a shallow container of milk. It will fling its head and fuss, but in just a few tries most piglets catch on.
