Bottle Rearing Fawns with Goat Milk

So GLAD I read this.........


 


I rescued a fawn 3 weeks ago.  I have been worried because she is not producing pellets.  She has very runny poop and smells horrible.  The vet said to use more water than recommended with replacer (Land O Lakes) and add organic yogart to the bottle.  It helped a bit but we are still not there.  I adore this little girl and want what is best for her ( as far as what I can provide).


 


Should I use milk replacer and whole organic milk instead of water?????  She is drinking water from a bowl fine.  But when I feed her I can hear her tummy really grumble but she won't eat anymore.  She NEVER cries, so I am having to just make a bottle and see if she is hungry.  She seems happy and running around but does like to hide around the house.  Thank goodness I have a big house!!!


 


PLEASE PLEASE let me know if I should switch to grocery store milk (red cap????? whats that???)

The biggest concern is CAE

What is CAE????

Would any of you that are mixing red cap with milk replacer care to give your feeding schedule?  It seems like they would be more prone to bloating to me, but I'm no vet or expert by any means.  However, using replacer mixed in red cap is appealing to me because it would give the obvious increase in fat, protein etc.  Thanks, Travis

Travis,


 


I want to know also......this is the first time I have raised a fawn and the first I have heard about mixing but yes, I want her to grow up big and strong.  So I want to know all the info as well before I make a mistake.

I mix my replacer with red cap and feed on a 8 hour schedule. 5 am, 1 pm, and 9 pm. After reading a post for Jerrilee i put a heaping teaspoon of raw pumpkin ( not pie filing) in each bottle. I also try to keep my formula temperature at 100 degrees and  I don't over feed them. Haven't had any loose stool this year.

Just to clarify....When you say Red Cap...do you mean just whole milk from the grocery store?  If not, what is Red Cap???

Yes, just whole milk from the grocery store. Also i forgot to mention the I put probios powder in each bottle. If you get it from a farm supply store like tractor supply it comes with a small dipper to measure with. I put 1/3rd scoop in each feeding mixture.

Hershey's Huntin Haven954251406848274



I mix my replacer with red cap and feed on a 8 hour schedule. 5 am, 1 pm, and 9 pm. After reading a post for Jerrilee i put a heaping teaspoon of raw pumpkin ( not pie filing) in each bottle. I also try to keep my formula temperature at 100 degrees and  I don't over feed them. Haven't had any loose stool this year.




Do you then just follow the normal milk replacer formula recommended ounces / feeding?   A few years ago there was a post on someone that did this but they've gone out of business and I don't know how to get their schedule.  There was a similar thread then an they fed less than the recommended replacer formula schedule.

Not sure I understand your question. My first year I mixed 1/3rd formula to 2/3rds water. I had trouble with runny stool. Now I only put 2 to 3 oz of formula with my milk and alittle water feeding. I can feed two fawns with one bucket of formula.

If you mix formula with straight red cap milk (1/3 replacer 2/3 milk) it is a significant change in the nutritional value of the replacer with water.   I used zoologic and went directly off their recommendations on the box and had very minimal problems.  We did mix some pumpkin and powdered goat colostrum in the first few weeks as well as pedialyte if they were not eating well as we had one that was very difficult to feed up until the past couple weeks now she's one of my best eaters.  I started reading these forums years before I ever bought a deer so it's been a while but I believe it was Browning Whitetails that mixed replacer with straight red cap milk (1 part replacer 2 part red cap milk) so he did not feed his fawns as many ounces per feeding as the replacer label recommended.  If I understand you correctly you are just add about half as much replacer and use milk instead of water which is a little different from what I was thinking you did and probably a lot less guessing what is sufficient.  I believe I understand your method now and it makes sense because straight red cap should be lower in protein etc.

That's my thinking,

Yesterday was "Charlie's" first full day on Ultrapasturized Goats Milk straight from the carton.  Almost immediately there was a change in her stool.  This morning she made a form of pellets and her appetite is huge.  Energy level is high and her color looks amazing.  I am shocked at such a big change in such a short period of time.  The carton was not very expensive at all.  I suppose it would be for those raising more than 1 fawn.  In my case it works as I just rescue and rehab in my city.


 


Thank you all for your advise!