# what type of goats do you like and what kinds do you have???



## boykin2010 (Nov 18, 2010)

i would really like honest opinions of everyone on here about breeds of goats.  what is your favorite?  i know it depends on what you are using them for.  i have found many different opinions.

i want just a few goats for pets i want them to be friendly and for me to be able to at least pet them. i will not be milking and i probably wont get a buck anyway so it wont matter. 

what kinds of goats do you have.  how many goats do you have.  is there anything that you like or dislike about the breeds that you have... 

all opinions will go toward me deciding what breed to get.  i may just get a mixed breeds but i am not sure yet.


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## ksalvagno (Nov 18, 2010)

How much property do you have? How much space will the goats get?

I have Nigerian Dwarfs. I like them because they are small but don't get as round as Pygmies. I also milk so I wanted a dairy breed. Also, as I'm getting older, I want to deal with smaller sized animals. No matter how friendly they are, they aren't thrilled about toenail trimming, worming, etc.

Any goat breed could be very friendly. It just depends on how much time you spend with them and it helps if they are friendly to begin with.

If they are just going to be pets, then I would suggest wethers.


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## boykin2010 (Nov 18, 2010)

they will be on about 4 or 5 acres.   i have just heard bad things about males so i am kinda scared about getting one


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## ksalvagno (Nov 18, 2010)

Intact males (bucks) are the problems. They go into rut and stink and can also get aggressive when in rut. The wethers (neutered males) are much different. But even if you get females, you don't have to milk them or breed them if you don't want to.


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## BetterHensandGardens (Nov 18, 2010)

I got two Nigerian Dwarves this summer because I wanted a smaller, friendly, dairy breed - they have been even friendlier and more affectionate than we expected.  I also wanted something I could handle easily - really glad we went with the Nigerian Dwarves.


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## jduffy01 (Nov 19, 2010)

I have nigerians and fainting goats. I honestly love both. The nigerians are lighter but also faster and jump higher. The fainters are slower and don't jump much at all but weigh a lot more. I have bucks, does and wethers of both and none of mine are aggressive, even in rut. If you spend time with them when they are young they will be fine. I will say if you are just looking for a pet I would definitely get a wether ( neutered male.) Wethers are like big babies, they adore you and always want love. They are more affectionate than does or bucks and don't have the buck smell either. Nigerians are easier to find and both are about $100 for a wether. You could even get a hybrid of the two called a miniature silky fainting goat, but they are hard to find and more money. Good luck.


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## lilhill (Nov 19, 2010)

My favorite ... Nigerian Dwarf.  For years I raised and showed reg. Quarter horses and as I got older, I wanted small animals I can handle myself when it comes to maintenance.  

I discovered the Nigerian's and been doing that for 6 years now.  I currently have 24 does and 4 bucks.  If handled properly from the beginning, Nigerian bucks are easily handled even when in rutt as I don't tolerate aggressive bucks.


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## peachick (Nov 19, 2010)

I have not had any other breed but..... I have mini silky fainters.
They are beautiful to look at and have wonderful personalities.  They dont climb like other breeds and  I often turn them loose on the property when Im outside,  they follow me around like dogs and come running when I call.  At full height they are only 24 inches at the withers so very easy to handle...  even the intact boys.  And unlike some breeds  they do graze on grass.  So I really dont have a feed bill.   The only down side of them is they are very addictive.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Nov 19, 2010)

I have Toggenbergs! And I love em!!    There a kind and gentle large dairy breed.  Its all Ive ever had.  They have wonderful dispositions. Never had a bad one!! I have to say!!  All have been friendly and sweet!

I guess I should try others..but I really love these guys!!  They are alot of fun!!  I orignally got them because they do well in cooler climates and and their milking success.  So living in NH...It seem appropriate.  Since its snowing now..as Im writing.  Just a flurry to remind us to get ready!! Winters coming!!  

But I really think all goats are awesome, no matter what breed!!


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## Birchhatchery (Nov 19, 2010)

can i just ask what is the difrence between a nigerian goat and a pygmy goat?


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## theawesomefowl (Nov 19, 2010)

I like mini goats, boers, nubians, and fainting goats. I want some!


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## dianneS (Nov 19, 2010)

I have Pygmies, Nigerian Dwarf/pygmy cross, two registered fainters and one full-sized alpine cross.

I guess the conscensus is that nigerian dwarfs are really friendly.  I know my nigi/pygmy guys are, but then again that could be because they are all wethers?  My does are all sweet but not nearly as hungry for attention as the wethers!

