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Goats Milk

Crystal butterfly

Warren Veteran
were all aware that Goats Milk is better then Kitten milk when handrearing baby rabbits, i have also given people this advice if they are ever left to handrear. im aware that cows milk can kill a baby rabbit because a rabbit is lactose and tollerant? is this right? if so doesnt Goats Milk also have Loctose in it? someone brought that up on another forum i thought it would be interesting to see what others on here have to say about it? or does diluting the goats milk make it less lactose?

i hope that all made sense :oops:

xx
 
Goats' milk is full of lactose still. The difference between goats' and cows' milk is something to do with the size of the protein molecules, or something! Goats' milk protein is apparently easier for humans to digest if they have trouble with the protein in cows' milk, but still got lactose in.
 
A baby rabbits digestive system is totally different to that of an adult. If I remember correctly the acidity level of a babies tummy is about 4/5 whilst and adults is 1/2. This is the reason so many kits tend to die around weaning age, their tummies have not altererd sufficiently to digest new food stuffs.

It has been suggested that the introduction of a PH aid such as Zantac may help with this.

Basically a baby rabbits digestive system is geared up to absorb milk (and a level of lactose) but an adults is not. The reason gaots milk is better is because it is more nutritional and closer simulates the rich milk of a mother rabbit.

The best feed to give a kit is goats milk with reconstituted colostrum added and a teaspoon of cream.
 
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