first time getting dairy goats!!!!! NEW POST GETTING GOATS 3 DAYS!!!!

[meme]

re

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

NIGERIANS! I love them. they're sweet and easy to train. I'm working on showing in the future and my doe is already catching on!
They're small and easy to handle. They also are easy and good with changes. I have a 5 year old doe I just purchased and she was wild at first but now she
begs for attention when I go to her door! I love them also for all the milk. They provide a good amount for such a tiny doe!

Hope that helps on your adventure.... :bun

 

[that's*satyrical]

Nigerians are the best. Just if you want milk make sure to purchase from good milking lines. They give a good amount as far as feed conversion to milk even though it's less than the larger breeds in overall volume. They require less space than the larger goats 3:1 ratio. They have higher butterfat content so if you plan to make cheese or butter you get more for less with them too.

 

[crazyland]

I have a mixed crew here. My Nigerian is a wether and he is so friendly! He is also small enough to handle. A friend has Nubians and they are very smart. She milks them and each time they walk on their own from the pasture to the milkin stand on their own. I am getting 4 alpine doelings from a local dairy. Their moms milk a gallon a day too.
It is all personal preference. Size, butterfat, appearance.

 

[that's*satyrical]

True it is all personal preference. Just want to throw in my Nigie also walks from the paddock all the way up to the milk stand on her own. All breeds of goat are very smart. They learn/know the routine pretty quickly. Each breed does have it's own positives & negatives so it's up to you to figure out which are most important to you in your own personal situation.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

You need proper fencing to keep out coyotes. And a guard lama or dog would be helpful.

 

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I would think a simple strand of hot wire on the outside of your goats fence should help protect them from coyotes and other predators.

 

[Queen Mum]

Nubians are fabulous milk goats. They give high volume, high fat content. They are docile, have a nice personality and are easy keepers. But they can be big goats. Alpines are also high volume producers, but have a bit more moxy as far as personality. I like them because they have a lot of character. The fat content of their milk is not as high though. Oberhauslies are excellant milk goats and have a very laid back personality. They are smaller than the Nubians and quieter. They have a mid range fat content and are very easy to take care of. They are very sweet. Saanens are basically a white alpine. They are a big goat. Pesonality varies with the saanens.

Toggenbergs are another type of Alpine and has mid range fat content and good milk volume. I don't know about their personality.

Nigerians are a good all around breed. They produce good volume for their size.

La Manchas despite having no ears are sweet tempered and lovely goats. They produce good quality milk and good volume for their size as well. They come in a range of sizes from tiny to almost full size.

Pygmies come in small size and produce a fair quality an quantity of milk.

Meat goats are not bred to produce volumes of milk.

Mixed breeds can be a good bet because you can get the best of both a meat goat and a milk goat, or you can get the best of a high volume producer with a great personality. One of my best goats is a mix of oberhauslie, nubian, and alpine. I expect she will probably produce a good volume of milk with high fat content. She has a beautiful udder (way better than her 1/2 nubian, 1/2 Alpine mama had) she has a wonderful personality (gentle, easygoing and sweet) like her oberhauslie daddy and she is smart like her Alpine great grandmother. She got all the best of her breeds. She has lovely conformation. And she is just plain beautiful.

 

[wannacow]

I LOVE my nubians. I bought them from a woman that was selling all but her lamanchas. Nubians can be noisy, but they make me laugh. I love my saanens too, but they were dam raised so not as loveable as my bottled nubians. We've only tasted the nubian milk. LOVE IT! We have about a month and a half before we get it again. We'll also be able to taste the saanen milk too. She's a FF.

 

[meme]

hi, I just got back from the 4-H meeting, and we will be getting our little goats around march, for $200 each. she has nubians and lamanchas and tons of other breeds i can`t pronounce. i am really exited!!!!!!!!!!! :bun