[Jimmy24]

....would you school me on breeds, care, health issues, real milk production, can you make butter, life expectancy, feed vs graze.....

In other words, What's it take to own a goat or two for milk. Not interested in meat production.

Looking forward to this. Thanks in advance!

Jimmy

 

[Jimmy24]

Oops, found out no butter.....ah heck.

Jimmy

 

[*Andi]

Oops, found out no butter.....ah heck.

Jimmy

That is news to me!!!

As I'm short on time right now, I'll get back asap ...

 

[Centraltn]

I used Nubians. You can turn your back on em with no worries. They produce from 1 - 2 gallons a day, milking them morning and evening. I bottle fed the babies in a playpen in my house mid winter. They will follow you like a pet the rest of their lives - so handling them is no bother at all. Babies drink about 6-8 weeks then wean em and put em out to pasture. Moms will breed twice a yr if ya let them. Give birth 4 months later and will produce milk from that birth for 10 months. I only bred mine once a yr. I had 2 moms and breds them on a staggering schedule so we have milk yr round.

 

[TheAnt]

I grew up with goats. My parents raised them and we drank the milk and ate quite a few as well. They were nubians also but I dont know specific info.. would have to consult MommaAnt.

I have some good stories -- for now lets just say that if you breed them and end up with some males you just as well name them "BBQ1", "BBQ2" and so on. I had several run-ins with male goats that were stubborn and downright MEAN!

 

[PamsPride]

We have two Nubians, one Nubian/boer cross, and one Saanen (for now). If the Saanen does not dramatically pick up her milk production she may be going back to her originally owner.
My milk was never creamy enough to make butter when I was getting it last summer.
You have to keep their hooves trimmed.
I only use glass jars for the milk. I put my jars in the freezer and then milk into them. Then put the milk into the freezer for 45 minutes and then move it to the fridge.

 

[*Andi]

You can make butter with goat milk ...

Is it easy. Well no ... but it can be done.

I have Nubian/Alpine cross (for the most part). They work well for me.

You can use a cream separator but the price ... ... then again, a small one vs a cow to milk. Well you do the math. lol

Second, you can let the cream rise, 24 hours and skim the cream off. You can freeze this cream if you only have one or two goats till you get about 2 quarts, then thaw and then make butter. ( I like sweet cream butter others like sour ... so that is up ta ya taste.)

Now if you are milking more than a few goats (say four or five), I like to use one gallon glass jars with a spigot (one that can be removed and CLEANED) As the cream doesn't rise like cow cream does, one must be patient.( no less than 24 hours for me) You can draw the skim milk off with the spigot ... collect the cream and make butter about every 2 or 3 days.

So Yes ... you can make butter, cheese or have milk to drink with a goat.

Hope this helps ...

 

[PamsPride]

Thanks Andi! I will have to remember the glass jar with the spigot when I have a bunch of milk!

 

[Jimmy24]

Thanks for the info. I know there is lots of info out there, but I wanted it from folks who do it.

Just 2 or so is what I'm thinking of. That should be all the milk, cheese and now butter:congrat: I can use. It appears the Nubian breed/mix is the ones to go with.

Ok just help with a couple of the other questions.

Graze/feed of a milking goat? I understand a goat will starve on grass? They need lots of roughage? Any supplamental feed? :scratch

Health issues? :scratch

Thanks again.

Jimmy

 

[PamsPride]

I give goat feed and sunflowers twice a day. My 3...now 4 goats have almost a 1/2 acre to graze on. But I know others who have a LOT less space and a LOT more goats. The more goats you have in a smaller area the more health issues you can have.
I have one goat (2 years old) that is fickle...or higher maintenance...her hooves have to constantly be trimmed or she starts limping (I am talking like once a month), she will just slowly stop eating so I have to give her Vit B when she does, she is not as friendly....she is a nice goat just not lovey like her mom.
My older goat (4 or 5 years old) is lovey, only needs her hooves trimmed like once every 3 months, she is a super good eater!! She is also my herd queen. We just have to lead her around and the rest follow. She leads pretty easy. The right goats do make all the difference.
Goats are VERY VERY VERY social animals! NEVER get just one, especially a Nubian. So, if you find one you like you HAVE to have a herd mate to bring them home with or home to!

 

[Centraltn]

I fed mine goat food every morning. The rest of the day they grazed on weeds in the pastures. They love cracked corn. They are a hardy bunch but the babies are a lil sensative to cold winds for their first 3 weeks. After that they are hardy enough. Try to arrange baby birthing into the summer of ya don't wanna bother

 

[*Andi]

I grain feed, twice a day and they are on pasture ... The first goats on the farm, took care of all the brush.

Health wise ... worm and checking hooves ... we do it once a year. (unless a problem pops up) Like Pam said, you need more than one and yea, I also bred for late spring or early fall babies. (I don't care for frozen babies. )

 

[Jimmy24]

Thanks so much for your replies ya'll.

Was planning for at least two, but may have three. Thinking that will give me more products than I can use, which can be sold or bartered!!

Thanks again. All your info will be used!!

Jimmy

 

[Centraltn]

Buy one of your ladies already bred and you will have a small heard in no time

 

[Meerkat]

Which goat does better in heat?

Would anyone please put up pictures of the Nubians and Alpines?

 

[PamsPride]

Here are pictures of my two Nubians:
Pam's Pride: Amber and Lily!

Some more pictures here:
Pam's Pride: Spring time!

 

[TheAnt]

Awesome pictures Pam! They remind me of my childhood! Oh how I hope I will be able to move back home, out of the desert, where my kid (soon to be kids) can grow up with goats, chickens, hunting, fishing and the like! WOW!

 

[*Andi]

I thought I posted some in my album ... :scratch ... guess not.

(But) Here is a few picture of Abby and kids ...

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f15/first-goat-kids-season-6155/

 

[*Andi]

OOPS!! I forgot ...

Yea ... the one farm (goat) chore I dislike ... disbudding a baby goats horns. (burning the horns) We burn the dairy goats but we did not burn the boer goats. (meat goats) But they were in different lots.

No fun ... I hate the smell and all thats goes with it. :gaah:

 

[PamsPride]

I thought I posted some in my album ... :scratch ... guess not.

(But) Here is a few picture of Abby and kids ...

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f15/first-goat-kids-season-6155/

Your goaties are cute!!

I have never disbudded. A friend of mine is trained and has all of the equipment so I am just going to pay her to do it.