Goat's Milk
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I grew up with milking goats.
Fantastic animals. If you get only one, be sure to spend time with it as they are very social animals. Get two if you can.
Anglo-Nubians give a lot of milk but are often fair pigs of animals to handle. I have never met a purebred Nubian I have liked.
British Alpine and Toggenburgs are both lovely animals and give good milk but probably not the highest volume.
My favourite variety is the Saanen. Beautiful nature ( although I have met cranky ones) and give a good dose of milk. We have probably had around 10 Saanens over the years.
We had a British Alpine-Saanen cross who was a lovely goat until she met a snake and lost the argument.
The best goat we ever owned though was a Saanen-Nubian cross who was the daughter of a 12th generation show champion. She was bloody expensive but gave over 3 litres of milk a day regular as clockwork and the best milk I have ever had. We were quite sad when she died.
get a young one if possible and get here used to being milked fairly early on. The worst goat we ever had to milk had been left running wild till her 3rd kid, and did NOT want to be milked. She had to be legroped on both legs or it was impossible to milk her.
Be sure they have a good supply of fresh water. They are quite fussy about clean water and if you want a lot of milk they need a lot of water.
When milking give them supplementary food. We used to give them a tub of horse feed called Completo which was a mixture of chaff and grain and some molasses. About one to one and a half quarts per milking session is good and they are happier being fed while milked.
Makes the milk sweeter and gives more of it.
They need shelter from rain and wind.
Goats are incredibly intelligent. We lived for some years on a 3 acre block surrounded by a sheep farm and the goats would go through every fence on our block but never once left the property. They can jump quite high fences and get through most wire fences except mesh.
If we wanted a certain area grazed we would drive a peg into the ground and tether the goat to it during the day.
Electric fences work well but they soon learn if you turn them off.
We had a collar on each goat and a rope to a car tyre so they could roam the paddock freely but if they jumped a fence they could not drag the tyre with them.
they learned quick, until they wore through the rope on the tyre and tehn got into the garden.....
Another thing that works well for controlled grazing is to get a large car tyre, put some plywood in the bottom and half fill with concrete, nice dry concrete so you can mold it. Fill the hollow of the tyre completely so you now have a big dish, then build up a pedestal in the dentre and set in a short peg, about 18 inches long.
You can tip it up on edge and roll it where you want it then fill the centre with water and slip the chain over the peg ( end of chain welded to a few inches of pipe) and clip the swivel on the other end to the goat's collar and you have a water dish they can't knock over and a tether they can't move but you can. Also when it is moved the water dish is emptied and clean for a refill.
Good luck with the goats, I would say go Saanen but I may be biased.
Enjoy!
Fantastic animals. If you get only one, be sure to spend time with it as they are very social animals. Get two if you can.
Anglo-Nubians give a lot of milk but are often fair pigs of animals to handle. I have never met a purebred Nubian I have liked.
British Alpine and Toggenburgs are both lovely animals and give good milk but probably not the highest volume.
My favourite variety is the Saanen. Beautiful nature ( although I have met cranky ones) and give a good dose of milk. We have probably had around 10 Saanens over the years.
We had a British Alpine-Saanen cross who was a lovely goat until she met a snake and lost the argument.
The best goat we ever owned though was a Saanen-Nubian cross who was the daughter of a 12th generation show champion. She was bloody expensive but gave over 3 litres of milk a day regular as clockwork and the best milk I have ever had. We were quite sad when she died.
get a young one if possible and get here used to being milked fairly early on. The worst goat we ever had to milk had been left running wild till her 3rd kid, and did NOT want to be milked. She had to be legroped on both legs or it was impossible to milk her.
Be sure they have a good supply of fresh water. They are quite fussy about clean water and if you want a lot of milk they need a lot of water.
When milking give them supplementary food. We used to give them a tub of horse feed called Completo which was a mixture of chaff and grain and some molasses. About one to one and a half quarts per milking session is good and they are happier being fed while milked.
Makes the milk sweeter and gives more of it.
They need shelter from rain and wind.
Goats are incredibly intelligent. We lived for some years on a 3 acre block surrounded by a sheep farm and the goats would go through every fence on our block but never once left the property. They can jump quite high fences and get through most wire fences except mesh.
