# Goat for beginners



## Mammawannagoat (Feb 7, 2010)

My hubby and I are talking about getting a few goats.  The main reason for them is grass/shrub/briar control in one area of our yard.  That said, I would like to try my hand at milking but wouldn't necessarily do it every year.  I guess maybe we'd start with a pregnant doe and a couple other girls.  What breed would you recommend.  I'd like to avoid dwarfs as I've heard they are difficult to milk.  I'm not interested in having a buck either.  I know someone with goats who would 'loan' me a buck for a month or so if I wanted to milk again.  Doesn't their muskiness make the does milk taste stronger?


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## ksalvagno (Feb 7, 2010)

I would suggest going to local farms and spending time with the different dairy goats and see what you like.  You will get lots of opinions on the different dairy goats but it ultimately will depend on what you like. 

Since there is a local farm where you can borrow a buck, I would start there.

Good luck with your search.


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## Ariel301 (Feb 11, 2010)

I have LaManchas, mini-LaManchas, and an Alpine, and the Manchas are my favorites. They're a little unusual looking, but are very friendly and have a personality just like a nice big dog. They are always happy to see anyone, wagging their tails and talking to us and following us around. They're easy to milk, give a lot of milk (1 gallon plus per doe each day from our full size girls), and the milk has a high butterfat which makes it very rich and sweet. It makes a wonderful ice cream! 

If you can borrow a buck to breed your girls, that is a good option. I have heard from some people that having a buck around the does can make their milk have an "off" flavor from his smell getting onto the does, but I have not experienced it. Then again, my bucks are both young and not very stinky yet. If you are having one come to your farm and you are worried about that, keep him in a separate pen (although...good luck keeping him in, they're good at escaping!) and only let him around the does for a day or two at a time when they are ready to breed. Also, that way, you know when they are bred so you know their due dates.


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## Mammawannagoat (Feb 11, 2010)

We wouldn't need a ton of milk.  We do a gallon in about 3-4 days.  I like the thought of making ice cream with the excess we don't drink!  

I did a milk tasting of various types of milk with my scouts and one of the milks was goat.  All the kids tried it, most liked it, but the parents all smelled it first and wouldn't try it!  For me it had the consistency of whole milk which I don't usually drink (1%) with a stronger flavor than milk.

Is there a flavor difference between goat breeds, milk wise?


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## Roll farms (Feb 11, 2010)

I'm quite fond of Oberhasli and their milk is good.  Such ladies.
Nubian milk is sweet....but they can be a bit loud at times.
I don't care much for Togg milk but my husband says it's in my head since I don't like his Toggs at all.
Ice cream from goat milk is the bomb.com....NUMMY.


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## RockyToggRanch (Feb 11, 2010)

Me loooves me toggs  sweet, cuddly and quiet. They are the only breed I've owned, so what do I know... but the milk tastes good to me


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## Ariel301 (Feb 11, 2010)

I've heard that Toggenburgs tend to have stronger tasting milk that is better for cheesemaking than drinking, but I've never had milk from one.


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## Roll farms (Feb 11, 2010)

Our Toggs are from an evil line of Toggs who NEVER.SHUT.UP....Ever.

OK, maybe for the 2-3 mos they're dry they're not AS loud....but the rest of the time they bellow like a constipated mule.

MuhmuuuuuuhMUUUUUUUUUUUH the entire time I'm in the barn, even if they've already been milked...they just never hush...and they have big voices.  I like a quiet peaceful barn and...they won't have it.

They are affectionate, but I can't get past their noise factor.  I know not all Toggs are this way, but these two are mother / daughter and obnoxious.

They're also the ones who push the barn door open at least once a day and try and get on the stand, even if someone else is on it....and any of you who milk know how well THAT goes over.

When I hear people talking about "Bottle goats who grow up to be in your face and annoying all the time"...I see their faces.
And all our goats are bottle babies, so I'm used to annoying goats....I even prefer 'in your face' goats.  
Oh, but these two....


