What is a good price for a goat in milk?
 

Im curious what a good price for a goat in milk is?

also how long will they produce milk? until winter? longer?

I'm not sure where you're located but I'm getting a great deal on a FF from a tested herd tomorrow (yay!!) for $250. Most folks milk their does for 10 months after kidding.

Melissa

The answere is difficult because there are not enough details. Is she CAE tested? CL negative? Purebred? Papers? How much does she produce? First freshening? What KIND of goat is she? Does she come from very strong milking lines or was she out of brush goats?

The short answere is "most" of our very dairy girls give milk for 10 months or longer (some can go a few years without being freshened again). Production depends on the individual as well as the genetics as well as the feed regiment. Some does go for $75 some go for $1000. Please give us as much info as you can and possibly we can help you narrow down some answers.

Well the guy has had a milking operation for a few decades. they are his own mix, and he said he started with nubians and something else I forget.

Im going on sunday to check them out, I can pick from several as i understand, and any details on whether it is the first freshening and the like Id have to take his word for it. I WILL however get to see it milked so I will know at the time how much it produces. At this point i dont know..

the price is 150, and Im going to get 1-2 wethers from him for 35 a piece.

He claims to have great lines but is continually selling them AND continually running his operation so I assume he sells his weaker stock. I sure would hate to buy one only to have it stop producing milk in a few short months. he told me his stock is all very calm and takes to milking well.

Make sure they are tested BEFORE you buy anything. Do not take his word for them being healthy you need to see copies of test results.
Yes they are a probably a good deal but not if they infect your whole place. Look at the others in the herd look for strange bumps or lumps, cuts, abscesses or things like that.

If he hasn't mentioned testing for CAE, he probably doesn't. Stand your ground on this. You want to see the test results papers on the whole herd or you are NOT buying ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok. sounds like CAE is very important. What is it??? hes running a commercial dairy, although I think its small as far as such things go from the sound of it, but Im guessing he would be more likely to do tests then many in the area.

Most dairies do NOT test for CAE. It's Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis.

Update On Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) Virus - Goats & Health - GOATWORLD.COM

I cannot express strongly enough to you the IMPORTANCE of starting in goats with documentably HEALTHY goats. DO NOT BUY goats without a CAE negative test result ON PAPER.

Thank you.

Well talked to the guy Im getting these from today. he does NOT test for CAE, and from looking at it, it isnt contagious to humans, so Im not so worried. he has had a closed herd for decades. Everyone is freeranged except for those in milk. (those in milk get grains also) he has about 80 of them, and only 10 or so in milk all freshened in the last 2 months. He came highly recommended for having calm healthy animals.

I have a tested Saanen milker for sale. Not sure where you are, but she's an awesome goat.

new mexico here.

So if you weren't going to listen to what we said why ask us?? I have purebred registered TESTED stock that easily give two gallons a day and I paid less then that. Yes some diseases are zoonotic and you would have to worry about that but if he doesn't care enough to test then you really don't know if he has CL, sore mouth, listeria, or other bad diseases do you? How does he have recommendations of having healthy animals if he doesn't even know what disease he DOES have and believe me if he has that many animals and he buys and sells the he DOES have CAE and huge possibility of CL (which by the way you can get).
You have been warned and you refuse to hear what you need to hear. I personally will NOT help you when down the road your animals are sick and/or dying as they won't be dying from ignorance they will be dying from stupidity. Sorry to be so blunt.

does he test for cl [caseous lymphadenitis] this is very contagious to you and other goats stays in the soil for a very long time does he use a vet close by maybe you could talk to him also

I dont remember asking about diseases actually. I asked about pricing. Are you really implying I must comply to all advice given to questions never asked??

No that isn't what I'm saying. For sick goats you are paying too much. Is that how you wanted it worded? I wouldn't take diseased goats if they were free. Why put yourself through that? Why would YOU take a chance on getting sick from the milk. For the money you could by healthy stock with healthy milk.

I scoured for goats this last fall. Out of all the local people NO ONE tested for anything, except a few I found who have show animals, and they had insane prices to go with them. I live in the middle of no where. I happen to be traveling rather far to get these, and have been guided to him from several people, specifically because he has calm and healthy animals. He has had a closed herd for decades. Im really not worried about it, as far as Im concerned when i said this the conversation should have been over. I find you and the other poster calling me ignorant and stupid to be very offensive, and I hope greatly you ignore ALL of my posts into the future.

Im far from either of those things, I wrote out a long elaborate post explaining my work, but its doubtful this is the forum for me to share it anyway with people like you around...

Often newbies don't know the right questions to ask. These other folk know a lot more than I do, listening to them could save a lot of time, money and heartache.

