Boer/Nubian cross?

[emily]

What is the benefit of a boer/nubian cross? I honestly want a full nubian for milking purposes. Would this cross be ok?

 

[ksalvagno]

Makes a good homesteading goat. A little more meat than a dairy goat but probably less milk than a dairy goat. Many people like them though. They tend to be hardier than a purebreed.

 

[Roll farms]

None of mine milk long, maybe 4-5 mos. tops, and production goes down around 3 mos. The milk is good, high in butterfat and sweet.

 

[emily]

I'm not planning to need tons of milk, so not as high milk production wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for me. Right now I'm the only one in my house that wants to drink the milk. Roll, how much milk do you get from yours after three months?

 

[mydakota]

My Elci is a Boer/Nubi cross. She puts wonderful meaty babies on the ground, and milks pretty good to. She milks for about 9 months and at the height of her lactation she can give as much as 3 quarts (this is with the kids ON her most of the day) She probably averages closer to 2 quarts. My Saanens milk heavier, and longer, but Elci is a great multi-purpose goat. This year she raised beautiful triplets and was on the milk stand from about 3 weeks.

 

[Roll farms]

Roll, how much milk do you get from yours after three months?

It varies. Some give more, for longer times....generally the more Boer in them, the less they produce for a shorter amount, but I had one Boer x Kiko who'd milk a gallon a day for a solid 6 mos.
I've got one 75% Boer, 25% Nub who SHOULD be a decent milker, her dam and grand dam were....but she gives maybe 2 cups a day.

Cool her milk as fast as you can, and 'sneak' some into a regular milk jug...I bet nobody notices the difference, or if they do, they'll think it's better than normal.

 

[rollingmeadow]

I've been doing a lot of research on boers lately since I will be starting with goats next spring. From what I've learned about meat goats is that they are bred to only milk for as long as needed to get kids to market age. Long lactation is discouraged because most meat goats are range animals and will not be milked. Lactating goats eat more so it is an economic thing. Some market meat goat producers use boer x nubian to get faster growing meat kids (hybrid vigor) plus the cross makes more milk than the full boer doe, ie bigger kids for the market.

Crossing a boer into a milk breed will likely shorten the cycle and lessen the amount somewhat, but that may not be a bad thing. If you live in a northern climate, like I do, you may not want to be milking in sub zero winters anyway. Plus with a cross you can freshen with a boer buck and be able to sell the kids you don't want to keep as market goats. Where I am the auction houses buy market kids for $120-175 / 100lbs (cwt).