rachels.haven's Journal

[Mini Horses]

While discussing goats, milking, etc with a couple old gentlemen, the question of goat vs cow came up. Thinking about it on way home the economics surfaced, after all, the love of either animal is there and we're talking money.

You can feed 4 full sized dairy goats for about same as one cow. 5 months to kid vs almost a year for the heifer. Most goats twin. At a year I could have 8 kids to sell, milk gabatch, rebred does and one calf. No doubt I can get an easy 1200$ for those kids, maybe 200 for a bottle calf. Stagger kidding, milk all year. More kids very soon. Consider that.

Yeah, goats can supply you more, faster.

 

[farmerjan]

Agree on the economics on the goats pretty much across the line.... Need real good fences for the goats compared to the cows.....Cow would supply enough milk to feed at least one or 2 more calves so 3 calves as opposed to one... but you do have to buy the calves....goat kids definitely worth more at the small size....plus you could have enough milk for some pigs but imagaine that you would also with the goat milk...
The biggest thing.... YOU GOTTA LIKE GOATS...... they are much more "prima donna's" by everyone's posts... most cows are not and can take the elements alot better....
But again, you gotta like goats.....and have the fencing to keep them in and have some sort of guardians for them.... most cows can take care of themselves and their calves pretty much... coyotes and dogs won't bother a calf much after a few days... and cows are usually very protective..they will go after dogs and coyotes if they are harassing a calf whereas a goat or ewe would not.... the black buzzards we have some trouble with can just as easily go after a kid or a lamb as a baby calf and a cow will usually fight them off.....and they are not as vulnerable near as long because the kids and lambs are just smaller.....
I agree that the goats are a better economic investment and the turnover is faster... but I also like steak and real hamburger. Lamb burger just has a different taste to me and I am sure that goat burger is the same. I put ground lamb burger in lasagna to help disguise the taste... I like a lamb chop on occasion but not alot. Of course, you can sell all the kids and buy a butcher size bovine instead.....

 

[Mini Horses]

Agree...and I love good beef plus cow butter! Really just a $ turn comparison for those who have less land and want dairy plus a touch of payback. I'm always tempted for a nice jersey or even a Dexter. No bulls!!

 

[Ridgetop]

Got to fit the animals to your wallet and needs, also the amount of work you need to do for each. DS1 decided early on that he didn't want goats because he hated milking and went into sheep instead. Differences are what makes life fun!

BYW, when DS1 was 7 years old he wanted a pig and built a "pig pen" in the back yard of our first house with scrap lumber. It was so small it would not have held a mini pig, maybe big enough for a rabbit! But he enjoyed nailing it together.

 

[rachels.haven]

The anatolian/pyr cross LGD puppy Bailey can't stand left to go try out life in a sheep herd. Hopefully all goes well and he doesn't need to come back. All he wants is to be with his stock and doesn't want or need you, and that was exactly what they were looking for-and they have an existing pack of LGD's, one pyr and one anatolian. I'm going to give the remaining brother some time, and me some time to fix the fence in one place then I am going to turn him out to be with Bailey at least during the day.

It appears Atlas and Bailey got in a skirmish when they were penned together at night and he got bit on the chest so Bailey has been out. Atlas really wants Bailey's dog food-I mean REALLY and Bailey has been on a diet to keep her weight down so I could imagine if one of them even THOUGH there was a kibble left she would 100% bite him for it, fictional kibble or otherwise. So they are split up for now and she will never be fed in he pen again. Food is that dog's breaking point-always has been, always will be. I will be keeping them totally separate for a while (just in case it wasn't over kibble, and maybe Atlas the 8+ foot tall goat buck decided Bailey looked like a good humping target or something and THAT was why he got bit, because he's tried it before). For all I know he stepped on her or something. I'd like her to teach the puppy in the pen at some point but this complicates things.

 

[rachels.haven]

I am pleased to announce that as of this afternoon we finally do not own property in Massachusetts. I wasn't willing to believe it until it was done but it's done now.

 

[Bruce]

 

[Baymule]

What a huge relief that must be! Awesome, now take a deep breath, y'all are DONE with that place!

 

[farmerjan]

I am SOOOOO HAPPY and OVERJOYED for you and your family !!!! Done with the total insanity of Mass..... and the idiots that were "neighbors".

 

[Finnie]

I am pleased to announce that as of this afternoon we finally do not own property in Massachusetts. I wasn't willing to believe it until it was done but it's done now.

Now THAT is something to celebrate!!