I see it all the time in other arenas. There's a standard set of advice given to all newbies. Half the newbies ignore the advice, and then later come back crying about the problems that resulted. Most advice boards are not so blunt as to tell you up front that they won't help you later, but it happens.

On one board where I give advice, ignoring newbie advice can more than double the cost of the hobby. Generally most equipment selected by newbies is wrong, but they are so invested in what they already have that they try to incrementally upgrade it instead of just starting fresh.

If you end up starting your flock with a disease, are you willing to put them all down, and leave the land goat free long enough to get rid of it? When a little testing now could greatly increase your chances of a healthy flock and disease free land?

I'm certainly no expert. I grew up with backyard family milk goats. I've had a few goats here and there over the yrs since then. We just bought a yearling registerable Togginburg doe who is said to be bred to an Alpine buck. Due soon. We paid $75 and I thought that was a total bargain. This was from a small breeder/show home and this doe was not going to be competative show wise (too small and accidently bred too early). She & the other goats appeared in excellent health, several recently kidded with bouncing haelthy babies running around. She has recently wormed, hoof trim, and had evidence of vaccinating her stock. As far as the CAE I was sort of like you, not too worried. I would like to look into having this goat tested maybe if I decide to get more into the breeding of them.

Personally, I do not buy goats that aren't tested negative for CAE. I *must* see the paperwork. My husband is immune suppressed and I have grandchildren with health issues. To pretend that we know ALL there is to know about health, infection, and medicine is to fail in our responsibilities to keep our families safe, not to mention those with whom we share milk products.

Keep in mind the head-in-the-sand attitude toward Johnne's disease and Crohns. The medical/science community KNOWS there's a connection, and it's ignored. Johnne's is rampant in commercial cow herds, but they don't test for it.

Be safe for you, your family, AND your goats. Don't buy unknown, potentially unhealthy animals just out of convenience or turning a blind eye to an issue.

whoa, that's harsh.

good way to shut down communications and make sure new folks are scared to ask a question if they don't manage their herd exactly the way you do.

I understand the reasons you all are so adamant about testing..
but have a few friends in real life that when I suggest they come here to ask questions about other issues, say no way, as their goats aren't tested (and never will be) and they don't want to get the type of reaction you just gave to silverseeds.

lighten up.

thank you... That post was tame compared to the deleted one from another member though.

There is another option however not ideal if your interested. You can ask this guy if he will test them before you take them. Bio tracking charged $6 for CAE testing. If he runs a dairy he should be able to draw blood. All you do is draw it and mail it in. I wasn't trying to be insulting I was trying to make you understand how important this is.

I rephrased mine. :)

Having immune suppressed folks in the family makes me more aware of the potential disasters waiting out there. My husband has my left kidney, and he will be on immune suppressing medications for his whole life. Having watched my grandson go through two years of chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, surgeries, etc., has heightened my sensitivity to what we don't know about the human body and what we put into it.

We just don't know as much as we wish we did about disease, and if I have the chance to protect my family and others by making a choice to have healthy goats, that's what I will do.

Please don't buy goats that aren't tested. Please.

Calm down ladies! When I first came here I did not know about CAE either. I also thought if humans couldn't catch it, what's the big deal. I learned, but at first I didn't know. What I learned here and at DGI is a large part of why I bought my alpine from whom I did. Patient education. The OP is not intentionally threatening all of goat kind because she doesn't know the seriousness of CAE and CL, which she may not have ever heard of before today. This is a good teaching learning opportunity, no pitchforks necessary.

Silverseeds, the folks here are some the best goat folks around. I'm not one of them, I expect I'm closer to you on the learning curve. I just got my pure bred alpine "first freshener" from a CAE /Johnes negative tested herd for $250. The breeder raises show goats and she didn't make the cut. I'm not sure how much milk she is actually producing because she has her buckling still on her. But she is giving me almost 4 pounds a day in two milkings.

I too, strongly recommend you look for a breeder who tests for CAE, because the infected goats can suffer, and it spreads easily. And if you want to sell the offspring, other folks like the folks here will simply not consider buying because you don't test.

Good luck with your search!

lots of friendly helpful people here who will help you when there is a problem and not hit you with a judgemental attitude or at least until the crisis is over, j/k, lol

A number of people here have been through heartache and expense due to CAE, etc, so I understand the intensity some have about testing, and most want to spare newcomers what they went through.

not every untested goat has some horrifying disease that will kill them or you and leave your property a toxic hazmat area.
know the signs to look for and do your homework.

now back to your real question...

Dairy goats in milk in our area go for around $250, tested or not, and registered, excellent bloodlines can go for alot more.

There will be no offspring. I will have the one for milking, and a wether to keep her company until she stops giving milk, at which point I will eat her and the wether.

