# Question about goats



## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Folks, goats of what breed are "milk" goats? Does anyone own/milk? How hard is it to keep them?


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## Crossover (Sep 18, 2010)

kitten_Val said:


> Folks, goats of what breed are "milk" goats? Does anyone own/milk? How hard is it to keep them?


I am just entering the world of miniature Nubian goats. They are as cute as a button and I'm told good milkers with good rich milk. I don't know enough yet to truly help, but I think they are the cutest ******s. Just like in all things though, do the research and look for reputable breeders. More info can be found at American Goat Society and Welcome to the American Dairy Goat Association 

I can't wait to get more. Very easy to care for though I was told its best never to feed the bucks (males) grain. My are just roaming in my fenced in back yard right now grazing. They are given access to a goat mineral and baking soda at all times. They have a igloo doghouse for shelter. Mine weren't bottle fed or handled much so are still adjusting to being handled. Treats work good though


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Crossover said:


> I am just entering the world of miniature Nubian goats. They are as cute as a button and I'm told good milkers with good rich milk. I don't know enough yet to truly help, but I think they are the cutest ******s. Just like in all things though, do the research and look for reputable breeders. More info can be found at American Goat Society and Welcome to the American Dairy Goat Association
> 
> I can't wait to get more. Very easy to care for though I was told its best never to feed the bucks (males) grain. My are just roaming in my fenced in back yard right now grazing. They are given access to a goat mineral and baking soda at all times. They have a igloo doghouse for shelter. Mine weren't bottle fed or handled much so are still adjusting to being handled. Treats work good though


Thank you! It's an interesting info. I'm going to do more research on my own...


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Once you start milking a goat it's a twice daily ritual that has to be maintained - no days off until, if she's bred, she's far enough along that she dries up.


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## KatieQ (Apr 4, 2011)

I used to have a milk goat- she was a Saanen, and the milk was very good. Goats are easy to keep/feed etc. but notoriously difficult to contain. They can get out of nearly any kind of fence and will destroy your fruit trees, ornamentals etc by stripping off the bark. They also like to stand on top of cars and will try to get in the house at every opportunity! But while they are a pain in the butt they are also very entertaining and can become very attached to you- I had one that followed me everywhere- even came along on trail rides (Not the one I milked, but one of her offspring)


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## ilovemyPhillip (Apr 4, 2009)

I really like Nubians for milk - I don't have any because I wouldn't milk 2x daily. 
thegoatspot.net < great information.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

I have Nigerian Dwarf goats. They are very good milkers I am told but seeing as I have a wether and a sterile female, I won't be getting any milk.

Goats are a PIA. They destroy fences and continually escape. My wether was literally hanging himself on a fence trying to eat the pig food on the other side. Literally choking and gasping for air but wouldn't stop (and it's not like he isn't fed.... both he and the female are FAT). 

Good weed control but oh do they drive me crazy. Mine were bottle-fed so very attached and if you go outside they call for you continually.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Saddlebag said:


> Once you start milking a goat it's a twice daily ritual that has to be maintained - no days off until, if she's bred, she's far enough along that she dries up.


Oh, yes, I know that.  I have no experience, but my mom had/milked goats back when she was younger. That was mostly her idea to get one.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Lol! And thanks, All, for replies! 

May be someone want to share pics too? I'd love to see those. 

Yeah, I've heard they are very hard to keep contained. I have a small field with rubber net all around it, so that may be the only place (horses fields are obviously too easy to get out).


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## Tyler (Feb 10, 2010)

I love that fact that you don't have to keep goat milkings on a rigid 12 hour schedule – made it real nice in the winter when it didn't get lighter (or warmer) 'til later in the day. 

And ditto what ilovemyPhillip said: TheGoatSpot.net is an awesome resource!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Thanks, Tyler!


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## SayiWont (Mar 17, 2009)

Saneen, Nubian, and Alpine are some of the more popular breeds. Saneen are the biggest by far of the three. Nigerian Dwarfs are supposed to be good milkers, but aren't too popular where I live.

My family owns two Saneen does, one of which is in milk. The other is her daughter, whom is getting bred soon. Goats have to be milked twice a day, like everyone else has said. The daughter we own is almost 5 or 6 months now, I think. So, it has been that long since she has been bred and she is still milking. We get about 2 quarts a day from momma. Baby has already been weaned, so all of momma's milk is going to us.