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## aggieterpkatie (Feb 12, 2010)

We had an Alpine doe growing up, she was a nice goat. Pretty laid back and quiet.  We only had her for a few years before my sister decided to sell her.  Then we got 2 Nubian/Alpine crosses. The doe was a handful. Always escaping, always into trouble, in your face, etc.  I've heard it was because of the Nubian influence. Who knows. The wether was like that too, just not quite as bad.  I also had a Togg wether. He was pretty quiet, but I got him as an adult so I'm not sure how he was raised (I'm thinking he was kept alone much of the time).  Now I have an Oberhasli doe, and I love her to bits.  She's quiet, if she does talk it's a very soft mmmm to call me or say she wants food.  She's not a trouble maker at all (though she was dam raised so she's not very "in your face" much).  She loves attention and will stand next to you to get scratches and loving.  

So, out of the breeds I've had experience with, I'll probably stick with Oberhaslis. I love Nubian ears, but I don't want the noisy trouble makers.    I've heard LaManchas are nice, but I'm sorry...their weird faces just freak me out.    The togg I had was dull, so I probably won't get a togg again.  And Saanens are just too plain for me.  :/

Those are just my weird observations.


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## michickenwrangler (Feb 12, 2010)

Don't let the earless LaManchas freak you out. Once you look at them every day, you get used to them. I actually think Nubians look a little weird now, look too much like tall hound dogs.

To each their own. 

My neighbor and I keep our goats together. My LaManchas are very friendly and quiet, the Toggenburgs are sweet and quiet though not quite as friendly but they are very laid back. Her Saanens almost fall over each other trying to get petting or attention. They are more vocal, their voices are a little louder but very affectionate. She used to have some Nubians and Nigerian Dwarfs. Those two are quite talkative.

Let us know what you get


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## Roll farms (Feb 12, 2010)

I told my daughter today, that if I had to choose just one breed to keep (heaven forbid!!!), it'd probably be the Obs.
I like Nub personalities, but the Obs are just so sweet and polite.


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## MrsCountryChick (Feb 12, 2010)

When we were researching a year before we got dairy goats the very 1st thing I knew is that LaManchas were weird looking & I didn't want them...........meanwhile we fell in love with a lil kid & that was it. Our herd has 4 LaManchas & while each has their own personality they are by far the most laid back. My Saanen is like a Heifer in size & is Quite the bully as herd Top Doe. My mini Nubian is by far the noisiest lil thing I'd ever heard. Screaming Maaaaaaaaaaa from across a field! And the Mini Nubian wasn't even on my list of wants, lol. Cuteness is irresistible, & it's very true you Can't judge a book by it's cover. 

Good Luck on picking your herd!


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## Hobby Farm (Feb 12, 2010)

We got our first goats about 4 months ago.  We were in the same position as you trying to decide which breed is the best for our needs.  We ended up getting and Oberhasli and a Saanen.  As Roll Farms said, the Obe is very sweet.  She is calm, quiet, and has turned out to be a great Mother with very good milk.  Our Saanen is like a big dog.  She always wants petted, and wags her tail when she gets attention.  She is a good bit louder than the Obe.  She is due to kid in a few weeks, so we'll see how she Mothers and milks.  If I would have known then what I know now, I would have gotten two Obe's.  Ours had a female kid, which we are going to keep, and are looking to buy another one soon.  It's not that I don't like the Saanen, I just prefer the Obe.  I am anxious to see how much milk the Obe produces in a few months when she hits her highest production.


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## Ariel301 (Feb 12, 2010)

I absolutely did not like the LaManchas when I first saw them. I was looking to buy a few does and saw that these were for sale. I had never heard of a LaMancha, so I did an internet search, and thought they were ugly. But the price was very, very good, so we got them.

I still think they are ugly. But their personalities make up for it. Ours have all been quiet except for one young doe we ended up selling. She would scream at the top of her lungs nonstop, and was always trying to escape. If she got out, she would run to the house and practically break the door down banging on it with her feet. Once she managed to get inside and ran through the house destroying things with us chasing her. When we put a lock on her gate she would try to open it, then have a weird crazy fit where she would throw herself at the fence, her shed, everything, just screaming. She would end up hurting herself. I think she was brain damaged. She went to be a companion for an injured old horse, and she still screams her head off, but the new owners don't mind it. Other than that one, ours have all been great goats. They are very affectionate, playful, and smart. They know what order they go in to be milked, and line up at the gate--they even chose the order they wanted, I just started by milking whoever I caught first--and they have stuck with that order for a year now. They are less stubborn than the Alpine we have, he knows what he wants, and if he does not get it RIGHT NOW he will have a fit. Unfortunately what he usually wants is to be picked up and held, like we did when he was a baby--it does not work so well with a 100 pound buck with 14 inch horns!


