Goat breed questions

[KristyHall]

I have good field fencing about 4 foot high with a strand of barb wire over the top. I only want a milk goat. Her kids will be sold or eaten. I also want a dexter cow as a dual purpose animal of milk/and the occasional light work oxen.
What breed of milk goat would be good? I need a good tempered, easy care milk goat that is less likely to test her fencing. For that matter how often should I give her break in between breeding and how long can I milk her before I let her dry up and rest? I ask because I intend on timing the cow's breeding and milking to fill in between the goat's.

 

[Ariel301]

I use chain link dog kennel panels that are 6 feet high to contain my goats. I have had a couple of goats manage to go over it, but that was because a shelter was too close to the fence, so they got on the roof of the shelter and then jumped over from there. Otherwise, the chain link panels work great and can be moved and rearranged as much as needed.

I agree that you will be less likely to have escapes if you go with large size dairy goats, my big LaMancha girls have no interest in jumping or climbing, all they want is to eat and lay in the sun and sleep. Good sturdy fencing with nothing near it they can climb (houses, trees, etc) will keep them in. A foot high is not going to be tall enough even for a mini goat, you need a minimum of 4 feet high I'd say. Barbed wire won't keep them in, you have to have a wire mesh they cannot squeeze through. They can go between strands of barbed or electric wire, the shock may not even bother them.

As far as a good tempered milker, I'd go with a LaMancha. They have the personality of a Golden Retriever dog, they are sweet and lovable and in your face, they love their people. They are good milkers too, one of decent quality can put out a gallon or even more a day, and they have a high butterfat content which makes the milk especially rich. They are good, easy going goats, and very smart, but mine seem content mostly to stay in their pens, I do have one that tries to open gates so I have to keep them locked to prevent her from doing so, but she's exceptional. I have only ever met one mean LaMancha, and I don't know what happened to her in the past...but with some love and patience she has become more good-natured, and her son is a complete lap dog so I think she may have been treated badly.

The usual breeding cycle is to breed in the fall so that she will kid five months later. They will usually breed between August and January, they don't go into heat during the spring and summer. Once she kids, you can either bottle feed the babies and start milking right away (Give all the milk to the babies the first two days or so, you don't really want to be drinking the colostrum, that stuff doesn't taste good and the babies need it anyway) or you can let her nurse the babies and wean them at 2-3 months old, either milking part time during that period or waiting until they are done to start. Then you will milk through the summer and fall, breeding her again in the fall and giving her a two month dry period before kidding again. Some goats will keep milking through and only need breeding every other year, but most have to be bred annually.

 

[elevan]

I've only had 2 escapes...

1 was a boer cross and my fences are maintained for pygmies, so he just jumped right over as they were too low.

1 is my 3 1/2 month old pygmy doeling who is very acrobatic. My adults don't even try.

 

[AlaskanShepherdess]

We use rough sawn lumber for my Nigies. Works like a dream. They don't even try to escape anymore. It took my husband abot 15 minutes to move our small pen, burying fence posts and all.

 

[KristyHall]

Correction. 4 foot high!

 

[helmstead]

Um, a quick note...

You can't just have ONE, or yes, you're going to have a lonely goat escaping all the time trying to find a companion. You WILL need two.

 

[theawesomefowl]

I love the way Oberhaslis look!

 

[emilypaonia]

I have the 4 ft high "hog panels" or welded wire I have also heard it called. Pounded in some solid T-posts to hold it up and I have never had a problem. Plus I can move them around to design new set-ups. My goat area is surrounded on 3 sides by orchards and they never get in. Well, one figured out how to work the latch on the gate and they were all standing in the yard. Fixed the latch and that's the end of that problem.

I have alpines and was told when I got them they are jumpers - have not experienced that.

Keeping goats in is about good fencing and fixing holes right away if you have any. They will learn quickly where you have become lazy. I have never had luck with goats and electric fencing. I have a friend, his goats get out nearly every day, he has electric fencing.

I also want to caution anyone against barbed wire for ALL animals, especially dairy animals, with udders that could get seriously maimed if they test the fence. Seems like we don't want to injure them if they decide to try the fence, we want to make a secure enough fence so that when they do try, they remain healthy and inside the fence. I have seen horses get all scratched up from barbed wire fence.

 

[elevan]

I also want to caution anyone against barbed wire for ALL animals, especially dairy animals, with udders that could get seriously maimed if they test the fence. Seems like we don't want to injure them if they decide to try the fence, we want to make a secure enough fence so that when they do try, they remain healthy and inside the fence. I have seen horses get all scratched up from barbed wire fence.

x2

We have a horse whose previous owner used barbed wire and she got tangled up in it. Barbed wire is awful stuff.

 

[KristyHall]

I grew up using barb wire but the last couple of years I have been replacing it with good field fencing as I can get the time and afford it. I'm pretty darns low between my injuries and taking care of my disabled parents and the animals, turning the undeveloped land into something suitable for a large herd, and keeping the house clean (though I SUCK at house cleaning) *watches the dust bunnies dance by*
Still, I am replacing the stuff because of hearing so many horror stories about it.
I think I am still leaning towards sheep and cows over goats *hides* but I will keep investigating goat breeds because I may change my mind