I have ten goats, all for pets and out of the entire herd all of the wethers are by far the friendliest.  The two fainter boys are a little more standoffish than the nigi/x boys, but that could be because they are still young... or it could be the breed!  I don't know!?

I have to say that once I catch my fainters (which is easy, because they faint! )  They are very content to hang out with me and sit on my lap and just cuddle.  They don't require head rubbings and scratches or cookies and treats to keep them interested in being with me.  They're really sweet!

But the nigi boys follow me everywhere and chew on my clothes.  Try and rip my hair out of my head if I bend over... stuff like that.  Too sweet.

I like the dwarf breeds because my fence height is not as much of an issue and fainters are probably the easiest to contain of all the goats.  Easy to catch too!  And with little goats, I can have more of them!


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## chandasue (Nov 19, 2010)

Birchhatchery said:
			
		

> can i just ask what is the difrence between a nigerian goat and a pygmy goat?


Nigerians are supposed to be more of a dairy breed. There are pet quality lines and better lines that make good mini milkers. Pygmies are even smaller and more of a meat breed although IMO not enough to be worth it and are best as pets. Both are typically very friendly though.

I don't own a buck yet but the nigierian buck that I bring my girls to is really friendly and not nearly as stinky as some of the standard dairy bucks (they were potent!) I've seen, although I'm told that varies by individual.


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## lilhill (Nov 19, 2010)

The Nigerian should look like a full sized milk goat only in miniature.  Does should be 22.5" maximum at the withers and bucks should be 23.5" maximum at the withers.  The Pygmy is about the same size but is shorter legged with rounder body than the Nigerian.


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## dianneS (Nov 19, 2010)

chandasue said:
			
		

> I don't own a buck yet but the nigierian buck that I bring my girls to is really friendly and not nearly as stinky as some of the standard dairy bucks (they were potent!) I've seen, although I'm told that varies by individual.


I've noticed that too.  Dwarf breed bucks don't seem to be nearly as stinky as big goats.


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## glenolam (Nov 19, 2010)

I'm gonna go off the wagon here and say that I haven't seen where dwarf bucks are less smelly than larger breeds.  My friend had a dwarf buck and a nubian buck and the dwarf was HORRIBLE smelling!  He was very, very, very proud of himself - even walked around kicking his sack to show it off.  The nubian, on the other hand, was smelly too, but not nearly as bad.

I currently have a nigerian buckling and nubian buckling for myself, and - while they're both only 8 mos old - the nigerian is already a lot smellier than the nubian.  I might just be lucky, though!


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## Dreaming Of Goats (Nov 19, 2010)

Oberhaslis!!!


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## elevan (Nov 19, 2010)

I LOVE my pygmies! I have 3 does, 1 doeling, 1 wether and 1 buck.  My buck isn't really smelly at all...  

They are very affectionate (all of them) and very easy to handle.  My 1 month old doeling gives me the biggest hassle because she can get into small places... 

btw:  you can get approximately 1/2 gallon of milk from a pygmy daily if you choose to milk them.  Depending on the doe they can be fairly easy to milk.


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## Jupiter (Nov 19, 2010)

I've got oberhasli, and I love them, but I did like the la mancha's I met too. Yeah, I thought the ears were weird, but their personality was very loving.

Oberhasli are midsized, quiet, friendly, mine follow me like a dog for attention but aren't annoying about it, not really picky about their food. They are very gentle. Mine love my 5 year old neices and have put up with many many hugs and petting from clumsy hands. Mine and the ones I met were even tempered ladies. They'd be attending tea parties in the house if I let my neices get away with it.


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## whetzelmomma (Nov 20, 2010)

I have owned Nubian/Boer cross, and Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. I still have the dwarfs.  

Both breeds were really friendly, but the nubian/boer was VERY pushy, and I hated battling her all the time. 

The Nigerians are everything I could ask for. GREAT personality, nice size, and easy to manage even for my kids. 

I've worked with pygmy goats as well, and they are equally sweet, but the ones I worked with here pretty pushy... I think a lot of that had to do with how they were trained. (lots of treats on demand makes a goat pretty demanding.) 

If you can, visit some of the breeds you're interested in, and remember that wethers can make great non stinky boy versions of a good goat.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Nov 20, 2010)

I have Nigerians (and one NMGA nigerian/pygmy cross) and I love them.  They are easy to handle and tend to be pretty easy keepers (in terms of feed).  Depending on the individual, teat size make some easier to milk than others and those from dairy lines can produce a surprising amount of milk!  They also come in darn near every color in the rainbow which makes kidding season like a perpetual Christmas morning. 

