Teach me about Lamanchas, and AI

[jen74145]

Alright. Tell me what you know.
I am still unsure about whether I want to try this again, but if I do, thinking I might try lamanchas. I loved my Nigies, but more milk with less fat sounds kinda better.
I do need quiet goats... I am *technically* not supposed to keep any livestock larger than ten pounds here, but my neighbors all adored Molly and her pal, so as long as they're quiet, no worries. My plan with the Nigies was that they were "pets" not "livestock", but anywho.
We would have two or three... how much hay and feed would these gals need as adults? And, with standards, is it possible to "stagger" breedings so we always have fresh milk? And how often do the big gals come into heat? Is it monthly, or seasonally?

Also, how difficult is artificial insemination for newbies? Successful AI, I mean. DH would rather try that than keep a buck, but not if it's a huge pain and we only have one or two heats a year to work with. Also, how much do the straws go for? Any special equipment I need, or can I just use it immediately and be fine?

If we do decide on a buck, it will be a Nigie, along with a wethered Nigie buddy, or do the whole "buy lamancha buckl, use, eat" thing.

[GoldenWood Farm]

Have you thought about Mini LaManchas? They are smaller but have the great LaMancha temperment. I breed standard LaManchas but have 2 MM's myself....I do adore them .

I will try and post more later as I am on my way out to milk.

Justine
ps: Try looking up Mini Manchas!

[marcir]

I've found that all LaManchas are not quiet. I have one going to market this weekend because she has taken to bawling loudly before morning and night milking, for a couple of hours at a time. She's not that bagged up, so it can't be pressure from the milk. They are seasonal breeders, so may not milk the whole year round. Mine are big eaters: milkers get one scoop of alfalfa pellets and one scoop of dry cob morning and night on the milkstand, pretty good alfalfa hay year-round, and browse in the summer. I can't speak to the AI, as I do not use it, hand-breeding instead to a friend's buck, but I have assisted with AI and feel it is costly to set-up and cumbersome to deliver. It would be a nightmare to wrestle AI into my biggest LaMancha, who is extremely touchy and strong as an ox. just worming her is an aerobic exercise.

[CountryHaven]

AI--straws pretty cheap... equipment very expensive. Success rates if you're not very experienced is slim, and without a buck anyway to detect heat probably slimmer. I'd considered that option because for just a few does (haha, that was a few months ago, now I have plenty of does for my buck) it seemed like a better way to go with a more varied gene pool to work with than I'd have with just my own buck... When I figured in the extreme start up cost (mostly the storage tank, the rest is pretty reasonable) and the difficulty in detecting a true standing heat at the right moment I changed my mind on AI.

Secondly... I love goats, and would never tell anyone NOT to get them, BUT... if your zoning does not allow them, you are asking for trouble somewhere down the road, good neighbors or not. And when that trouble came, you'd be forced by law to give up animals you'd come to love and cherish.