# Goats milk



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Anyone ever use goats milk with new puppies? I'm using dry milk to introduce them to stuff other than from "mom."


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

I use goats milk both for the pups and for mom. Especially those first couple of days when she is not too interested in food. 

Gets expensive but my moms so far are looking very very good, I've had breeders with a lot more litters under their belt then I have comment on what good shape they seem to be in.

Only 2 litters so far, the true test will be a few more litters down the road.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

A dog breeder in this area swears by it.
I drank a lot of that crap when I was a kid.....err.....young boy. :-&


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I worked for a kennel that used it for mom and pups starting at about 3 wks (sooner for a big litter).

It was mixed with yogurt and egg yolk (and raw hamburger for older pups) for a high-cal formula.


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## gisela festerling (Sep 30, 2007)

I have used it for mine as well as the rescues I foster. I love it. But I do opt for the real stuff.


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## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

Where do you _buy_ the stuff, anyway? I don't recall that I've ever seen it. Of course, I haven't been _looking_ for it, either.


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

Walmart, in the same aisle with all the canned milk.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Just in case anyone's curious, here's the average composition of various milk from different species:

Cow: 87.1% water, 3.8% fat, 4.8% lactose, 2.9% casein (a milk protein)
Ewe (I would assume a goat would be similar): 83.2% water, 6.2% fat, 4.3% lactose, 4.3% casein
Bitch: 79.2% water, 8.5% fat, 3.7% lactose, 3.9% casein
Woman (not that I suggest wet nursing your puppies!): 87.4% water, 3.8% fat, 7.0% lactose, 0.9% casein

So a small ruminant's milk is closer to bitch's milk than a large ruminant. Fun fact: seal milk is 53% fat! It keeps the seal pup warm and buoyant in the water. You can get goat's milk and goat's yogurt in a lot of natural health food stores. I'd definitely do a bit of yogurt for pups for probiotics!


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## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

We do goats milk when they weaning. Very happy with it, mix in the turkey, etc.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> I drank a lot of that crap when I was a kid.....err.....young boy. :-&


Me too, and I swear I can still taste it =P~


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> Me too, and I swear I can still taste it =P~


me 3, i used to breed dairy goats, separated cream, helped make soft cheeses...the BEST milk ever! rich, tasted like vanilla ice cream, the cream that rose overnight was SO dense and rich....

anyway, like maren said, it's better over all (more digestable) than cow's milk.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

The last year or so, I've gotten my cow's milk from a small local dairy who raises their herd organically and on pasture. The milk is SO much better. Like it's slightly sweeter and creamier. Plus it helps local farmers and hasn't been trucked across country. I'm not a huge milk drinker, usually just some skim milk in my cereal or to make some hot chocolate, but I was at my parents house at Christmas and I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast. I about spit it out because their regular store bought skim milk was just NOT the same. I've considered getting some Alpine dairy goats when we can get some acreage when I graduate. Some of them are very pretty. Wonder how'd they do in Wyoming or Colorado...


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

The breeder of our Landseer used to keep a few goats for feeding to the bitch and puppies - oops, I mean the milk of course.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Sue DiCero said:


> We do goats milk when they weaning. Very happy with it, mix in the turkey, etc.


Sue what if the turkey flies away? :wink:


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Sue what if the turkey flies away? :wink:


Cmon Howard! Everyone knows a wet turkey can't fly!  
BTW! You have sheep. Wouldn't that be the same milk as a goat? I know they weren't bred as a milk producing farm animal but how hard would it be to teach them to allow it? After all, shepherds will........errrrr....nevermind!
Seriously though!
If anything, why not put a few nannys in with your sheep?


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> Cmon Howard! Everyone knows a wet turkey can't fly!
> BTW! You have sheep. Wouldn't that be the same milk as a goat? I know they weren't bred as a milk producing farm animal but how hard would it be to teach them to allow it? After all, shepherds will........errrrr....nevermind!
> Seriously though!
> If anything, why not put a few nannys in with your sheep?


If the Bouvs are on the teat that will not leave any room for....Dan! [-X 
Besides they are not bred this year.The only "ram" in the pasture is me. Don't go there. 
There is a reason why the Scottish kilt has no zipper, the sound of the zipper upsets the sheep! :mrgreen:  8-[ 
Hoot-man.........


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Jeeze! I knew I'd never get the best of a real "sheepherder". :lol:


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> Jeeze! I knew I'd never get the best of a real "sheepherder". :lol:


Sorry Bob. \\/ Like mine say, "They only have eyes for ewe."


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