Just a back yard milk goat?

Alice In TX/MO · #1 07/25/06, 08:49 PM

After having a long email discussion with our local goat lady, I have learned that I don't want a fancy pedigreed gold plated milk goat. I need a mutt milk goat.

Do any of you just have a plain Jane nanny?

mamakl · #2 07/25/06, 09:04 PM

Our two girls are plain Janes... Our 4 month old doe is pure bred nubian (not registered, no papers) and our 2 years old is probably mostly nubian (with maybe a little of something else!). They are both real sweethearts and since we bought them for the milk, and not to show, they suit us just fine...

Maura

ChickenMom · #3 07/25/06, 09:11 PM

I have a part Alpine, mostly mutt Nanny that I milk and I have a pygmy/mutt that I will milk next year. I gave $65 for the one I milk, I get 1 quart a day right now as soon as I wean I will get more. She has great milk and cream too, I have made butter and cheese.

crowinghen · #4 07/25/06, 09:24 PM

Yes we have a Nubian/Toggenburg doe- she's a good milker- but we also have Reg Nubians. The only advantage is that the registered goats babies will be worth more for 4H-er's and breeders.
O/w nobig deal. We're thinking of breeding her to a Boer goat for next years kids.

Susie

cricket · #5 07/25/06, 09:49 PM

Got 2 of them and wouldn't trade them for the world. I'm not interested in showing so the papers weren't important to me. Also, I don't buy into that business that the more papers you have, the better the milk...And it doesn't mean a hill of beans to customers either.

brierpatch1974 · #6 07/25/06, 09:53 PM

lol Well I am an odd ball. I got 3 registered Sanaans and now two registered Toggenburgs but I breed them to a registered Boer. Did I have to do it this way? Nope its just that I got lucky and found some great deals I couldnt pass up.

BP

ozark_jewels · #7 07/25/06, 10:35 PM

We are in it for the milk, so though I *prefer* registered, I buy the quality over the papers. I have mostly registereds, but many unregistered does as well. We sell breeding stock as well and this way we can cater to both markets.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 07/26/06, 07:07 AM

Emily,
You are close to us here in the Ozarks. Can I get on your waiting list for a mutt nanny?

Sending you a PM, too.

Rose

coso · #9 07/26/06, 09:54 AM

You can find unregistered good stock sometimes. The only thing about unregistered is that you do not know the background, and a lot of times the seller doesn't either. If you only want a goat to milk and are going to send kids to meat market, you can look around and find some, just don't go to the sale barn. You have to be careful whether you are buying registered or unregistered. I know a lot of breeders that don't paper goats because of milking or conformation problems and sell them cheaper without papers. My Dad keeps unregisted Nubians but they are out of registered stock and they milk great and have fair conformation. I keep pretty well everything registered unless I think it's not something I want my herd name on. Thing is your not going to pay a lot less for a unregistered milk goat that has great milking and conformation then you are a registered one, unless the registered one has a lot of GCH and milk stars or AR behind them. Why I say most kids probably need to go to meat is that most people that don't care about the papers don't care about what they breed to either, of course there exceptions to every rule. Remember CAE and CL as well especially CL. I guess what I'm saying is if all you want is milk, then you should be fine. I know Ozark Jewells on this board probably has some good unregistered stock. You will just have to shop around.

APPway · #10 07/26/06, 11:53 AM

rose
Here is her web site if you have not seen it yet. it is very well done and even tho I am here in Canada I enjoy looking at it and all the goats

http://www.freewebs.com/ozarkjewels/index.htm

and congradulations on the start in goats

APPway

TexCountryWoman · #11 07/26/06, 01:14 PM

One of my favourite milkers is a "mutt" goat. She is the herd queen...a 1/2 LaMancha 1/4 Nubian 1/4 Boer. She does not give as much milk as my purebred LaManchas though, but is stable and dependable and very pretty to look at. A major problem with mutt goats though, is what to do with their kids. A goat has to have babies to make milk. You cannot keep them all. This herd queen mutt goat of ours has nice kids, but they are not worth much to sell, our purebred LaManchas bring much more. So out mutt goat's babies end up in the freezer....if she was a purebred, they would have a chance at better fate.

goatkid · #12 07/26/06, 01:18 PM

Now, if you could get to Montana, I have two grade milkers I'm selling. They are registered as recorded grades, but I'm selling them for $100 each as they don't have show quality udders. By this, I don't mean they are hanging to the ground or anything and they have nice teats. They just aren't as nice and wide in the rear udder like a top show goat. They are Saanen/Nubian cross.

APPway · #13 07/26/06, 01:26 PM

Goatkid
Can you sneak them across into canada LOL
sure could use a family milker or 2 getting tired of store bought cow milk.

APPway

ozark_jewels · #14 07/26/06, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

Emily,
You are close to us here in the Ozarks. Can I get on your waiting list for a mutt nanny?

Sending you a PM, too.

Rose

Sure can, though I am not sure when I will have one to sell. Your very welcome to come for a visit.

My unregistered stock sell for anywhere from $75-$200 depending on if its a bottle kid, bred doe, milking doe, etc.

pookshollow · #15 07/26/06, 05:01 PM

Gee, APPway, if you were a little closer - I've got a really nice little Saanen doeling . . . Ontario to Saskatchewan is an awful drive though!