If we wanted a certain area grazed we would drive a peg into the ground and tether the goat to it during the day.
Electric fences work well but they soon learn if you turn them off.
We had a collar on each goat and a rope to a car tyre so they could roam the paddock freely but if they jumped a fence they could not drag the tyre with them.
they learned quick, until they wore through the rope on the tyre and tehn got into the garden.....
Another thing that works well for controlled grazing is to get a large car tyre, put some plywood in the bottom and half fill with concrete, nice dry concrete so you can mold it. Fill the hollow of the tyre completely so you now have a big dish, then build up a pedestal in the dentre and set in a short peg, about 18 inches long.
You can tip it up on edge and roll it where you want it then fill the centre with water and slip the chain over the peg ( end of chain welded to a few inches of pipe) and clip the swivel on the other end to the goat's collar and you have a water dish they can't knock over and a tether they can't move but you can. Also when it is moved the water dish is emptied and clean for a refill.
Good luck with the goats, I would say go Saanen but I may be biased.
Enjoy!
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Goats Milk
I too am interested in purchasing a couple of milking goats, mainly because I don't want enormous amounts of milk on a daily basis, and because we could transport a goat for stud purposes easier than a cow. We had a cow but could not get her to a bull (For a variety of reasons).
My main concern is how do you keep the goaty taste out of the milk. I had some friends who kept goats for a while and sometimes the milk they used was great tasting and other times it had that distinct goaty smell and taste. I know that hygiene in the dairy is of paramount importance but is there anything else that sends the milk 'off'?
I too am interested in purchasing a couple of milking goats, mainly because I don't want enormous amounts of milk on a daily basis, and because we could transport a goat for stud purposes easier than a cow. We had a cow but could not get her to a bull (For a variety of reasons).
My main concern is how do you keep the goaty taste out of the milk. I had some friends who kept goats for a while and sometimes the milk they used was great tasting and other times it had that distinct goaty smell and taste. I know that hygiene in the dairy is of paramount importance but is there anything else that sends the milk 'off'?
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482 Posts
Never been a big fan of goat's milk but if it is the difference between living and dying the taste can be ignored. How much care do goats need on a day to day basis?
Fantastic animals. If you get only one, be sure to spend time with it as they are very social animals.
I agree with you totally they are lovely social animals if you spend time with them.
Agree again need plenty of fresh clean water.
carnut1100;217 milking give them supplementary food. We used to give them a tub of horse feed called Completo which was a mixture of chaff and grain and some molasses. About one to one and a half quarts per milking session is good and they are happier being fed while milked. Makes the milk sweeter and gives more of it.[/quote said:
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6,660 Posts
This post is a little old but ...
feed and water every day ...
milk when in season ... It takes me about 10 minutes to milk each goat ...(Ellie is a slow eater)
check feet and worm twice a year ...
This is the 'basics'
Time in play with the baby/babies don't count... :sssh:
When we raised goats (french alpines) we noted the goaty taste at times. Best way to reduce it was to quickly chill the milk after milking. Also some plants, notably some weeds and leaves from brush will cause stronger tasting milk. Also pasturing with the buck. A friend told me that it varies with the breed and he said toggenburgs were worse (don't know if that is true or not)
WE have toggs and saanen/nubian mix and the milk never has a off taste unless they happen to get out and eat certain weeds.But we go through the pasture and pull the foul weeds.Our buck stays with our nannies at all times and it doesn't effect the milk.It makes the buck more gentle and he actually excepts the kids better without any pushing.But our buck won't push at people and will listen just with voice commands but we work with our goats at all times and will even let them out just so they can run and play around humans.My personal opinion about the foul tasting milk is that most people were raised that goat milk is foul and that is what they have in there mind.People that come to our house and drink goats milk without knowing like it.
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86 Posts
I am just about ready to purchase my goats
Here is what I hae learned.
If you are going to be using the goats soley for milk (and not for food), and you hae enough property that they can forage on, then go with the saneen or alpine.
:bullit:GOATS ARE FORAGERS, NOT GRAZERS
If you are thinking they will be great lawn mowers, you may want to rethink. They will eat weeds, bark, shrubs, and your garden (the day before you are ready to harvest it).
