# Nubian x Boer as milkers?



## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 7, 2013)

What does a 75% Nubian 25% Boer goat look like? What differences would I see with milking one compared with a 100% Nubian. I've been looking for goats for 2+ years and have been unable to find pure Nubian within 100 miles of me excluding some that were $300-$400 a kid unregistered I won't pay that for a kid with no proven milking lines, maybe I'm wrong but I just can't bring myself to do it. So I've found a few people this year that have Nubian Boer crosses, I didn't want to go that way but 75% to 90% Nubian with a little Boer in there doesn't seem to bad and at $150 a kid it seems like a pretty good price. But what am I going to get come milking time with the meat goat genes in there? Is there going to be a huge difference in milking time/amount/taste? Should I keep holding out for a pure Nubian after 2 years of waiting. I have 2 Nigerians and I don't want huge age differences in my does if possible. I know of some people I could breed (Nubian cross does) with that have a really nice milking line pure Nubian buck as well, people seem to have bucks but keep other breed does (mostly Alpine or Boer) to cross them with around here for some reason.


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## woodsie (Mar 7, 2013)

I'm not super experienced with breeds first hand but here's what I have heard from my neighbour who has been in goats for 20 years. A lot of people cross with a meat goat so that you have a bit more meat on the boys that are destined for freezer camp. Boer's tend to not have a lot of milk, my neighbour who raises meat goats crosses some dairy in them because they are so light on milk that sometimes they don't have enough for their kids. 

I like the look of a more filled out goat personally so in terms of looks, they are a bit more solid looking and Boer's still have those adorable floppy ears so you should still have that look. I am not sure what Boer milk tastes like, but I did have a friend who milked a LOT and who favoured the Nubian Boer crosses....so I imagined its taste must decently. 

I would say go for it, especially if you have Nubian bucks around, unless you were super concerned with getting the MAXIMUM amount of milk from a goat and or you were going to breed or show. Plus if you need more milk you can always get another goat!!!  Like any of us need an excuse to get another goat.

Hope this helps...if you do pick up a kid, please post pics!


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## Catahoula (Mar 7, 2013)

I heard Boer's milk has high fat content. They can produce high volume milk when they have kids to feed...just not as long as your typical dairy goats which would still give milk well after their kids are wean. I agree with Woodsie, go for it. You can always sell her later.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 7, 2013)

Ok, I'll go for it! I'm going to go send them an email.


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## OneFineAcre (Mar 7, 2013)

You must like Nubians if you have been looking for 2 years.

I say go for it.  Breed it to the Nubian Buck you have access to and the offspring would be pretty close to full Nubain.


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## Queen Mum (Mar 7, 2013)

Boer goats make very decent milk.  Nice fat content and quite tasty.   A Nubian/Boer cross would be a nice all around goat.   Good milking capacity, hardy and sturdy babies.  PLUS  the bucklings would be great meat goats...


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Mar 8, 2013)

Just keep in mind that because there is Boer in there, you may not be able to register the babies with ADGA.  But if you are not concerned about registering, I say go for it.  I had a Alpine / Nubian and was going to breed her, but found out she had CAE, so she is out.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 8, 2013)

I couldn't decide between Nubian and Nigerian dwarfs I thought I'd decided on Nigerians and found 2 does almost a year ago (they were not in the best health but are doing great now) I'd been looking for goats for a while before I found these 2 and decided shortly after getting these girls that I wanted Nubian goats too (its an awfully big barn for 2 little goats, at least that's my excuse)  but haven't seen any available that I could afford (excluding mixes) I love their long ears and roman noses. I like the size of the Nigerians better though, so I might end up breeding some mini Nubian in the future too. I like goats in general even though they kind of look like someone put a deer together wrong, lol they are just a fun animal.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 8, 2013)

I don't worry about registering them, if I could I would, if I can't its not a big deal. Very few people have registered stock around here and it's not a buying incentive locally, if I ever sold kids so I don't mind.


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## michickenwrangler (Mar 9, 2013)

My neighbor started with 3 Nubian/Boers and they provided enough milk for her family, ours and an occasional batch of cheese for her. I have an Alpine/Boer I'm milking right now, and her output is half of what her Alpine mother gives. Meaning I get 2 qts a day from the Alpine/Boer. This would certainly be adequate for a small family that doesn't go through huge amounts of milk and cheese.

Here are pics of my neighbor's Nubian/Boers.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 17, 2013)

No go on the goats  the first person sold her last doe kid, and the other person...I have no idea whats up with her. I asked her one or two questions, letting her know I was just trying to be as informed as possible and not trying to be annoying or anything, and she was rather rude, maybe no one is supposed to ask questions about her stock, just shut up and give her your money I guess? Anyway she never emailed me back so I guess I'm out of luck with those leads. Anyone have any doe kids in North east Michigan? I still really want Nubian but I'm open to any healthy pure full sized dairy breeds at this point. Dang is it always so hard to find well cared for goat kids.


