Choosing a goat

Junior

Ridin' The Range
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
30
Reaction score
34
Points
61
Location
Victoria, Australia
I’m thinking of getting a goat. I would like a milking goat that isn’t too much for me to handle. A smaller one would be ideal. I was thinking a Nigerian Dwarf. Are they any good or would you recommend something else?
She’ll need to be good with sheep and horses. Are Nigerian dwarfs usually friendly to most or not?
 

misfitmorgan

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 26, 2016
Messages
3,726
Reaction score
6,995
Points
423
Location
Northern Lower Michigan
ND are fine for milk animals. Make sure the person you get your goat/s from tests for the various diseases, breeds for good sized teats if you plan to hand milk, and good udder confirmation so they will be productive herd members for many years.

ND as with all goats can be friendly or they can be butts. You might think about a full size diary goat if she has to live with sheep and horses esp if she is going to be the only goat. If you look for a doe who is experienced being milked she will be friendly and should be pretty easy to handle. Also don't forget whatever bred of goat you get will need to be bred again every so often to come/stay in milk.
 

Alaskan

Herd Master
Joined
May 9, 2017
Messages
5,366
Reaction score
12,588
Points
553
Location
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
I’m thinking of getting a goat. I would like a milking goat that isn’t too much for me to handle. A smaller one would be ideal. I was thinking a Nigerian Dwarf. Are they any good or would you recommend something else?
She’ll need to be good with sheep and horses. Are Nigerian dwarfs usually friendly to most or not?
I think individual personality is a WAY bigger factor than small verses large or one breed verses another.

So... I would suggest finding where there are goats for sale in your area... and then go and look at what is available.

Getting goats tested for,and free of CAE,CL, and Johnes is a fantastic idea. Also, if they can be fully wormed before coming coming onto your property, and again right after... that will help to reduce the worm load on your property.

Other than that.. . What @misfitmorgan said.

If you haven't ever milked before, getting a goat that is already trained will make it easier on you.

And yes, if you are planning to hand milk then hand sized teats sure will make you happier.
 

misfitmorgan

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 26, 2016
Messages
3,726
Reaction score
6,995
Points
423
Location
Northern Lower Michigan
I think individual personality is a WAY bigger factor than small verses large or one breed verses another.

So... I would suggest finding where there are goats for sale in your area... and then go and look at what is available.

Getting goats tested for,and free of CAE,CL, and Johnes is a fantastic idea. Also, if they can be fully wormed before coming coming onto your property, and again right after... that will help to reduce the worm load on your property.

Other than that.. . What @misfitmorgan said.

If you haven't ever milked before, getting a goat that is already trained will make it easier on you.

And yes, if you are planning to hand milk then hand sized teats sure will make you happier.
Oh yes! Trying to break a goat to milk when it is the first goat you have ever milked and the first milking the goat ever had will make most run for the hills. We did it, it was horrible but we bought 37 goats and none were broke to milk. After something like 8 months we ended up selling most and getting our numbers down to I believe 14 and of those we only milked 5 in the end. The other were minis and would sit like dog on the stand, nothing we did would stop it. We ended up with DH holding them up while I tried to quickly milk and the tiny teats along with amount of milk...no.
 
Top