We don't have any problem keeping our goats put up. They won't get out unless they have a reason to. Our girls are kept on a little pasture with plenty of grass. We are keeping them in just fine in woven wire fencing, the kind you would use for cattle. We do, however, have a strand of electric wire on top for protection/extra security. Haven't had them get out at all (knock on wood).

When you are keeping does to milk, you have to watch what you feed them for a couple reasons. Reason #1- Anything you feed them can taint the milk. If you feed them garbage, the milk will taste like it. We feed ours Purina Goat Chow mixed with alfalfa pellets- makes the milk nice and sweet (kind of). Reason #2- If you don't feed them enough good quality feed, they will drop in milk production.

The only other advice I can tell you is that you better have good shelter for them that keeps rain and cold out. Goats hate being wet and/or cold. When it is raining, our goats won't come out of their house unless we have food, which would be only at milking times.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

SayiWont said:


> Saneen, Nubian, and Alpine are some of the more popular breeds. Saneen are the biggest by far of the three. Nigerian Dwarfs are supposed to be good milkers, but aren't too popular where I live.
> 
> My family owns two Saneen does, one of which is in milk. The other is her daughter, whom is getting bred soon. Goats have to be milked twice a day, like everyone else has said. The daughter we own is almost 5 or 6 months now, I think. So, it has been that long since she has been bred and she is still milking. We get about 2 quarts a day from momma. Baby has already been weaned, so all of momma's milk is going to us.
> 
> ...


Cool! That's bunch of info for sure - thank you!


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## SayiWont (Mar 17, 2009)

Just realized I mispelled Saanen. I have them but I can't spell them, go figure. :???:


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## ladysun (Jan 23, 2012)

We have American Alpine milk goats. For us, we considered many different breeds...looked at the Nubians..Kinders..Nigerian and Saanen. Before we decided on which worked best for us, we spent a number of days volunteering at local small farms...helped out and learned a LOT, while getting to know the various breeds. In the end, once we had met our first Alpine, there was no going back. 

The Alpines are a full sized goat...very intelligent, personable and loving (as well as mischevious) but they don't do well with adding in other breeds (we've been told). Our Alpines give a good, high quality milk that isn't too "goat-y" and we use it for everything from our whole milk..butter..cheese and yogurt.

There are "seasons" with our girls....right now we're approaching our kidding season and we have 4 bred does that will all be kidding in the next month or so. Typically they have twins but you can get 1 to 4 in a single kidding. You will have a couple of months that are a bit hectic...tending to the new kids and twice daily milkings of the does...as the kids reach weaning, things get a little less chaotic before we start looking at breeding season....By December we're starting to prep for our next round and the does are drying off from the years kidding season, before it all starts over again. 

We've never had an escapee through a fence but we did a bit of overkill when we set things up...5' woven wire goat fence on the outside perimeter with 5 strand electric on the inside (1,3 and 5 hot).

For us, we also found it very prudent to bring in Great Pyrenees as livestock guardians. We're in an area with a fair amount of predators (coyotes and the like) and the GP are awesome guardians...kind of the mindset of anything they can see belongs to them and they WILL protect it. If they perceive a threat, our girl will gather the goats up and stay with them, while our boy goes out to track the perceived threat down and address it directly. Really amazing creatures to watch.

Personal opinion but we don't feel the goats are a lot of trouble, though they do require not taking off for long time periods. We keep a full hay rack for them we have to fill every day...fill water...replace their goat block as needed (average once a month)..we feed meat goat feed (we have heard bad tales on giving them sweet feed) with black oil sunflowers as a treat.

Generally we pencil in about a day a month to trim hooves, and anything ese they may be in need of. For us, we opt to feed the girls individually in a milking stanchion for the 1-on-1 time with them (and it allows us to give each one the once over m,orning and night for any sign of a developing problem). By making their feed pans individually, it allows us to top dress their feed with anything that particular doe may need...but lots of folks opt for feeding them all together, it's just a personal choice.