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## RockyToggRanch (Feb 12, 2010)

hmmm.. reminds me of one of my sisters


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Feb 13, 2010)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I've heard LaManchas are nice, but I'm sorry...their weird faces just freak me out.


Ditto!


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## landis1659 (Feb 15, 2010)

I'm new to goats also, I bought a buck first last Feb. he was 2 1/2 mos. when we got him. We played with him all the time, he was a lot of fun.  But he was by himself for about another 2 1/2 mos. Then we finally found a female mate. They were both Saanens.  Both were a lot of fun until the last few months. I didn't know about this site and didn't know much about raising goats. I bought a book but what it didn't tell me was what not to do when they are just kids.  So anyway we all played with them all the time. Thought it was fun. But the problem was that when the get to be 100+ lbs and still want to play it get to rough and they can hurt you badly.  We just recently had to get rid of our Buck because he kept getting loose.  We separated them a couple of months ago because we were afraid that the female might be PG., and didn't want the to buck to hurt her. But he kept getting loose.  I will say that our female is like others have said very sweet, just like a big dog, will follow you everywhere. I don't hear her until she sees me. Then she can be kind of noisy. I've read that the Saanen have the record for the most milk at one time but it's lower in fat.  I'm hoping not so much as to effect using it for making cheese, butter & soap. Anyway I just wanted to worn you about playing with the babies. They're so cute when there young.  I was told after the fact that playing with the bucks too much can cause problems when they are older. The females don't seem to be a problem. Good luck with what ever you choose, the guess I'm kind of parchell to the Saanens but thats all I have to go on.


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## tracy (Feb 17, 2010)

Have you considered Angora goats?  They are not dairy goats, but produce enough milk to raise their kids.  They are reasonably small and easy to handle, and also produce mohair, which is a valuable fibre.  As an addition, they are a good meat goat.  And, finally, they are intelligent and curious, wonderful to have on the farm.


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## Lil Chickie Mama (Feb 17, 2010)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
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The heck you say?  Tell me you couldn't love this face... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Well I like 'em anyway!  Teeheehee


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## Mammawannagoat (Feb 17, 2010)

Lil Chickie Mama said:
			
		

> n.smithurmond said:
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What a beautiful face...still looking at breeds.  Really would prefer a milk goat over a meat goat.  I do like the Angoras though.


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## ksalvagno (Feb 17, 2010)

Take your time looking and then you can be sure to get the right breed for you. Keep in mind with Angoras that they have to be sheared once a year.


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## Mammawannagoat (Feb 17, 2010)

If I had someone who could use the wool, they'd be a good choice.  My husband doesn't want an animal that doesn't do it's part, so to speak.  He wants it to do something...eggs, meat, milk...something.  We get eggs from our chickens, at some point we will raise them for meat; goats would have to contribute something too.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Feb 17, 2010)

Lil Chickie Mama said:
			
		

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Yeah, but isn't something missing?  OK, I revise my previous opinion.  Seriously cute face, freaky ears.


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## michickenwrangler (Feb 17, 2010)

Honestly, looking at them everyday you get used to them


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## lorihadams (Mar 1, 2010)

I'm getting Nigerian Dwarf babies in the summer! Problem is they are like potato chips......just can't stop once the bag is open!


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## MrsCountryChick (Mar 2, 2010)

Just had someone recently see our goats & say "how weird they have no horns, they look weird"..........they couldn't even place 'what' was "weird" about them, lol.  Then noticed it wasn't missing horns that made them look odd, it was their missing ears!  Our one LaMancha is our greeting committee, so she's quick to say "Hello". & show off her Non-ears!


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