Suggestions for milk goats...

[Scout]

Hey! I've been tryin to decide what kind of milker to get, cant seem to make up my feeble mind so I figured I'd ask the experts and let yall tell me what your prefered breed is. I'm stuck between:

Nubian
Alpine
Oberhalsi (sp)

I need somethin that aint to overly obnoxious, that gives a lot of milk (if the taste varies by breed, what's the best,) and that aint gonna break the bank. I just need one (I've got a couple sheep for companions, would that work?)

 

[Crest Acres Girl]

I raise La Manchas, Alpines, and Nubians. I love them all!

I notice that the Nubians are a bit louder and talkative than my Alpines. Both breeds give alot of milk.I think the taste of the milk depends on what you are feeding them. Both taste the same to me.

Most say that Nubians have higher protein and butterfat. They also tend to be slightly more stubborn and high strung(mine are exact opposite for some reason haha). My Nubians give me about 1-2 gallons of milk a day.

My Alpines are wonderful, they provide me with so much milk! I also love their colors They give me a whopping 3 gallons of milk a day! They are also very nice to be around are are pretty quiet. They are more adaptable than Nubians(climate wise)

I'm not sure if goats and sheep would be good friends but since your getting one goat might as well get another lol. Two goats shouldn't cost that much to feed and they'll be much happier to have a friend.

Its kinda like raising a turkey and a chicken together

 

[Rence]

You have to be careful when raising goats and sheep together. Goats need copper in their diet and sheeps can't have it in their diet.

I agree that you should probably get two

However, of the three you listed, I only have experience with the nubians (lesser volume, more milkfat) and the alpines (more volume, less milkfat). I'd compare nubian milk with whole milk, and I'd compare alpine milk with 1% or even 2%.

Nubians tend to be more vocal. They're said to be high strung, but only one of mine is. The rest are pretty coopertive and easy to deal with.

Alpines are said to be less high strung.

It's really up to you. If you only need about a gallon a day, a nubian would be a good choice. If you need more, like 2 gallons a day, then an alpine would be your choice.

 

[Scout]

Ok yall, thanks! LOL I guess I'll get a Nubian and an Alpine, I cant make up my mind between those two... Does anyone have any for sale in Oklahoma?

 

[Rence]

I was gonna suggest one of each

Try craig's list and local sales network too.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

How much milk a day do you get out of one goat? And what do you do with all that milk?

 

[Crest Acres Girl]

How much milk a day do you get out of one goat? And what do you do with all that milk?

Mine give about 1 gallon to 3 1/2 gallons depending on the goat.

Mostly I use the milk to make goat's milk soap, LOTS of cheeses, Lots of fudge!

I also use my goat milk to feed my kefir grains(Probio) and feed the kefir back to the goats... The cats, dogs, chickens and people get their daily share too of course! It does wonders!! Don't forget goat milks ice cream!! YUM

The fudge you can use to bribe your neighbors haha my fudges and eggs keep my neighbor from complaining about my rooster

 

[alba]

Please explain Kefir to me and how it works. Do you grow it? Harvest it?
How do you prepare it to injest iT?

 

[freemotion]

It's not really a grain, it is a living culture, like yogurt only much, much more. It is a fermented milk drink, very good for you and everyone else, loaded with probiotics.

It is my next project, as soon as I find some good kefir grains. Everything I have read about it makes me want it, it is amazing stuff. cag, wanna sell some grains?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Please explain Kefir to me and how it works. Do you grow it? Harvest it?
How do you prepare it to injest iT?

There is a recipe for it under "Dairy Products".