Best Milk?

[Sunny75]

We have Lamanchas and are only milking one doe at the moment. Haven't had any other goat milk so can't give comparisons, but we love our Lamancha milk.. my stepdaughter won't touch cows milk, can't keep her away from the goat milk. We've made cheese, yogurt, and ice cream and loved it all.. at her peak as a 2nd freshener when we got her she was giving a bit more than a gallon a day. We didn't want to give up our fresh milk so made the decision to milk her through winter and she has now been in milk for 382 days and is still giving 1/2 a gallon a day (2ce daily milking). Our Lamanchas seem to be on the smaller side for the breed and love their personalities. such sweethearts.

 

[animalmom]

Really, you can't beat a lamancha with a stick when it comes to drink-ablility. I'd have them in a heartbeat if it wasn't for my no animal larger than me rule. They are delightful, quiet, eager to please and lovebugs.

 

[joshmod]

Wow folks, I am extremely grateful for the feedback. Right now we are on rented land which is primarily woody with some brush to clear. This will obviously mean a bit of feed cost, but along with your continued thoughts on milk, are there any particular breeds that forage better than others?

Thank you so much again!!!

 

[OneFineAcre]

@Southern by choice you will have to let me know how it goes. We are looking to do the same thing and it seems a little overwhelming.

Our show Memorial Day weekend has a 24 hour test
A bargain at $10 per animal just to get the lab done on the sample
Right now we plan on doing the test
Maurine is the assistant supervisor and just took the class and test and is a certified tester
But we have to consider when the milk out is Friday night and the order on Saturday. Are you shooting yourself in the foot for the show if the other Nigerians aren't on test

 

[Pearce Pastures]

But we have to consider when the milk out is Friday night and the order on Saturday. Are you shooting yourself in the foot for the show if the other Nigerians aren't on test

Well, I will have to pick your brain too when we start doing this. Could you elaborate on this part more, what you mean for the order thing and Nigerians not on test?

 

[Southern by choice]

Right now we are on rented land which is primarily woody with some brush to clear. This will obviously mean a bit of feed cost, but along with your continued thoughts on milk, are there any particular breeds that forage better than others?

Can't say there is a difference with any of our goats... they love vines and leaves more than anything. The big issue to look at is you are on rented land... if the goats start eating the bark on the trees they can kill them. Also if you do not move the goats regularly then they will dead kill all the vines etc. We let our goats semi clear out a space but move them so the food can grow back and they don't dead kill.
Miniatures (Minis) and Nigies are easier on trees etc. Our big girls stand on those back legs and can strip anything.

The other factor is the taste of milk... your milk with have different taste depending on what they eat. If they eat onions your milk will taste like onion.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Well, I will have to pick your brain too when we start doing this. Could you elaborate on this part more, what you mean for the order thing and Nigerians not on test?

A 24 hour milk test is just that 24 hours
You milk out dry on Thursday supervised
12 hours later you milk and they weigh and take a sample for testing
You repeat in 12 hours
What time is this Friday night? It might be 8 pm
So if you are doing the test you milked yours dry at 8pm
You are showing Saturday morning
If you milk twice per day you do it every 12 hours but a doe will not be full at 12 hours and you want her full in a show
You don't want her tight but you want to show a full udder
I learned you can always take some out but you can't put any back in
So if the other Nigerians aren't testing and they milk out at 5
pm Friday and check their animals at 5 am and make sure the high producers aren't getting too full and let the lower prodicers fill more you are at a disadvantage in show
Gosh that was too much typing on my phone

 

[Pearce Pastures]

We have boer, nigerian, pygmy, and crosses of Nubian/Oberhasli/Lamancha. They all like to munch and will take down weeds and woody plants in no time. Nigerians do produce quite a bit of milk for less feed, and they might be one I would say that would make best use of land. For forage ability though, they are all good.

I have only had tree issues with two goat---the Oberhasli wether and our mega-mutt dairy goat (she has an amazing udder, kids well, good momma but is a cross of four different breeds). Those two were/are very very smart and would work as a team to grab branches, pull them down, and take turns eating them. The wether went to freezer camp but the doe is still a stinker (pic of her on my goat shaming thread stuck in a tree).

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Thanks OFA! That makes sense. (I hate phone typing too--I can only use one finger to type. Dunno how folks do the double-thumb thing all fast).

 

[OneFineAcre]

Can't say there is a difference with any of our goats... they love vines and leaves more than anything. The big issue to look at is you are on rented land... if the goats start eating the bark on the trees they can kill them. Also if you do not move the goats regularly then they will dead kill all the vines etc. We let our goats semi clear out a space but move them so the food can grow back and they don't dead kill.
Miniatures (Minis) and Nigies are easier on trees etc. Our big girls stand on those back legs and can strip anything.

The other factor is the taste of milk... your milk with have different taste depending on what they eat. If they eat onions your milk will taste like onion.

They will definitely kill trees
From smallest to largest