If you have a smaller property (a couple of acres), then go with the new breed of mini-nubians. Or, go with Nigerian Dwarfs. Mini-nubians are a female nubian mated with a nigerian buck. The results are a smaller goat (that eats less) but who puts out almost as much milk as the normal sized ones.
Everyone says that there are three reasons the milk will taste "off". One is the Buck (they piss all over themselves and the area and have a nasty scent glad for the rutting process) so, if you can get away with it, dont keep them. Another reason is the milking process. It has to be done quickly and as clean as possible. Dont skimp on the right gear. The last reason is pretty self explainatory, but is probably the most missed. You get out what you put in!!! If the goat is eating foul weeds or food, well...
Here is what I hae learned.
If you are going to be using the goats soley for milk (and not for food), and you hae enough property that they can forage on, then go with the saneen or alpine.
:bullit:GOATS ARE FORAGERS, NOT GRAZERS
If you are thinking they will be great lawn mowers, you may want to rethink. They will eat weeds, bark, shrubs, and your garden (the day before you are ready to harvest it).
If you have a smaller property (a couple of acres), then go with the new breed of mini-nubians. Or, go with Nigerian Dwarfs. Mini-nubians are a female nubian mated with a nigerian buck. The results are a smaller goat (that eats less) but who puts out almost as much milk as the normal sized ones.
Everyone says that there are three reasons the milk will taste "off". One is the Buck (they piss all over themselves and the area and have a nasty scent glad for the rutting process) so, if you can get away with it, dont keep them. Another reason is the milking process. It has to be done quickly and as clean as possible. Dont skimp on the right gear. The last reason is pretty self explainatory, but is probably the most missed. You get out what you put in!!! If the goat is eating foul weeds or food, well...
I have to put in a vote for my beloved LaManchas here. Gentle, quiet, give lots of sweet milk, and they are meatier than Saanens, Alpines and the lot - more like a Nubian. That's important when you consider that half of your kids will likely be bucklings - wether them and raise them to butcher kid size, or sell them early. True, the lack of ears takes a little getting used to, but as we say, you don't milk the ears!
Goat milk taste
We tried a goat (don't remember which breed) years ago, but no one liked the taste of the milk. I tried putting chocolate in it for the kids, but then figured, we did this experiment to be healthier, not to drink chocolate every day.
Is there a way to make the milk taste better? There were no bucks around and we fed alfalfa hay with a grain supplement (I can't remember exactly what it was).
I followed all the directions about milking in my goat book; put the milk through a filter, used clean equipment, refrigerated promptly. The milk flavor was strongly distasteful.
Was it just us? Or was I maybe doing something wrong? I sure would like to have a safe and healthy source of milk again.
We tried a goat (don't remember which breed) years ago, but no one liked the taste of the milk. I tried putting chocolate in it for the kids, but then figured, we did this experiment to be healthier, not to drink chocolate every day.
Is there a way to make the milk taste better? There were no bucks around and we fed alfalfa hay with a grain supplement (I can't remember exactly what it was).
I followed all the directions about milking in my goat book; put the milk through a filter, used clean equipment, refrigerated promptly. The milk flavor was strongly distasteful.
Was it just us? Or was I maybe doing something wrong? I sure would like to have a safe and healthy source of milk again.
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It could have been the goat ... I have had one or two over the years that were just that. :dunno:
If you can try to find one that is in milk now - try before you buy.
Don't force the kids to drink it but don't buy them any 'store milk' and they should come around. Let the kids know why you are getting a goat to milk -(safe and healthy source of milk). A lot of times with the kids it is what they hear like at school or such ... "you drink goats milk? That gross" ... My girls would tell them ...Well ... I know what is in our milk ... do you know what is in yours.
If you can try to find one that is in milk now - try before you buy
. Don't force the kids to drink it but don't buy them any 'store milk' and they should come around. Let the kids know why you are getting a goat to milk -(safe and healthy source of milk). A lot of times with the kids it is what they hear like at school or such ... "you drink goats milk? That gross" ... My girls would tell them ...Well ... I know what is in our milk ... do you know what is in yours.
