# ARIZONA GOAT OWNERS



## GoldBarRanch (Jul 18, 2012)

Welcome to the Arizona Goat Thread:
Hoping this thread will bring Arizona goat owner together , to share pictures stories, questions, and just meet other in your area that share the love of goats. Please feel free to share lots of pictures of your goats. So grab your coffee and lets start sharing !
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=97


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## GoldBarRanch (Jul 18, 2012)

We Live in Wittmann AZ 
we currently own nigerian and pygmy goats and our little herd of 8 is slowly growing.
And as soon as I figure out how I will post pictures


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## CircleStar Ranch (Jul 20, 2012)

Greetings.... new here

I just posted my intro in the intro section.  But an abbreviated version: After we move outta the city, we will be starting our "herd" of a Boer buck & whether buck-buddy, and 2 Nubian does this coming spring. I have been researching and planning this for over a year... getting close now!

-Dutch


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## CircleStar Ranch (Jul 20, 2012)

Ok my first maybe "Arizona specific" goat questions.  I am still in the planning stage for my goat pens and need input.  On the desert property we are looking at, I can give the goats two 75' x 100' pens - segregating the 2 boys and 2 girls but having a common 75' fence.  Considering not much is growing there, is that a good amount of space?  I have been looking at planting desert-type grass seed that wont require watering after it is set.  I was thinking it could be planted in November to take advantage of the winter rains and could be quite usable by the time we get the goats in the spring. Is it worth the effort for 15,000 sf or will they eat it down to nothing too fast?

- Dutch


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## autumnprairie (Jul 20, 2012)

CircleStar Ranch said:
			
		

> Ok my first maybe "Arizona specific" goat questions.  I am still in the planning stage for my goat pens and need input.  On the desert property we are looking at, I can give the goats two 75' x 100' pens - segregating the 2 boys and 2 girls but having a common 75' fence.  Considering not much is growing there, is that a good amount of space?  I have been looking at planting desert-type grass seed that wont require watering after it is set.  I was thinking it could be planted in November to take advantage of the winter rains and could be quite usable by the time we get the goats in the spring. Is it worth the effort for 15,000 sf or will they eat it down to nothing too fast?
> 
> - Dutch


They prefer weeds and browse but it should be ok  and your pen size should be ok too


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## GoldBarRanch (Jul 21, 2012)

My goats would look at me and laugh if I told them they had to eat weeds lol They must be picky eaters because they wont touch weeds here, well maybe if they didnt get enough to eat they might because they wont have a choice I guess. Believe me I tried ! Silly goat. We raise pygmys , Nigerians and they are on Bermuda hay only until kidding time.


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## breezy B ranch (Jul 22, 2012)

Hello from Sahuarita Az (just 30 min or so south of Tucson)!! We have an Alpine and a Saanen with her buck kid. We don't have anything as far as grass for ours to graze and I don't let them eat weeds because some will alter the flavor of their milk( or so I've been told). Mine love to munch on some mesquite leaves and DRY mesquite beans (never give them fresh beans from the trees as they can get sick).


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## GoldBarRanch (Jul 23, 2012)

breezy B ranch said:
			
		

> Hello from Sahuarita Az (just 30 min or so south of Tucson)!! We have an Alpine and a Saanen with her buck kid. We don't have anything as far as grass for ours to graze and I don't let them eat weeds because some will alter the flavor of their milk( or so I've been told). Mine love to munch on some mesquite leaves and DRY mesquite beans (never give them fresh beans from the trees as they can get sick).


Thanks for sharing that , I didnt know that and my neighbors have these trees. I wonder why the fresh ones make them sick but the dried do not ? Interesting !


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## GoldBarRanch (Jul 23, 2012)

Welcome All, 
I myself am very new to the goat world for 2 year now and still learning new things everyday. Id really love to milk my does starting the next generations I have growing out. Id love to make my own milk soaps. My husband is a welder and Id like him to build me a nice sturdy stand that will last for years to come. Ive seen maybe styles out there. But to purchase one, they cost as much as a nice goat lol. 
Can any of you that milk your goat tell me what kind of stand your useing and the pros and cons of your stand. Trying to figure out whatkind of design id like . post pictures if you know how , im still working on this lol


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## autumnprairie (Jul 23, 2012)

GoldBarRanch said:
			
		

> Welcome All,
> I myself am very new to the goat world for 2 year now and still learning new things everyday. Id really love to milk my does starting the next generations I have growing out. Id love to make my own milk soaps. My husband is a welder and Id like him to build me a nice sturdy stand that will last for years to come. Ive seen maybe styles out there. But to purchase one, they cost as much as a nice goat lol.
> Can any of you that milk your goat tell me what kind of stand your useing and the pros and cons of your stand. Trying to figure out whatkind of design id like . post pictures if you know how , im still working on this lol


Here is a thread we did not that long ago on milk stands mine is on post #19 I use it daily
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=17902


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## a lil chkn (May 28, 2014)

hi everyone, is anyone still on this thread? I live in Tucson and I have 2 Nigerian bucks (1 will soon be a weather) and I have 1 Nubian doeling coming next week and hopefully 2 nubian milk does by the end of the summer. I have shown Nubians, Toggenbergs and Oberhasli in the past.


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## goatboy1973 (May 28, 2014)

Good choice with the Nubes. They do really well in hot/ dry conditions.


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## Kristi (May 30, 2014)

I'm in northern AZ.  Have Alpines (1 doe in milk, 1 freeloader who's supposed to kid in July but I doubt it, one doeling, two bucklings) & 2 older freeloading Oberhasli who are companions to the horse (doe and wether).  The horse & Obers just came up from Tucson.  Still getting used to the weather change.


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