If we dont have kids around or does in milk...this time of year it's fair to say we allot an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening for goat feeding/watering (Four Does). I'm sure if one was doing the goats all together, the time would be cut down considerably.


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## kbjumper (Jan 22, 2012)

I have a Toggenburg herd for a 4-H project and after 4 years of showing, breeding, milking that it is truely some work. When they are in milk after having kids, they still need to be milked twice a day, usually there are no excuses, The goats are in pain if you begin to milk then stop because they over produce milk, but you need to milk the does because you want to relive them from being in pain of haveing to much milk! I feel so funny saying this but, You have to keep the balance, miss a night or morning and its twice as hard to milk the next. until shes dried up your stuck. To keep them you want a filed that they can stay in without getting out, and they can sometimes be tricky, because to them, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Yogurt made from goat's milk? Can I buy this somewhere?


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## ladysun (Jan 23, 2012)

I don't know where you might buy this as a commercial product. If you have access to goat's milk, yogurt isn't terribly diffivult to make yourself with basic supplies..or any of the yogurt makers that are sold for home use would work as well.

How to Make Goat Milk Yogurt | eHow.com


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

ladysun said:


> We have American Alpine milk goats. For us, we considered many different breeds...looked at the Nubians..Kinders..Nigerian and Saanen. Before we decided on which worked best for us, we spent a number of days volunteering at local small farms...helped out and learned a LOT, while getting to know the various breeds. In the end, once we had met our first Alpine, there was no going back.
> 
> The Alpines are a full sized goat...very intelligent, personable and loving (as well as mischevious) but they don't do well with adding in other breeds (we've been told). Our Alpines give a good, high quality milk that isn't too "goat-y" and we use it for everything from our whole milk..butter..cheese and yogurt.
> 
> ...


Good information! 

I also researched the dairy breeds before choosing the Oberhasli for my micro dairy. I've had several other dairy breeds through here over the years, but for us the gentle nature of the Oberhasli wins hands down. Most goats are nice and friendly, but Obers are known for it, as well as having the most "cow" like milk in terms of taste and texture.

I have never (repeat, never) had any of my goats get out. Of course I don't have the typical three board fencing either, but a variety of typical medium critter fence and have no problems. Like mentioned before goats can not take wet and wind as well as other farm animals, but it is so easy to build a small little shelter if there isn't enough room in the barn. I'm a small woman and by myself I can build a goat house with purchased lumber in one afternoon.

Caring for goats is very easy and you do not "have" to milk on a strict schedule like cows. If you are after production levels, or as much milk as a goat can produce, then yes a 12 hour strict schedule is the way to go, but many owners find a good compromise and some owners like myself milk goats once a day after the babies are taken care of. It takes some thought about setting up a schedule that works for you/the goats and sticking with it, but it is not hard at all. I milk my goats by hand right after the morning chores and it only adds about 10 minutes per goat. 
Once daily gives me plenty of milk for things like... yogurt, cheese, ice cream, fudge, custards, soap, and of course regular cooking and baking. I actually have a fudge business on the side that stemmed from goat milk. 
(Yes, goat milk fudge is by far superior to any other fudge using processed milk. Never would have convinced me until I made all the different types of milk fudge for myself. Plus my customers are NOT happy when I have to use store bought milk for my annual "time off from milking" fudge.)

There are some really good sites that address goat ownership on all of its levels, how to milk, health care, and everything in between. If you want to PM me I'd be happy to pass them along to you.

I was very anti-goat when I started my farm. Smelly things... who would want that? Then I learned about them and how valuable they can be and now I don't think I will ever not have a few around. It is only the bucks that smell bad and I cure that problem by letting my buck live at a friends goats farm for most of the year with her goat herd. Keeps us both much happier. :wink:


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Interesting thread! DH & I have discussed raising a few Boer's, we both like goat meat & I really like that they would clean my fence rows  

We had a few goats when I was a kid to practice with the cutting horses on, don't remember what breed. When I was a teenager, we lost a mare during foaling and borrowed a Nubian nanny from the local 4-H leader to be a replacement mom for the foal. Have yet to see anything as cute as that foal on his knees nursing that goat, I'll try to dig up the old pictures. Though he did pick up some goat-like habits from her...never did bite or kick but boy did he like to head butt and would try to eat anything within reach.


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