Rose, I am milking two goats once a day right now, while the kids are still on them. My purebred Saanen is giving two or more litres (depending on what time I separate the kids) and the Nubian cross gives me about one litre. She's a first freshener with one kid, while the Saanen is on her second, with twins. Mind you, when I bought her last October, she was giving close to four litres a day, until I dried her off at 13 months. She's a good goat. I bought the Nubian cross and an Alpine as kids, with no idea of their milking potential, and the Saanen was a proven milker, so that might make the difference too. (The Alpine didn't get bred last year - I didn't feel she was big enough) I did look at some other goats, all purebred, at a commercial dairy. They were giving half the amount and they wanted the same amount of money - not to mention that there were a lot of suspicious lumps and swollen knees in the herd.

Anyway, I agree that you don't need a fancy registered goat just to have some household milk. Good luck with your search!

APPway · #16 07/26/06, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pookshollow

Gee, APPway, if you were a little closer - I've got a really nice little Saanen doeling . . . Ontario to Saskatchewan is an awful drive though!!

Yeah it would be nice but as you say it is a longggggg drive and the price they want around here would break the bank I can buy another Horse cheaper than they want for a good milker.

Good to hear the does you got are milking good for you I remamber when you were goat shopping also.

APPway

cowgirlracer · #17 07/27/06, 12:33 AM

All of my goats are mutts except for 1. If you are just starting with goats mutts are a much better option - less cash upfront gives you an opportunity to try more than one breed. Many things can influence you final decision - looks: ears, no ears, floppy ears, straight out ears; straight nose, roman nose, height, overall size, coloring, spots, no spots. Then you have disposition, quiet vs. loud, demanding vs. mellow (Unlike physical characteristics, those do ont always follow true to the breed.) Udder & teat placement/carriage; quantity of milk; richness of milk. If you start with mutts and have a few different kinds it gives you an opportunity to "test drive" a breed and see how well it fits your needs. Personally I love the Saanens, very large dairy goat, with a gentle mild personality. Many people don't care for them as they have almost NO personality compared to some of the livlier breeds, and they are all white - and pretty much all look alike. This board seems to have a lot of Nubian and LaMancha owners. Nubians are a beautiful medium sized goat, comes in a variety of colors and patterns (spots, solids, blazes etc.) they have long floppy ears and a roman nose. Nubians give very rich milk and have a reputation for being loud and talkative. LaMancha's have no ear or very tiny ears. Personally I can't get past their looks, but LaMancha lovers swear by them. They say they are calm and quiet and great milkers. Shop around, try a few breeds and find one that suits you, from there work your way up from mutts to better breeding - you always want to breed to improve the next generation regardless of breed. Regestered or not; goats are like potato chips . . . you can't have just one.

Anne
Cowgirlracer

Shepherd · #18 07/27/06, 02:02 AM

Hi everybody. I don't have goats yet, but want to. Therefore, keep in mind I know NOTHING about goats.

Do goat prices vary in different parts of the country? Like if I were to buy a goat that's just kidded would I pay nearly the same price as those mentioned above, living in Iowa?

ozark_jewels · #19 07/27/06, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shepherd

Hi everybody. I don't have goats yet, but want to. Therefore, keep in mind I know NOTHING about goats.

Do goat prices vary in different parts of the country? Like if I were to buy a goat that's just kidded would I pay nearly the same price as those mentioned above, living in Iowa?

Yes, they most certainly do. Some places are much higher than prices mentioned above, others may be lower. Prices will differ with the quality, health, age, condition, etc. of the goat as well. The thing is to be sure you are getting a healthy goat, even if it is just a "mutt" goat with no papers. I can go out and buy a poor brush goat for $20 some places......but I may also bring home sickness, abcesses, worms and cocci with it. And its hardly likely to give much milk. Is it worth it?? Not in my book. I'll gladly pay a higher price for the assurence of getting a healthy animal.

TexCountryWoman · #20 07/27/06, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Yes, they most certainly do. Some places are much higher than prices mentioned above, others may be lower. Prices will differ with the quality, health, age, condition, etc. of the goat as well. The thing is to be sure you are getting a healthy goat, even if it is just a "mutt" goat with no papers. I can go out and buy a poor brush goat for $20 some places......but I may also bring home sickness, abcesses, worms and cocci with it. And its hardly likely to give much milk. Is it worth it?? Not in my book. I'll gladly pay a higher price for the assurence of getting a healthy animal.

Excellent advice.

Buying a cheap but questionable goat, getting so very attached....they are so intelligent and personable (goats are like pets rather than livestock)...then struggling with sickness and disease, contamination of any other goats you may buy or are born and contamination of your pens, is so heartbreaking. So many new goat owners go through this. It causes many to give up on goat raising. Too much emotional pain and too many vet bills and unfortunately, too many dead goats and crying, heartsick family members. You should be learning goat management on healthy animals and not immediately saddle yourself with medical problems. It should be a joyful experience.

Go ahead and invest the time and money to find stock that have been raised with proper care and disease prevention. There are too many shifty goat breeders out there out to make a fast buck who knowingly pass off diseased animals or who ignorantly and unknowingly pass of diseased animals. Do your homework and know what you are looking for. Don't buy the first goats you see as they are all cute, even sick ones. Learn to recognize sick VS healthy animals and good VS suspicious breeders. Even though you are not looking to buy high dollar stock, and want to buy cross-bred of unregistered stock, you still deserve healthy animals. You should not spend your money and bring home someone elses problems.