How many goats do I need for milk for one family?

[EverythingBunnies]

I know this can vary depending on breed, age, and the individual goat, but I was wondering about how many on average would I need for a family of four? We go though a gallon in about a week.
We'll have Nigerian Dwarfs. From 3-6 years old, how much milk would one provide a day?

 

[Simpleterrier]

A gallon a week ?? Wow we go threw a gallon a day or more. U could milk a chicken and get that much just kidding. If all u drink is a gallon a week u should get plenty from one goat.

 

[Goatgirl101]

I think one goat should produce enough milk. And yes, it does depend on age, breed, and what freshening the goat is at.

 

[sawfish99]

You can definitely get enough milk from 1 goat for only a gallon a week. However, you will go through a period without milk if you only have 1 goat and goats don't do well as single animals. If you have 2 or 3, you can stagger the breeding enough to stay in milk all year.

I would recommend going to a local breeder and actually milking a ND. Personally, we raise Lamanchas and I prefer the full size goats. We dump milk to the chickens every day.

 

[Alaskan]

I would recommend going to a local breeder and actually milking a ND. Personally, we raise Lamanchas and I prefer the full size goats.

Huge x2.

ND teats are tiny, tiny things.

Large teats are easier to milk... at least for my family.

And milk production is ALL OVER THE PLACE with goats... kind of hard to know sometimes exactly what you are getting.

Some goats dry up after only a few months of production, others can milk for YEARS without a break.

So... I would start slow... with just 2does, see what they actually produce, and for how long... then move on from there.

But if you are getting ND, make sure you are happy with the tiny teats before you buy.

 

[EverythingBunnies]

What do y'all think about having three milkers? That way I should have enough for milk and some extra for making soap, cheese, and butter on occasion.

 

[Alaskan]

Well. .... one gallon of milk per week is really a tiny amount...

I would think 1 in milk would keep you covered and give you extra to play with

 

[Mini Horses]

Fresh milk is so good -- bet you'll drink more when it's there. I drink way more than that myself. But for that amount, a couple NDs would work. As said, you can stagger the breeding and thus, milk all year.

Also, do be sure to milk one first. The hand and teat size matters.

 

[misfitmorgan]

We had a few mini's and a few nigerians......they absolutely killed my hands to milk. After a few months we stopped milking them completely and only milked our large breed diary goats. At one point we had 37 goats so we milked the 4 best producers. Our toggenburg Ivy is a super sweet goat and a milk making machine. She will easily milk almost a full gallon a day mid-freshening when milked twice a day and will stay in milk. She is impossible to dry off.

Nigerians have higher butterfat so if you are wanting to make dairy products they may be better. Definitely plan on an EZ-milker or a milking system of some sort if you go for nigerians and save your hands. I do know many people are breeding for larger teat size on nigerians, you can only get so large though.

 

[Baymule]

You could always get a weaned piglet to feed out for the freezer and give extra milk to the pig, along with pellets.