How to Raise a Healthy Bottle Baby

Sometimes a newborn livestock baby just won’t nurse, and suddenly you’re the one on bottle duty! Whether a mom rejected her little one or a twin needs an extra boost, raising these bottle babies is a unique adventure full of wagging tails and 2:00 AM feedings. It might seem overwhelming at first, but with the right gear and a bit of patience, you can successfully step in and help your newest baby thrive.

Why a Newborn Might Become a Bottle Baby

There are several reasons a newborn might become a bottle baby. Sometimes the dam won’t recognize or accept her young, leaving it orphaned. Other times, the dam may not be able to care for the young or a difficult birth can leave a calf, lamb, or kid too weak to nurse. Twins and runts often need help too. It is important to step in quickly when there is a need to bottle feed, so having the resources prepared is important.

What You Need

Bottles
Nipples based on the species
Milk replacer based on the species
Time

Starting with a Newborn

The first priority of bottle feeding a newborn is making sure it receives its colostrum with the first few hours of life, but no later than 24 hours. This is critical for building immunity and protecting it from diseases. For more information about colostrum please read our previous post, Protecting Newborn Livestock From Disease. Fresh water should also be provided from birth to promote hydration.

Feeding Routine & Daily Management

Bottle feeding can be challenging, especially if the young has already nursed from the dam. See the below resources for some tips and tricks to help make everything easier. Always follow the milk replacer instructions carefully. Mixing, feeding amounts, schedule, and temperature all affect how well nutrients are absorbed. When mixed, the temperature of the milk should stay between 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit. The milk should be fed to the young at 102-105 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure proper digestion and prevent burning the baby. As the bottle baby grows, feeding intervals can become more spaced out. You can introduce a starter feed around 3 days of age to help the transition from milk to solid food. All bottles and feeding equipment must be cleaned thoroughly after each use to prevent illness.

Possible Health Concerns

Scours

Scours is the number one cause of death in young that are less than 1 month of age. It is diarrhea that can quickly and severely dehydrate the bottle babies. There are multiple causes of this, some our infectious such as viruses or bacteria. Other non-infectious causes are inadequate nutrition (most common), not feed on a regular schedule, incorrect temperature, and incorrect mixing.

Aspiration Pneumonia

If the bottle nipple is releasing more milk than the babies can keep up with, some will slip down their windpipe when they try to catch a breath. This is what causes aspiration pneumonia. To prevent this, ensure the nipple has the correct opening size for the species.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Overfeeding

Overfeeding and nutritional deficiencies can both result in death. It is important follow the instructions on your milk replacer to ensure that your bottle baby is getting the correct amount of nutrients needed each day.

Other Bottle Baby Options

It is common to purchase bottle babies from livestock auctions, commonly for 4-Hers. While this is a very good educational experience and opportunity for the youth, it is important to know the amount of time this will consume. Bottle babies require frequent feedings, daily care, and plenty of attention but it is incredibly rewarding. This blog can help you successfully raise a bottle baby.