When I started with goats "ease of keeping" was on my list of priorities, but not at the top.  I added a Nubian doe to the herd and after I fed her through one gestation and lactation I realized that (for our goals) it should have been CLOSER to the top!  Granted, she was producing a ton of milk, but I still felt like the Nigerians had better feed conversion.  She was the only standard sized goat I've owned for comparison and this may not be true in every case.

I think every breed will have something to offer and some disadvantages.  What it really depends are on what you plan to use them for (milk, meat, pets, pasture management, etc.) and what your personal preferences are.  It could be helpful to list some of your plans and preferences for your goats so folks can speak more specifically to that.


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## boykin2010 (Nov 20, 2010)

ok so now i still cant make up my mind.  all of you have great opinions about breeds of goats but so many breeds were listed.  if i get goats my goats will be kept as pets only.  i doubt i will be milking them. 

i have a couple questions
1.  can wethers and regular bucks live together happily.
2. can dwarf goats and standard goats get along ok. 
3. is it easier to make them friendly if you raise them from kids.
4. what is the best livestock guardians in your opinion.  preferably not a dog. i have been looking at donkeys and llamas.  llamas are a lot more expensive and i leaning towards getting a donkey. 

any info or tips are appreciated


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Nov 20, 2010)

Out of curiosity, why keep a buck at all if they're pets?  My nigerian buck would make a GREAT pet, just as soon as he was wethered.    Seriously, you'd get all the fun personality without the incredibly un-fun stank.


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## lilhill (Nov 20, 2010)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> ok so now i still cant make up my mind.  all of you have great opinions about breeds of goats but so many breeds were listed.  if i get goats my goats will be kept as pets only.  i doubt i will be milking them.
> 
> i have a couple questions
> 1.  can wethers and regular bucks live together happily.
> ...


Here's the short answers to your questions.  

1.  Yes, wethers and bucks and/or wethers and does can live together.  
2.  Yes, you can house dwarf goats with standard goats ... I don't have any standards, but I know of several folks that house them together and they get along fine. If I were to mix my Nigerians with standard sized, I'd want them all to be horned or disbudded, not a mix.  JMO.
3.  They are born "wild as bucks" and must be handled every day to get them used to us humans.  Dam raised kids that are consistently handled can be just as friendly as bottle babies.  This goes for adult goats, too.  If adults have spent their lives in the pasture with minimal human contact, then they won't be friendly either.
4.  The livestock guardian is really your judgment ... some donkeys make wonderful guardians, and some donkeys don't and can seriously injure their intended "charges".  I use a Great Pyr that has the inherent instinct and training to be a good guardian.

I'm glad you are getting your research in before deciding to get goats.  I agree that if you just want pets, then wethers would probably suit your particular situation better.  No worries with does screaming when coming in heat and bucks just do not make great pets, if for no other reason than the smell they can emit.


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## boykin2010 (Nov 20, 2010)

well i would really like to have some kids.  maybe i could just get a buck for a little while then sell him when i am done with the breeding.   i know of a lot of auctions where i would have no trouble getting a buck.  could i just get one and let it loose with wethers and does for a month or two then sell him?


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## boykin2010 (Nov 20, 2010)

anything?


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## chandasue (Nov 20, 2010)

You can get lucky at auctions and snag an awesome deal, but be wary that you usually have next to no history and have no idea if they're carrying any diseases that would potentially infect your whole herd. JMO


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## dianneS (Nov 21, 2010)

I won't have a buck at all.  If I have my does bred (which I think I will breed at least one doe this fall) I'll be paying for stud service.  I know the buck is disease free and from good bloodlines, he only services very carefully screened does that have shown all proper documentation of the absence of diseases. 

For me, that's just easier than buying a buck and re-selling him later.  I will be taking my doe to see the buck, however this buck does travel, so he would come here to do the job if I wanted to do it that way as well.  If I decide to breed multiple does, I would have the buck come here.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Nov 21, 2010)

Or maybe you could use a younger buckling then have him wethered once you know your does have settled?  If you planned to keep a wether as a pet anyhow it would save the trouble of rehoming.  I've never done it myself, but I have heard that wethering them at a later date is no trouble (maybe better in fact b/c of UC) and the little guys are fertile at a very early age.