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86 Posts
I am having pre-buying jitters!
I am in the process of getting the property ready for my horse, goats and chickens but am second guessing what I thought was a decent choice in the Nigerian Dwarf breed. I read that you can have 10 goats per acre of land, and my land is SHRUB city... I dont want 10 goats!! I want 3-4 goats (Does) that have a high butterfat content and will produce enough milk for my family plus extra for cheeses, soaps, etc. I will have two goats in milk at all times (staggered, so when one is on the downslope of drying up, the other is coming into the best of her milk, while the 3rd one is drying out or dried out and the other is pregnant... haven't figured it all out yet).
I just want to keep my in milk goats in the part of the land that has been cleared and my drying/dried goats can go to town on the stinky weeds, etc... BUT little nigerian dwarfs dont eat THAT much!! 3 acres for 4 goats??
Anybody work with Nigerian Dwarf/La mancha crosses? Any opinions or hypotheses on what that mix would be like??
I am in the process of getting the property ready for my horse, goats and chickens but am second guessing what I thought was a decent choice in the Nigerian Dwarf breed. I read that you can have 10 goats per acre of land, and my land is SHRUB city... I dont want 10 goats!! I want 3-4 goats (Does) that have a high butterfat content and will produce enough milk for my family plus extra for cheeses, soaps, etc. I will have two goats in milk at all times (staggered, so when one is on the downslope of drying up, the other is coming into the best of her milk, while the 3rd one is drying out or dried out and the other is pregnant... haven't figured it all out yet).
I just want to keep my in milk goats in the part of the land that has been cleared and my drying/dried goats can go to town on the stinky weeds, etc... BUT little nigerian dwarfs dont eat THAT much!! 3 acres for 4 goats??
Anybody work with Nigerian Dwarf/La mancha crosses? Any opinions or hypotheses on what that mix would be like??
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4,230 Posts
some chocolate actually has some health benefits, but if you're trying for an independent healthy milk supply for :shtf: then you will have a hard time keeping it supplied
:dunno:
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4,230 Posts
just because you CAN have 10 doesn't mean you HAVE to have 10...I am in the process of getting the property ready for my horse, goats and chickens but am second guessing what I thought was a decent choice in the Nigerian Dwarf breed. I read that you can have 10 goats per acre of land, and my land is SHRUB city... I dont want 10 goats!! I want 3-4 goats (Does) that have a high butterfat content and will produce enough milk for my family plus extra for cheeses, soaps, etc. I will have two goats in milk at all times (staggered, so when one is on the downslope of drying up, the other is coming into the best of her milk, while the 3rd one is drying out or dried out and the other is pregnant... haven't figured it all out yet).
I just want to keep my in milk goats in the part of the land that has been cleared and my drying/dried goats can go to town on the stinky weeds, etc... BUT little nigerian dwarfs dont eat THAT much!! 3 acres for 4 goats??
you could always sell the milk to a local cheese maker (if there is one) or make it yourself... people go nuts & pay big $$$ for that 'local organic' stuff
more work than I would want to do tho
isn't goat milk an ingredient in a lot of designer soaps now?
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4,350 Posts
fob, GREAT to see you back! How'd the move go?
Soapmaking and cheesemaking would be good options for making money on the side. I know if someone made it around here they could sell it at the weekly farmer's market, as well as build a customer base of locals. I'D buy it, if you were nearby!
We have one goat and it's a great brush clearning device! We put a runner cable between a couple trees and use a dog chain to allow the goat to move around and graze, and yet not get tangled in the chain, since it doesn't touch the ground, it hangs loosely to the runner cable.
The rest of the time it's in a chainlink pen to protect it from the wild critters.
Good luck!
Soapmaking and cheesemaking would be good options for making money on the side. I know if someone made it around here they could sell it at the weekly farmer's market, as well as build a customer base of locals. I'D buy it, if you were nearby!
We have one goat and it's a great brush clearning device! We put a runner cable between a couple trees and use a dog chain to allow the goat to move around and graze, and yet not get tangled in the chain, since it doesn't touch the ground, it hangs loosely to the runner cable.
The rest of the time it's in a chainlink pen to protect it from the wild critters.
Good luck!
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