# Nubians being duel purpose?



## doo dah (Oct 22, 2009)

I have read time and time again that Nubians are a duel purpose breed of goat and give more butterfat, and that helps offset the smaller amount of milk.  I have a few questions that I haven't been able to really find an answer to.

1.  How much more meat do you get per goat vs. more "dairy" breeds like the Saanan?
2.  How much less milk do they give?
3.  Do people actually breed the Nubian to be duel purpose, or are breeders more focused on milk production?  I know it depends on the breeder, but you guys know more than me, so I'm hoping you know.
4.  What is a good yearly milking average for a standard sized goat?
5.  Most people that I find online that have Nubians consider the daily average (per lactation)of 8 pounds -or 1 gallon- a really good milker.  Do you consider this a good average, particularly for a Nubian?

If you can answer even one of the questions I would greatly appreciate it.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 22, 2009)

As far as I know, Nubians are dairy goats. Not dual purpose. You would want a boer/nubian cross to get more meat and decent milk.

I don't know much about the milk production but I hear that it is a gallon a day.

Hopefully someone can answer your other questions.


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## Rockytopsis (Oct 22, 2009)

My friend raises dual purpose Nubian dairy goats. She breeds her does to a Boer buck. Sells the kids for meat and has plenty of milk for herself. To me that is what is ment by dual purpose dairy goats.


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## Roll farms (Oct 22, 2009)

Nubians tend to be meatier than Swiss breeds (part of why they don't look quite like other dairy breeds...or didn't USED to...modern Nubs are looking more and more like Swiss breeds, conformationally).

While they are primarily a 'dairy' goat, you can fatten them up easier / they carry the meat differently than other dairy breeds.  

Originally, in Africa / Middle East where Nubs came from (before they went to England and became "Anglo Nubians"), the does were bred / milked, the bucks eaten.

There are no easy answers to your questions.  

The more 'dairy character' a Nubian has, the less likely it will be 'meaty'...
but you generally get more milk from them than you will the bigger, meatier lines.

As far as butchering....I'd say you'd probably get more meat from a same-age Nub wether than you would an Alpine or Saanen, but again...depends on how you feed it out, raise it, etc...and if it's from a strong dairy line or not.  Some lines are "slow maturing".  

I'd consider an 8# milker a good doe, but again...that depends on how many freshenings, how far she is into her lactation, etc.

A yearling who freshens at 8# a day and keeps it up through a long lactation, would be a keeper.
A 4 year old who milks 8# a day for a week, 2 weeks into her lacation, and then slacks off to 4# a day, would not be.
(Lots of folks will say "she milked 8# a day" but not tell you "but it didn't last")

There are some Nubs who milk as much as the Swiss breeds.  Some that don't, but that do show well.  Some breeders want to put it in the bucket, others want to bring home ribbons.

You can't define it by BREED, you need to research the lines.  
The ADGA genetics website can be a wonderful tool to do your research.

As a general rule, Nubs produce SLIGHTLY less (I'm talking pints) than other breeds, but it's better tasting / richer / higher in butterfat.

There are exceptions to every rule, though...


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## Cara (Oct 23, 2009)

Something else to consider: Nubians are noisy.  We don't have neighbours but the noise was enough to drive us mad.  It wasn't bleating, it was constant full-on screaming for no reason.  We ended up selling the screamer.


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## doo dah (Oct 23, 2009)

Wow roll farms, you really know a lot about Nubians!  Do goats that are more "meaty" give a higher butterfat %?  The reason I'm asking is because Nubians are meatier than the swiss and have higher butterfat, and Boars have a high butterfat (higher than Nubians I hear) and they are a meat breed.  My guess is that the butterfat depends more on the lineage and what you feed the goats, but i can't help but wonder.

Cara, yes I know Nubians are noisier than other breeds. I actually like the bleating of Nubians, so I kind of hope mine are noisy, .  I have read about people who have had "screamer" Nubians, but I've learned that it's not the norm, so it's worth the risk to me .  Thanks for the warning though ^_^.

