Cow or Goat?

Well I just had to revive this post to give goats where credit is due. I honestly NEVER in my entire life thought I would seriously consider owning goats. However, in order to determine which animal was right for us, we went to visit a small goat dairy. I was sooooo impressed. The goats were so friendly and loving. They didn't push or shove or bump their head on me or the children. They loved being scratched and petted. THEY WERE AWESOME!!

Their size is so much more managable. We milked 2 of them and she sent that home with us. Then we had some that was cold at their house. It was wonderful. It tasted so good. I'm sure she got a chuckle out of me when with total shock I said "it tastes just like real milk". It had no off odor or any odor at all for that matter.

But the real test comes when my husband gets home because if he doesn't like it, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I set up a side by side taste test with store bought cow milk and the now cold goat milk. He smelled and swirled it around just like any fine wine tester and then he promptly pegged the goat milk as his regular milk :baby04: Then came the taste test where after going back and forth a couple of times he settled on the goat milk to be his regular milk At the very least he couldn't tell the difference and he thought the goat milk was better!!!

Which is good because I think I love goats I can't believe I would ever say that not in a million years. I have long been a certified goat hater, but I have been converted. I've seen the light Now I am only a zoo goat hater.

She has two Oberhaslis one doeling $50 if it is for 4H, and one FF $250. She also has a Nubian (I think) for $250 who is in milk. Before I commited to buying I would want to taste and hand milk the ones that we would be buying. However just to be fair we are going to a small Jersey dairy tonight to taste and watch them be milked.

What I really need now is all the cow people to tell me what a cow has to offer that a goat can't do or that I can't work around. For instance a cow can give cream for butter however I could get a cream seperator or just buy butter. A cow could give us a nice freezer cow, however bucket calves are cheap in the spring and can easily be raised on goat milk. The cow produces more milk, but we don't need that much and would need to sell it inorder to break even probably. We have about 2 acres to devote to either animal. I think that would be cutting it a little close for a cow and calf until butcher. Cows do smell nice, but I didn't smell any off odors at the dairy and we would much fewer goats in the same space.

Please cow people why do cows beat goats? Thanks all for your help.

We just did a show (sig) about cutting back, and talking about cow's seems to fit really well. It sounds like you haven't milked before, do you REALLY realize how much milk that cow will give you?

You drink a gallon/day of milk. Is that everyday 7 days a week without fail? A cow is going to give you a lot of milk, several gallons a day, weather you want it or not. They eat a lot to support that milk production.

Goats are smaller and give you less. They easy

No, they are not hard to fence in. Your fence you use for horses or cattle are probably not appropriate for goats, but that's not their fault. If they can get their head through the crack they can probably get their bodies through. This is true of any animal, goats are just smaller. We use portable electric fencing and have had the goats escape twice this year. Both times we forgot to energize the fence for 2-3 days. At least the milking does coming running over to see you once they get out, so rounding them up is easy.

We talk a lot about our goats on our show, milking, fencing, etc. Click on the link in my sig if you want more info.

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Geek.Farm.Life -- http://www.geekfarmlife.com/
Got a job in Australia, selling the farm and going down under!

I guess it's time to throw my 2 cents in.

I have goats - got my first two goats just over two years ago. I now have 21 (at last count!). They are such charming creatures, and very loving.

As far as milk goes - if you have one cow, she is going to be dry for at least two months out of the year, and the rest of the time, you will be getting several gallons a day. If you have two goats, you can (theoretically, anyway ) stagger their breeding, so that their dry periods don't overlap, or at least not too much.

My best doe (reg'd Saanen) gives about 5 litres/day at her peak, and about 4 litres/day the rest of her lactation - which would probably go for well over a year, if I didn't re-breed her. She's very hard to dry up. Her daughter is a FF, about five weeks in. When I have separated her kids at night, she has given me 2 litres in the morning, so I expect her to equal her mother. My other FF is a grade Alpine, and she's giving a steady 4 litres a day, four months into her lactation. We'll have to see how long she goes. My other milking doe is 3/4 Nubian - four months in, she's giving maybe 2 litres a day, and last year I had a hard time keeping her going for 8 months. She's going to be bred to a Boer this year, as she does raise big kids, and is inclined to hold back a lot of her milk for them.

I don't need a truck and trailer to transport them - if I ever had to rush one to the vet, I could put it in the back seat of my little Sunfire! I've taken does to the buck that way, just have to cover the seat really well. I can trim their hooves myself, and I was able to correct a malpositioned kid myself this past weekend. Don't know if I'd have the strength or length of arm to help a calf.

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"Crivens!"

Half Caper Farm - breeding Saanens, Boers and Nigerian Dwarfs

We have had Dexter cattle for ten years now and also have had several Jersey x Dexter cows, and milked them. Just a year ago I got my first milk goat. Well, I have sold all my Jersey cross cows and several of the Dexters and got more goats! I have Nubian and Nigerians. After 10 years of milking cows, I really appreciate the ease of milking my little goats and I like the taste of the goat milk better than cow's.

I still have 10 head of Dexters, with 4 of them for sale. The goats produce well on so little feed, and are so much cleaner in the barns and corrals. I am keeping a few Dexters because we really enjoy the breed and we love beef, but my dairy needs are now entirely filled by the goats. The goats are easier to train, easier and much faster to milk, and just so much cleaner than the cows. There only real downside to the goats for me is the worry about predators. I keep them penned at night and when I'm gone. With my cows, I don't worry about it except when the calves are first born.

Another thing, in my climate, if TSHTF and I cannot get hay, I can keep a couple milk goats here year round with no additonal feed. I would have a hard time keeping one Dexter healthy and producing well without additional hay, especially if it was a sever winter.

I like both cows and goats, but if I can figure out how to get beef off the goats, the cows are outta here!!