Breed and length of goat ownership

Cygnet · #21 11/14/12, 10:36 AM

12 years. Alpines, and two nubian cross wethers for packing, plus more Nigerians than I could count.

I recently gave most of my Nigerians to another homesteader here -- I have dystonia and severe back problems and wasn't able to handle bending over and messing around with them any more, and this year's kids were unhandled.

I have one (retired*) alpine packer left -- he's twelve -- and two very easy to handle Nigerian does. The pack goat has a ton of training, and is as easy to handle as a well trained horse. I'm tempted to get an alpine doe for milking.

*Replamin works as advertised. He's doing really well on it. :-)

trnubian · #22 11/14/12, 03:50 PM

I milked my first goat when I was 2. I was babysat by a wonderful Amish family from 2 to 10 years old. My parents worked alot so my sister and best friend and I were with that Amish family at least 9 hours a day 5 days a week. Our favorite thing to do was be in the barn hitching up the horses milking the goats and in the summer we would each get a peice of twine tie it to the collar of a baby goat and play for hours out in the yard under the trees. It was awesome.

So to answer the question of length of ownership, we have had goats for 14 years. I have been actively involved with then for 25. lol
Oh and we mainly have nubians but have had recorded grades, aplines, saanens, lamanchas and a boer or two.

momagoat61 · #23 11/14/12, 04:00 PM

22 years, nubians and Lamancha and one little brush goat tabetha and she is currently my oldest at 17. I currently have 7 and these 7 will be my last. My youngest will be 10 next March.

SJSFarm · #24 11/14/12, 04:06 PM

My parents got a saanen and Nubian in milk for our calves when I was about 8. We only got to drink what was left over once the calves bottles were filled.
They went back to the woman who sold them to us when they dried up about a year later.
I was without and wanting them again for years until I finally got some new ones about 31 years later!
My second set was a saanen and a lamancha. Both horribly starved and neither made it. I then got another two lamanchas. And fell totally in love with the earless cuties! I had to sell them when their CAE came back positive

But I fond a wonderful woman out here with clean herd testing and now I have three LM does and a ND buck. I am starting minimanchas!
My first kids are due in April

wintrrwolf · #25 11/14/12, 06:41 PM

My first goat was a Saanen (Sugar) for 35 dollars got her to eat the poison ivy on my property...she kept crying and someone here told me she needed a friend (snort) so got her a lil kinder doe thus began my goaty adventure almost 6 years ago! I became addicted got a nigi buck given to me(my first exp with buck in rut(not good)) a mini saanen, 2 registered nigerian's, then I got my first purebred nubian...don't get me wrong Sugar was my goat mate but I fell in love with my nubian doeling (seriously when ever she saw me she called me MaaMee) When I had to move about 2 years ago some woulda said it would have been easier to just sell them all and start over, didn't but I did downsize(from 10 to 4) kept the Saanen, the 2 reg. nubians(Buck & Doe), and 1 mini saanen wether, lost my Saanen after she gave me twins, retained the doeling, this year she gave me a doeling and have retained her. Have mini saanen doe and reg nubian doe due in Feb.
So I have grown...3 nubian bucks, 1 mini saanen buck, 3 nubian Doe/doelings, & 2 mini saanen doe/doelings which means I am up 9 eeeek!! when did that happen??

GoldenWood Farm · #26 11/14/12, 08:43 PM

I started when I was 15yrs old and I am now 25yrs old so 10yrs now. I started with LaManchas and the breed stole my heart (and sometimes it seems like my wallet!). I have had other breeds over the years but my heart lays with the LaManchas and that is what I have stuck with. I have a few grades and even a Mini LaMancha but everyone has short ears on this farm except for the pure bred Nigerian Dwarf buck

.

I do dream about getting myself a big ol' pure white Saanen doe. One of these years that dream will happen

.

Justine

anita_fc · #27 11/14/12, 11:37 PM

I've had goats for about 10 of the last 25 years. Started with a pair of dairy goats from show stock (one Alpine and one Nubian). Then had to move into town for a few years so gave them to a good friend. After moving to this place, we had 4 Alpine wethers for a couple years, but they proved to be too much for our fences. I got into Pygmies five years ago, but most of my education has come about in the last two years.

Anita from Idaho
Dan-Ani Pygmy Goats
www.gndt.net/dan-ani