Thanks everyone!


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## cmjust0 (Oct 23, 2009)

doo dah said:
			
		

> Cara, yes I know Nubians are noisier than other breeds. I actually like the bleating of Nubians, so I kind of hope mine are noisy, .  I have read about people who have had "screamer" Nubians, but I've learned that it's not the norm, so it's worth the risk to me .


Not the norm, huh?  

Our nubians all either go "maaaa" or "baaaa" or "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
depending on what they want.


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## kimmyh (Oct 23, 2009)

Meat goatsincluding Pygmy goats tend to have higher butter fat, and less milk. Nubian or Alpine crossed with Boer I'm told makes the very best eating goat. I can't prove that school of thought as I'm not about knowingly to eat goat.


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## doo dah (Oct 23, 2009)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> doo dah said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Roll farms (Oct 24, 2009)

Nubians and boers make wonderful milk, as do the crosses of the two.  We have several Boer X Nubians we milk.  Their lactation isn't quite as long but they produce a respectable (I'd say 4-8#) amount.  

I have a theory that it's b/c they're both from Africa...maybe the diet / climate / something over there- influenced the higher butterfat.  And long ears.  

I have a doe that is 50% Boer, 50% Kiko that produces 10# per day...and she has the most wonderful, huge orifices, it's like turning on a faucet when I milk her.

As far as Nubians being loud....Our Toggenburgs are the LOUDEST goats I've ever met.  (All out of the same line.....)
I've also had Alpines that never shut up....real screamers.

The Obs rarely make a sound, even when kidding they're quiet.

A lot of the screaminess is personality, which can be genetic, and the screamy, high-maintenance does don't last long here.


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## norcal (Oct 24, 2009)

I've heard that goats put their fat on the outside of the meat, so it's not desirable to fatten them up (like it is with cows).     Is this a misconception?   Or are you meaning they "beef" them up, meaning to get them bigger, but it's not actually fat.   ??   

Any details anywhere for a "before" slaughter feeding guide?


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## Roll farms (Oct 24, 2009)

It's true that goats don't "marble" like cattle do.  

Lots of exercise will make more "muscle" (meat).  Gotta feed 'em to produce it.  They make specific "meat maker" feeds to help them put on more muscle than fat.

I've not eaten any, but from what I understand, it's best in stews and kabobs or ground and as summer sausage, as opposed to steaks and such, since there is so little fat it's tougher than beef (but better for you).


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## doo dah (Oct 25, 2009)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> It's true that goats don't "marble" like cattle do.
> 
> Lots of exercise will make more "muscle" (meat).  Gotta feed 'em to produce it.  They make specific "meat maker" feeds to help them put on more muscle than fat.
> 
> I've not eaten any, but from what I understand, it's best in stews and kabobs or ground and as summer sausage, as opposed to steaks and such, since there is so little fat it's tougher than beef (but better for you).


That's not what I hear at all.  I hear you just have to cook them slower and make sure they don't run out of moisture, if you do that they make steak just fine.  I keep wondering what the difference in flavor vs. beef would be....


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## freemotion (Oct 25, 2009)

I can't remember the what the difference was, but I do remember that goat was delicious!  We ate the boys from our dairy goats when I was a kid.  They were young, though.  My father would process any and all animals in the fall when they started using more feed to keep warm than to grow.


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## Roll farms (Oct 25, 2009)

Yeah...you cook them slower and make sure they don't run out of moisture _because_ they will be tough otherwise.
Meaning, since they don't marble like beef, you have to treat / cook the meat differently.


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## freemotion (Oct 25, 2009)

I seem to remember eating it as ground meat or as chunks of meat in the most wonderful stews, or with a flavorful gravy over noodles.  Yum.


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## doo dah (Oct 26, 2009)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Yeah...you cook them slower and make sure they don't run out of moisture _because_ they will be tough otherwise.
> Meaning, since they don't marble like beef, you have to treat / cook the meat differently.


Ahhh, I get it.

-you guys are making me hungry!


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