Once when buying a car I convinced the seller to let us drive it to a garage and have all the work it needed assessed before the sale. You could always see if your vet is available to come out and assess the goat if the seller is willing.

whoa, now that's harsh too, lol

you only need milk for a short time or??

if you haven't had goats before, may as well warn you, they are addictive and have exceptional charms that make you fall in love with them and want more and more and more...

Ive had them briefly before. They were wild, near impossible to milk the mother. Her two kits I got with her would attack me and anyone else who went close. I REALLY like he milk, but just assumed all goats were this wild. I ate all of those. Im not sure how harsh it is, these werent meant to be pets. They would have happily have eaten me if I was a plant of some sort. Im higher on the food chain instead.

I was talking to several people since that time, who had similar experiences, and was directed to the gentlemen I am meeting tomorrow because of his calm and healthy animals. I know a few who have dealt with him before and have goats that are happily milked without a fight. This is really all Im after, the wether is just so she isnt to lonely.

I would ask the seller to pull blood and send it to Bio-tracking for testing. If necessary, offer to pay for it. $6 is very cheap insurance against future heartbreak. Make sure to see the paperwork.

CAE is to goats like AIDS is to humans.... I have two friends who had to put down infected goats last year. One who spent quite a bit of money on a herdsire from a well-known name. My friend trusted the seller and didn't ask for any documentation. She will never let another goat on her property without quarantine and paperwork. She is still dealing with the repercussions of that choice, a year later. Her children are still upset over the loss of that buck - he was a very sweet buck.

Also, Mrs. H. Has a very good point. You will have kids to sell, and, if your herd is not tested negative, you cut your market significantly. I purchased my herd from a very reputable seller who posts her tests results, I run a closed herd and still test annually, although I have a low risk. I go to the trouble of testing so I have the paperwork to show buyers. I would refuse to buy from anyone who does not have paperwork to show their herd was CAE negative, and I want to sell stock that I would buy.

Good luck with your search. I hope that you find a doe and companion that works for you.

No, I really wont. There will not even be a fertile male goat around for this to happen.

Okay. Well. This makes a difference. Do you only want milk for a short time? Or are you planning on buying a new doe in milk regularly?

Figure out how long you think it will be until you butcher her, what the meat would be worth to you, how much you would spend on feed, hay, etc. vs expected produced milk amount cost if purchased from the store and then determine if any additional cost is worth it.

HTH

Yep. Just saw that. There were a lot of posts during the time I spent thoughtfully replying to this thread. (right after Mrs. H's post to when it appeared on the next page).

My girls are more than pets to our family. Their individual temperament is amazing and my family (myself, my Dc and my Dh) would sit at the table and cry if I tried to serve any one of those sweeties for dinner. I am sorry that your previous goat experience was so awful.

Most of her food will be grown by me. I do intend to continually buy does in milk (with a cheap wether for a friend) rather then keeping a whole herd going. this should be cheaper then buying milk by my math. We go through a half a gallon a day (organic) at 3.80 a pop. I was told these produce well over a gallon a day, so I should be able to play around with butter and cheese as well.

So as I figure it, I will have cheaper milk, a few more chores, and manure. Perhaps if she really is as calm as Ive been told from others, I will test them all and get a herd going from this fellow with the calm happy animals.

I may have missed what type of goats that your looking at, but we have a couple of different breeds here.

Our Alpines could probably be milked through without breeding, I tried to dry them off to rebreed and they just never dried up. Their udders looked semi-full up until they had their new babies recently.

we have Nigerians that give us a good 8+ months worth of milk without losing much in quantity and we love their rich milk.
We also have Saanens now and one of them had been milked close to 18 months (we were told) without rebreeding the previous season.
She still had milk when we bought her, but we stopped milking her as she was bred about 3 months ago.

Then it sounds like a great deal for you!

Good luck in your goatie venture! They are truly amazing and wonderful animals!

I had an Alpine who stayed in milk 20 months. Others have gone longer.

Milking Through: Dairy Goats Can Produce Longer Than Normally Expected to Better Meet Owner Needs by Tim King from the November/December, 2006 issue of Dairy Goat Journal. Presenting information, ideas, and insights for everyone who raises, manages,

Snow, the bad goatie latch-lifter, was milked for 16 months last year, and was still going strong when I dried her off because we didn't need the milk.

I have two right now who are 14 months fresh (one of those is the crazy Monkey girl who is set up so badly in the pic in my signature) and giving my newly freshened girls a run for their money on production. Plan to dry those two off in August, right before we breed them.

ETA: Another great link, thanks, Alice!

It's not that different from picking up a piglet or calf to raise for meat?