Help me pick a breed...(please)

[sahmoffour]

We will be moving to an acreage next year, and goats are on the top of my list once we move! We are a family of 6 (kids ages 2-8), and are wanting to get 2 dairy does to start with, with the possibility of keeping one of the doe kids down the line once we get the hang of things. We are also thinking about getting a buck and wether, or two bucks as well as I'm finding that there aren't a lot of stud service bucks around here, lots of bucks for sale but I can't find anyone just offering stud service. It's mostly Boers around here too. We're wanting goats for milk, cheese, butter, yogurt...about anything I can get out of them! We're also not opposed to raising the kids for meat either as I'm not sure how easy of a time I'd have selling them. They're not a very popular animal around here, the auction mart here doesn't even sell them. We live in AB, Canada where it gets down to -40 C so I need a hardy goat that can withstand the cold!

Knowing all this, what type of goat would you recommend? Would you recommend cross-breeding to get a hardier goat, or to get meatier kids? I'm thinking the smaller the goat the better, but I don't think I want Nigerian's as most people I've talked to online have said they wished they would've just gone with a full-size dairy goat to begin with rather than a Nigerian. I've looked online and can find most any breed around here if I'm willing to drive, so that's not an issue.

Also, what do all of you do with your kids? I'm worried about having a hard time selling them, and if both does had triplets I don't know what I would do with 6 kids to raise and feed. We're definitely not looking at showing or anything, just breeding to freshen the does for milk production. Do you find there's much of a market for the kids to be sold just as pets? Or to breed with Boers and sell for meat?

 

[Chirpy]

Welcome to BYH!

Since you really want the milk I'd go with a dairy breed; not a boer cross but a dairy cross would be just fine. With your temperatures you should probably stay away from Nubians as their long ears have the tendency to get frost bitten.

You will certainly want to make sure that you have a completely draft free, dry shelter for them.

If you like the look of LaManchas they are very good milkers, very personable and don't have the ears to freeze!

You can still use any breed kid for meat, it just won't have as much meat as the Boers would since they are bred for meat.

You want to make sure your does come from good milking lines. Watch for good udder attachment and larger orifices to make milking easier. You will pay more for a good milker from proven lines but if you can you really want to start out with the best you can afford. You will be glad down the line and it may help sell kids in the future if you use a high quality buck.

Make sure you really research having a buck. Most people do not want the issues that come with them. You need to keep them far away from your does when they are in milk as the smell can actually get into the milk and change the flavor. Bucks absolutely stink during breeding season. You pet them and it stays on you and your clothing. They need really, really good, strong fencing (all goats need good fencing). All goats need a friend so always have at least two goats together whether does, bucks or wethers. Oh, wethers make great pen pals for bucks and does.

It's great that you are doing your research first. Have fun and good luck.

 

[freemotion]

I think you will want two full-sized dairy does, considering the size of your family. My hubby and I have one good producer and I want three! I love making cheese, and we use a lot of dairy products now that we have access to them. I second the idea of LaManchas. They are very sweet.

You will be able to use the kids for meat, too, even if they are dairy. You won't get much, but it will be good. You might reconsider the idea of bottle feeding, though, if you will be eating them. For me at least, I get too attached. You can use the method outlined at www.fiascofarm.com and let the doe raise them, separating them at night after they are two weeks old (or eating solid food well) and milk her in the morning, then let them nurse all day, until weaned. Then you can milk twice a day.

With more does, if you get a good producer you can not breed one and milk her through, while the other(s) are dry and pregnant.

I solved my buck problem by buying a spring buckling, breeding my does, and then selling the buckling. You can get what you paid for him, so your breeding costs you a little feed, as long as you didn't overpay. If you are just looking to get the does lactating, the buck is not a big deal. I went with a dairy buck to increase my number of does, but you could go with a Boer or Boer cross as long as it is not the first breeding on a small dairy doeling.

Oh, and

 

[freemotion]

BTW, I lived on the NB border for years, across from Edmunston. If I remember correctly, -40 is about where Celsius and Farenheit cross....the bank clock showed both temperatures. Our goats did just fine with a snug barn and the deep litter method...resist the urge to clean out the barn all winter, just pile on the bedding on top of the poo and pee. It creates heat and gets them up off the ground. They will waste enough hay, usually, that you may not need to add bedding!

 

[chandasue]

I have Nigerians but unless you get a really outstanding one ($$$), they don't milk for more than about 6 months and it is daunting to have to sell so many babies with rotating their breedings to have milk year round. I was practically giving away registered goats just to keep my herd numbers down. I love them but for our family of 3 it's barely enough milk to drink (we drink quite a bit), not enough for much cheese or soap. We live in central MN so it gets fairly cold here too, and they do fine as long as they're out of the wind and thick bedding. But I'm throwing in another vote for lamanchas. They are very sweet in general and by far better milkers. But I'm biased... I'm getting one in the spring!

 

[Ariel301]

For dairy and cold-weather tolerance, and just general good-naturedness (important around your children!) I'd suggest LaManchas. They are very sweet and personable, and with their short ears, you don't have to worry about frostbite getting them. They are also excellent milkers, good ones will milk a gallon or more each every day (if fed right) and they have a high butterfat content in the milk, which I think makes the cheese better. I breed LaManchas and even the big bucks so far have been safe and gentle around young human kids and also young goat kids. I had a 200 pound boy here for stud, and my 3 year old niece dragged him around everywhere by the beard while he was in full rut. They can be pretty large goats, but there are many smaller ones too, my does are anywhere from 70-130 pounds. If you have ever been around a Golden Retriever dog, that is what LaManchas are like. Friendly, loving, and sometimes annoying because they won't get out of your business lol. They love to "help." My lead doe "helps" me milk her by licking my ear the whole time.

If you're interested in meat kids, a Boer/LaMancha cross kid is a pretty good meat kid. A pure LaMancha can be eaten, but is pretty thin, not much meat on them. But, a Boer-Mancha doeling won't grow up into an incredible milker, so if you're looking to breed more milkers, it would be best not to crossbreed. This is sort of the quandary I am in now...I want to get meaty kids for eating, since my Manchas are not the meatiest things in the world, but I also need to breed purebreds, and at the moment I can't afford to own two bucks...so I'm just having to wait to expand on the Boer side, maybe next fall.

 

[sahmoffour]

Thanks everyone for the replies! You've all got me sold on La Manchas now. I'm leaning now towards getting a Boer AND a LaMancha buck. I need two anyways so that they're not lonely since they'll be kept far from the ladies, and that way I can choose which to breed depending on whether I want to expand my herd or just freshen the does and use the kids for meat. I know everyone advises against starting out with bucks, but there really aren't many goat farms nearby here, and I just figure it'll be easier when it's breeding time. There's actually two La Manchas for sale on kijiji.ca right now, but $250 each for 1 1/2 yr olds. Glad I only want two does! Youch!

 

[KinderKorner]

You said you want milk and a smaller goat.

I vote Kinders! They are a registered cross between nubians and pygmies. The cross makes a hardy hybrid. They are great milkers, and are shorter but really heavy and meaty. They are a great dual purpose goat, and really smart too! They have 2-4 kids on average, but there has been up to 6 at once. The also have some of the highest butterfat of any breed of goat.

I got into them when looking for a good dual purpose family goat. I am so glad I did. I would really look them up. You can also look at my posts to see some pictures and information on my own goats.