Milking goats

[Alaskan]

I suspect that saanen is going to blow the nigerian out of the water for production, but the nigerian will blow her out of the water for butterfat. Sounds like fun.

So true.

 

[Mini Horses]

Actually, butterfat can change with lactation times. While ND normally give a higher butterfat content, my Saanens do great for me. Those that are crossed with my Nubian will give a little higher than my full Saanen but, not a hugely higher ratio. The Saanen influence has always given me longer lactations to count on.

All goat milk has a purpose! So I'm not knocking any of them. But even with the full sized girls, you look for production from high production backgrounds! I think it's great that we can satisfy our needs by choosing from stock that gives us what we want.

More milk, more cream, less of all of it and even milking through to need less breeding. All that in smart, loveable, entertaining animals. What a deal!!

 

[Ridgetop]

Butterfat is highest right after kidding. Butterfat rich milk weighs less than the same volume later in lactation when butterfat goes down. That is why weighing milk is used as the standard for production, and why the weights are added up to an annual yield. Some breeds give higher butterfat amounts.

Love those goats!!!

 

[DeEtta]

My first experience with goats was a herd of ND. I learned the hard way of breeding too many does at once. I was overwhelmed with so much milk,
Many years later I now have 2, 10 month olds. One is a Nubian and the other a Kinder. I'm looking forward to kids in 1.5 years from now.
I am learning so much from everyone on this site.

 

[farmerjan]

I find it interesting that butterfat is higher in early lactation does as it is exactly the opposite in cattle. Most all the cattle I test will have higher butterfat in later lactation, and the higher butterfat milk will be more dense. The people who have registered cattle and do milk test are very much interested in the 305 day records, and want the cows to reach that because the butterfat average usually will go up a little. Many are milked for 365 averages if they are not bred right back... that is often if they are in a show string.