best dairy goat, for small farm holding?
Question by Shamus: best dairy goat, for small farm holding?
someone said saanen or anglo nubian, but i want something that won’t grow too big and won’t produce tonnes of milk. just enough for a few people, and good quality milk as well. and also do dairy goats have to be in kid to produce milk?
What do you think? Answer below!
2 Responses to best dairy goat, for small farm holding?
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yes, Saanen is the most popular dairy goat:most other breeds (dairy breeds)were derived from this breed.So, you could get a Saanen cross.their milk quality is very good.
To answer the other question:Yes,the female goat is just like a dairy cow:she has to give birth to be able to produce milk.Eventually she will “dry up”.Then you decide, if you want her to be bred?(male goats are very stinky, some people don’t keep him with the females:the milk will smell bad too)
b_bardi99
July 27, 2012 at 4:14 am
The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature dairy goat. It might be exactly what you are looking for. ND’s stay small in size, come in all colors and patterns, and produce a good amount of rich milk for their size (although not quite as much as a full size dairy goat). They tend to be friendly, easy to handle goats.
Yes, dairy goats do have to kid in order to produce milk. You can start milking about 10 days or so after they kid (the “first milk” is colostrum, which is extremely important for the kids but not suitable for humans) The more they are milked, the more milk they will produce. Goats can raise their kids and have milk left over for people. It’s best to milk her out twice a day (morning & evening) to keep milk production at it’s highest. Kids can be weaned at around 10 weeks of age and you can continue milking until she dries up. How long she will continue producing milk varies between individual goats, but eventually she will dry up even though you are milking her. At that time she will need to be bred again and she will start producing again when she kids. I have no problems selling my extra kids. I wether the boys and sell them as pets, and the doelings are sold as pets, milkers, or breeders.
Most people keep 2 or 3 does and rotate their breeding schedules so that there is always at least one in milk at all times.
For more info about Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats see
http://www.ndga.org/about/aboutnd.htm
llamas&goats
July 27, 2012 at 4:36 am