Suck-It Bucket

With 13 kids to feed, doing it one at a time is just not very good time management. Not to mention it would be never ending! Enter the "Suck-It Bucket"

You can purchase a bucket, they are usually called a Lamb Bar. Most supply catalogs sell them, and they can get quite pricey.


My handy husband, Jim, made this one for me. It's a leftover 5 gallon bucket from his work that we cleaned out. He drilled holes in the sides to accomodate the nipples that I purchased from Hoeggers Supply. He drilled it just smidge smaller so it's a tight fit. Next we purchased some clear tubing from the hardware store that fits into the back of the nipple. Sort of like a big straw!



I just fill the bucket with warm milk, and let the little buggers feed themselves. Since I put out one bucket and there are only 5 feeding spots on it, I do split them up for feeding time. The smaller and younger goats get first shot at the bucket and eat until they are full. Then I put it in with the larger kids. This prevents bullying and enables every kid to have a sufficient amount of milk. At this point the smaller kids are getting 3 feeding chances a day and the larger ones are getting 2. The kids that are getting weaned are down to once a day, they are really thinking the world is unfair!

Pasteurizing Colostrum

Colostrum: The first milk a mammal produces after giving birth. It is thicker and yellower than regular milk and contains special nutrients and antibodies to help a newborn.

I choose to bottle raise my kids on pasteurized milk for two reasons.

1) Bottle raised kids are generally much easier to handle. They associate people with food and are less skittish than dam raised kids.

2) Pasteurization kills the virus causing CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis) This virus doesn't affect humans, but it can be debilitating to

goats.

Here are some supplies you will need. A thermos, candy thermometer, a measuring cup and a funnel. I got this funnel set from Hoegger's Dairy Supply, and it has been one of my most used kitchen items. You can screw the funnel off the bottom and add on a screen to use it like a strainer. Very worth purchasing! You'll also need a tea kettle and a double boiler type set up.

Colostrum is touchy stuff, if you get it too hot then you'll end up with a very unappetizing and useless pudding. First I heat up my tea kettle of water, when it comes to a boil then pour it into your thermos to pre-heat it. Next set up your double boiler. As you can see, mine is creatively made. (polite terminology for rigged)

Heat the colostrum to 130*, make sure you stir occasionally. When it reaches the proper temperature dump the hot water out of your thermos and put the colostrum in. This is where the funnel or measuring cup would come in handy. Close up the thermos and set your timer for 1 hour.

When your time is up, your colostrum is pasteurized and ready to use.

This is Baco, she gave birth to 2 beautiful doe kids this evening. Baco is a registered Alpine doe.

Above is Buena and below is her sister Bonita. Aren't they just too cute?