Dairy breed question

[Sinistershelly]

Hi everyone, newby here with a question.
My family and I have been wanting to get a dairy goat for consumption. I just got a togg which I was told is not the best tasting raw. There is a lady down the road from me with 3 pregnant does, Nubian, LaMancha, and boer. What do you think I should go with?

 

[20kidsonhill]

boer goats only milk for 3 or 4 months. Assuming you are referring to consumption of milk and not meat.

 

[quiltnchik]

Nubian and LaMancha are both fantastic dairy breeds. I have no experience with LaMancha but know several people love them. My first dairy doe, bought last year, is a Nubian, and I just bought another Nubian doe this past weekend. I love, love, love the laid-back personalities of the Nubians, and their milk is wonderful!

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

LaMancha or Nubian

 

[Chirpy]

Yup, Togs are known for their 'different' milk taste.

Boers are meat goats. You certainly can milk them but they are not high dairy producers.

As quiltnchik said - both Nubian and LaMancha are known for being great milkers. LaManchas are normally higher producers than Nubians but Nubians have higher milk fat. They both generally have laid back, sweet, gentle personalities.

I have Nubians and love them but they don't give near the milk that my Alpines did.

So... do you want more milk (LaMancha) or higher milk fat to make butter, etc.? (Nubian)

OR maybe the best way for you to make up your mind is to go milk them (if they are in milk) or at least compare their udders and teats. If you can't milk them ask the owner what size their teats are when in milk (or are they first fresheners?), how do they stand on the milk stand, how much milk they've given in the past. It is also really good to know anything you can about their dams/sires? Also, if they are not first fresheners... did they have problems with kidding in the past? How many kids did they have in the past? Can you see any kids from the past? Don't you love all the questions you can ask? The more you know - the more educated choice you can make. Have fun!

Finally, if you haven't already... go meet the goats and see if one of them warms your heart more than the others.

 

[Roll farms]

You *can* get Nubs who give more milk than 'average'...you just have to get them from the more productive lines.

My Nubian does average 1/2 g a day...then there's Dazzle, who peaked at 8.5#, just over a gallon. 7 gallons a week is *way* more milk than we can use.
I won't drink our Togg's milk. I prefer the Nubian's and boer's milk - and yes, you can milk a boer, but their production won't be as much / long as a doe *bred* for milking.
My best milker and my favorite breed is Oberhasli.

 

[Chris]

We have Nubians a LaMancha and a Togg.
We like the performance of a 3 breeds, the LaMancha puts out 3/4 gallon a day the Nubians range from 3/4 to a gallon a day depending on the doe and the Togg will put out a little over a gallon a day.

Chris

 

[Cara Peachick]

I have LaManchas. I love them, although Nubians are nice too, of course. My LaManchas are ridiculously sweet and fun to be around. They also are not as talkative as Nubians, or so I've heard. They are easier to find, though, at leats in my area (TN).