Can you keep multiple goat breeds together?
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Dairy Goat Obstacle Course!
Question by Those from Milan: Can you keep multiple goat breeds together?
I am new to the world of goats and was wondering if it was possible to keep multiple breeds of goats (Alpine, toggenburg most likely) together? Could Nigerian Dwarf goats live in this community as well? I probably would use goats only as dairy animals and pets – I would probably have only one or none males in the group – thanks!
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2 Responses to Can you keep multiple goat breeds together?
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First of all congratulation on starting a dairy business. On principle you can have different breed together. U can cross breed goats in order to tap hybrid vigor. Two side cross breeding is common and three side is also good. But not more than that.
However If you have different breed of goats you need to isolate the bucks so that bloodlines can identified correctly.
Farming Geek
July 11, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Generally speaking, and assuming the goats are close in age, you can keep Nigies with full size breeds, but it is good to spend time observing new introductions, and keep an eye out for bullying. Some bigger goats will try to keep the smaller ones from eating. hay or drinking water. Be prepared to separate, just incase. If you do have to separate 4 nigies will fit comfortably in a 16×16 cattle panel pen which you can easily assemble, fold for storage, or move each day for fresh pasture. This what I do because my space is a bit small, and rotational grazing is good for the land, and for parasite control.
If you don’t want to keep a bucks you will need to decide how you are going to breed your does so that you can have milk. Also you will need to determine how you will castrate young bucklings that you don’t want for breeding.
If you do keep bucks you will need to keep them away from does in a very secure area and certainly not downwind from does, therefore you will need a minimum of two bucks for company. The first reason to do this is for your sanity, if you keep a bucks with does you will not have as good of an idea when kids are due, which means it will be difficult for you to be present to assist if need be. Second of all, if you don’t do this, the buck smell will get on the does, and thus in your milk. This is one of the reasons people think goats milk is gross. –After the first two weeks post postpartum the milk should taste no different from cows milk when taken from a healthy goat and handled properly.
Adrienne
July 11, 2013 at 5:06 pm