Don't judge me.. but I want more

[MrsKuhn]

okay okay, so I have been researching more and more and I am stumped. When I first purchased goats I was going for looks, you know the cute factor. Now I am getting more interested in the Breeding to sell ( who am I kidding.. and keep ) / possibly Milking.

I currently have two Pygmy / Nigerian dwarf goats on the way, so my lovely goat addicts, is this a good milking breed ( I know they are a milking breed just don't know how well they do ) or should I use these mainly to sell the kids and get some Nubians? Thoughts?

 

[TAH]

How much milk do you want?
Do you want show quality goats?
Do you like big of small goats?
How much land do you have for your goats?
What do you plan on making with the milk?

 

[MrsKuhn]

How much milk do you want?
Do you want show quality goats?
Do you like big of small goats?
How much land do you have for your goats?
What do you plan on making with the milk?

you my dear are quickly become my best friend

I don't plan on showing them? but plans change so who knows down the road, this is just me dabbling in the goat world
I like the smaller goats, but I like the way the Nubian look.

To be honest, I used to be petrified of goats, the ones at petting zoos freak me out.. like no thank you but now that I am proud owner of two and I can pick mine out they are growing quickly as a new obsession.

I have 2 acres

Making things with milk? umm maybe soap? and just drinking it, I don't know I haven't had goat milk...

 

[babsbag]

You are in so much trouble....Goats come in all flavors and all have their +/- The usual dairy breeds are Nubian, LaMancha, Alpine, Saanen, Oberhasli, Toggenburgs, and Nigerain Dwarf.

I have ventured into the world of minis and for me that is mini Alpines. But next year I might be breeding some mini Nubians too. A friend has a really nice Nubian doe that she wants to breed and show but no Nubian buck so unless she gets a buck we are going to breed to my Nigerian Dwarf buck and make some mini Nubians. I have no desire to keep them, only to breed them.

Nubians typically have great milk, but they are also known for being very vocal. I like my quiet goats. Nigis probably have THE best milk when it comes to butterfat and that is why people like the minis. You get a smaller goat with milk with high butterfat, but it will produce more than a Nigi. Kinda a win win.

We need to talk... The most important thing when you get your goats is to make sure they are healthy. Things I wish I had known when I bought my first 3, but I was actually pretty lucky.

 

[Latestarter]

From what I understand, Pygmy are more a meat breed but their milk, though low in quantity is pretty good in quality. The Nigies are pretty much accepted as the highest butter fat producers (cream, sweet milk). So the cross you're buying, though small, is just that, a cross. If you cross a pygmy with a nubian, you get a "kinder", another cross that's gained in popularity. Many folks want more milk than a dwarf provides, but don't want the size or feed expense of a full sized goat, and that's where the "mini's" started becoming popular. Breed a Nigie buck with one of the full sized breed does, and you get a mid sized goat with almost the same production of the full sized with less expense for feed and less space required to keep them. Like TAH said, the first most important question is how much milk do you want/need? Just so you know, a full sized dairy goat can give a gallon or more milk a day. Sannens have been known to give almost 2 .

Since you're so close to Babs, you really should set a time and meet. Then you can meet a variety of goats and try the milk for yourself and make up your own mind. Like she says, you are in SOoooooo much trouble!

 

[MrsKuhn]

The most important thing when you get your goats is to make sure they are healthy.

I agree and I want to keep them healthy. It is a constant fear that I am not going to do right and something will happen to them.

And when you do breed the Nigi & the Nubian hit me up, I want one

We need to talk...

Hope I'm not in trouble, feel like my mom just used my full name

 

[MrsKuhn]

.

Since you're so close to Babs, you really should set a time and meet. Then you can meet a variety of goats and try the milk for yourself and make up your own mind. Like she says, you are in SOoooooo much trouble!

Agreed, @babsbag when can I come frolic on the farm

Just so you know, a full sized dairy goat can give a gallon or more milk a day. Saneness have been known to give almost 2

I don't need that much milk. I don't know if I even like it

 

[Southern by choice]

these are my mini nubian doelings from this year

 

[MrsKuhn]

@Southern by choice Are you ENCOURAGING! They are GORGEOUS

It is settled I MUST get me some! ASAP

 

[babsbag]

@MrsKuhn No, you aren't in trouble...yet But let's keep it that way. You also need to think about a buck. If you want to breed the doe you are buying then it needs to be a nigi or pygmy buck, you wouldn't want to breed her to a standard sized buck. It gets complicated to say the least. I will own 4 or 5 bucks this year because I have multiple breeds of goats. Also think about registered or unregistered.

I don't want to scare you but if you are serious about more goats and breeding then this is what I will tell you. When looking for healthy goats there are two diseases you need to be aware of. One is Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) and the other is Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL). Both are contagious, both can be tested for. You can't test a kid until about 6 months but if the herd is tested that it came from then you are pretty safe. There is one other disease making it rounds and it is called Johnes. Used to be mostly in cattle but more and more goats are getting it. Again, it is something you can test for but you probably won't find a breeder doing it. (I just started last year). But if you buy any goats that are living with cattle be very careful.