Baby goat abandoned at birth now being raised by sheepdogs

By Kate Pounds

A tiny goat triplet shunned at birth is thriving after she was taken in by two sheepdogs.

Lil, now five-weeks old, was born weighing just 500g - one-third the typical weight of a baby goat - on June 3.

But while her sisters were born normal weight and healthy, Lil couldn't stand or suck to feed from mom Betsy, so staff at Studley Grange Farm Park near Swindon, Wilts., had to step in.

Farm manager Julia Stewart, 50, made the tough call to bottle feed the newborn and bring her into the staff room.

Lil was so cold and shivery that Julia's friend made a special suit for her to wear, out of an old sock.

Then the farm's two sheepdogs, Luna, 14, and Nya, nine months, took an instant shine to Lil.

They stepped in a surrogate parents - washing her, playing with her and even snuggling up next to her to sleep, Julia said.

She also chose Julia as her mom - relying on her for feeds and companionship.

Little Lil grew stronger and is now out of the woods - and is even learning to round up the flock like her sheepdog companions.

Julia, mom of two and gran of one, said: "She's utterly adorable, and great fun.

"It's been very hard work but worth every minute.

"She's extremely cute and definitely thinks she's a dog.

"She also thinks I'm her mom. She bonded with me straight away.

"I couldn't leave her for days, and she wouldn't let anyone else feed her.

"When she was born she was so tiny she could sit in one of my hands.

"Most kids can stand but she could hardly keep her head up.

"You don't take them away from their mom unless you really have to.

"Including the lambs we probably have to hand raise a newborn once a year, but I've never known one to become so dependent on one person."

Lil was about five inches high at birth, compared to healthy goats which stand roughly a foot high.

Born second, Lil was getting cold while Betsy had the final triplet then began washing the other two, who were standing and feeding.

Julia and the team used Betsy's milk to tube feed Lil, and they rubbed her with straw and wrapped her up in towels to try and keep her warm.

They left her with mom overnight and checked on her and fed her every hour, but it was clear she was getting weaker.

In the morning Lil was brought into the caravan which is used as an office and staff room, and which became her home.

The dogs, border collies, immediately claimed her as their own.

Lil was also kept warm for three weeks by sock jackets made by Julia's friend, who cut out holes for Lil's legs to poke through.

She was given 12 feeds of mom's milk a day for five days, then put on a special formula.

Lil and her sisters are among 14 kids born at the farm, which has 15 adult goats as part of the petting zoo, this year.

The working farm produces lamb and pork, and eggs from ex-battery chickens Julia, from Devizes, Wilts., said.

The farm also has Dexter cows, and donkeys, and, in the mini zoo, wallabies, emus, raccoons, meerkats, and more, including a reptile house and a butterfly house.

Lil gets very vocal if she's left in with the other goats, preferring to follow Julia and the dogs around.

Julia plans to keep up Lil's sheepdog training.

Julia said: "Lil will always have that special bond with me and the team, and most importantly with the dogs.

"She'll always be special and different.

"Nya is her best friend."