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## elevan (Nov 21, 2010)

Depends on the buck how stinky he is...mine doesn't stink even though he does pee all over himself and is quite proud of it


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## boykin2010 (Nov 21, 2010)

ok well i think i will have a lot of time to think about it and i will decide what i want...  i may buy a male goat to breed with my does then get him fixed afterward.


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## jduffy01 (Nov 22, 2010)

Personally I think the stink is an individual goat thing. I have a couple bucks of both kinds I mentioned (fainters, nigerians) and i can honestly say that 1 fainter stinks more than the other and the same goes for the nigerians, although of my herd the nigerians smell less. My bucks are great, we spend alot of time with them. I think they get a bum reputation from the bucks no one spends time with. You can always pay a stud fee for your does to be bred. As for a companion I have great pyrenees. They are not only a companion but will protect the goats if (more like when) predators come around.


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## rebelINny (Nov 24, 2010)

MINI-ALPINES are THE best!! I do love most kinds of goats though but I am lucky enough to own Alpines, mini-alpine's and a couple of mixed dairy does. They are all great. I have also owned Nubian, Boer and Lamancha. They are all terrific. Its a goat thing.


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## bettybohemian (Dec 13, 2010)

I have 2 pygora does (fiber goats), 2 nigerian does, 1 nigi buck and 1 nigi wether. My buck was a 4H goat so he is very sweet, came halter trained. He's my fave, not very smelly. Followed by Lucy the one nigi doe and Poppy the pygora. Zooey the pygora is the queen and she can be a handful. I shutter at the thought of a fullsized goat with her attitude!


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## Ariel301 (Dec 14, 2010)

I raise LaManchas, both full size and mini. The minis are a mix between LaManchas and Nigerian Dwarfs. Mini-Manchas are perfect as pets. They are small (under 100 pounds) so they are less intimidating than one of the big ones to children or someone not used to handling a large animal, and also take up less room and eat less food. The big ones are great pets also. LaManchas in general have an incredibly sweet, doglike personality, they just love to be around you and be part of your life. (They're some of the best milkers too!) Their ears make them a little unusual, it takes a bit to get used to a goat without the big floppy ears, but personally....I think Mancha kids with their little ear-nubs are the cutest there are. My avatar is my young LaMancha buck, he loves petting and tries to climb in my lap to be cuddled. The older buck I used for breeding this year was so mild that a friend's 4 year old daughter was dragging him around my yard by beard. They're just that laid back, I have never met a mean one. They're quiet too, and  love going for walks or car rides.

The only downside I have found to them is that you have to deal with people always asking why you cut their ears off. I've started telling people that we clip them off at a young age to make kid-ear sandwiches, and offer to make them one to try.  I got asked about the ears so many times at the county fair this year that next year I am going to make a sign about the ears and hang it on the door of their stall. 

As for bucks...if they are raised and trained right, they can be very sweet and gentle. But, during mating season, even the gentlest one can get unpredictable if there are females around, and can tear things up or chase and butt people. The biggest reason a buck shouldn't be a pet is the stink. Most of them are really awful, and if you get the smell on you it is hard to wash off. I suppose frequent baths might help with that, but that's a lot of work...I would not recommend a buck unless you are serious about raising kids...if you just want to try it once or twice for fun, it is likely someone would loan you the services of their buck.


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## Hobby Farm (Dec 15, 2010)

I have Obies and Alpines.  Definetly prefer the Obies.  Quiet, gentle, curious, and they are smarter than the Alpines.  Mine are also our best milkers as far as consistancy, milk quality, and taste of milk.  My Alpines are bossy and rude and their milk tastes watered down.


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## KellyHM (Dec 15, 2010)

I have Nubians and they are absolutely the sweetest things!  Both of my bucks are even sweeter than the does, even during breeding season, always sticking their noses in my face for "kisses."  They're all very sweet and easy to work with/on.  Even if they get mad and "fight" you they are never mean - just try to get away.

I had 1 Pygmy who was the most obnoxious goat ever!  She was very sweet and I loved her, but she screamed constantly for food if she could see/hear me anywhere, was the pushiest thing I ever met, and bossed all the Nubians around, even the bucks.  

I have always wanted fainters, but they're hard to find around here.  I LOVE the mini silky fainters, but I ddon't think they would do well in FL b/c of the heat.

I recently fell in love with Nigerians b/c of all the colors and their size, but I'm really trying to talk myself out of getting another breed!


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