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## michickenwrangler (Mar 17, 2013)

Where are you at in northeast Michigan?

www.bestfarmbuys.com  always has a lot of Michigan ads.


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## Rebbetzin (Mar 18, 2013)

We have one doe that is Nubian x Alpine x Boer  Just to give you an idea of how such a goat looks compared to strictly purebreds of the three different breeds.

Her ears stick out like airplane wings! 
She is the best of milkers!Nice large Teats.

She can give about a gallon a day for a few months after giving birth.

She is on the far left of this photo.







Here she is in labor.





She gets pretty big when she is pregnant. She is a great mom!






I always thought this photo of her is hysterical she is getting ready to butt heads with another doe.






It reminds me of this photo of my dog when he was a puppy.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 18, 2013)

cute! I've been checking bestfarmbuys and just went through all goat ads in Michigan again and the closest thing is around Mount pleasant 140 miles away from me one way, but that's for full size dairy breed does there are lots of bucks listed  that are closer to me but I'm not looking for bucks. I've been checking locally as well as hoobly, oodle, craigslist, ebay classifieds, MI super ads, and MI classifieds. Lots of goats on the west side, down state, and a few in the UP no one in my neck of the woods that I've found. Can anyone recommend another site that I should be checking?


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## Fluffygal (Mar 18, 2013)

Sounds like you just need to bite the bullet and drive for what you want or see if a breeder can help work out getting some shipped to you.
Sometimes you have to be willing to go beyond your area to get what you want.
It was worth it to me to get 2 registared NDs from a New Mexico breeder. They are super adorable


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## michickenwrangler (Mar 18, 2013)

Mine I've gotten mostly from Bestfarmbuys, a few from Craigslist or word of mouth. 

I'm over between West Branch and Standish and no one among my goat acquaintances HAS Nubians, let alone selling any. 

Depending on how many of the upcoming kids are does, I might have some Alpine/Boers and Saanen/Boers for sale later in the summer if interested. My next does due to kid are due April 1st and April 17th. An acquaintance of mine near Flint has some LaManchas she wants to sell, but wants them to go to a good home which is why she doesn't advertise them.

I can ask around and see if any of the local goat breeders have anything, although most have Boers and Boer crosses

Looking back at your post, I see that you want a Nubian. Like me, you're smack dab in the middle of the state, so going out of state wouldn't be very feasible. Going to the UP shouldn't be too bad as there is so little traffic Fall-Spring that it doesn't take long to get there. My last 2 goats, an Alpine and her Alpine/Boer daughter, were Yooper goats. There seem to be a fair amount of goats in the Soo/Rudyard/Pickford area which isn't too far north of the bridge and has less wilderness than the western UP. Driving a trailer over the Bridge isn't bad. I've done it more times than I can count and if I can do it, pretty much anyone can.

Just keep looking, I'll keep my eyes and ears open for you too.

Another thought would be to look for Michigan breeders on ADGA's website, see who has Nubians, call and tell them, "I saw on ADGA's site that you are a breeder of Nubians. Do you have any young stock for sale?"  In fact, there may even be links. People will a little higher quality goats may not be selling them on CL because they want them to go to a show/breeder home instead of just being backyard goats.


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## michickenwrangler (Mar 18, 2013)

Don't go to ADGA,

Here is the breeder list from Michigan Dairy Goat Society.

http://mdgs.org/mdgs/?p=352

AN or N denotes Nubian per ADGA abbreviations (key is on MDGS main page)

If you look about 1/4 of the way down, there is a breeder in Kawkawlin with Nubians, another in Merrill. Both about an hour east of you.

About 1/2 way down, there is one in Remus and one in Vassar, a few in White Cloud

Hope this helps get you started.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 18, 2013)

I would have no problem driving across state or even out of state if I could, but I legally can't drive (epilepsy made sure of that for me) so I have to find a friend or pay someone to drive me and no one I know wants to be on the road 6+ hours for goats, and the ones willing to drive that far from home are not willing to have goats in their cars..even in a crate. So I am limited to this area, and its very frustrating. Not being able to just drive myself somewhere I want to go is frustrating beyond belief.


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## WannaBeFarmR (Mar 18, 2013)

Thanks for the info michickenwrangler and for keeping your eyes open for me too. I'll check out that link now.


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## babsbag (Mar 18, 2013)

I am way out in CA so no help with getting you a goat to your house, but you might look into a Yahoo group called Nubian Talk. You can join for free and post what you are looking for a how much you can spend. It is too bad you aren't closer, there are alot of them out here.


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