Alpine,Lamancha,Nubian

[goatiegurl*Oh]

Which of these do you like best? Do you think theres a noticeable difference between the taste of their milk? These are the breeds Im most interested in.

So ar I have a Alpine/Boer, and am getting a Nubian cross probably next week,and trying to decide what other breed I want.

Reasons: .. lol
I like the Alpines looks and some colors.
I like that Ive heard Lamanchas tend to be sweet and calm.
I like the colors of Nubians and possibly the taste of the milk would be better to.

[Niamh]

My personal vote is LaManchas. Mine are very sweet, not loud, and good mothers (I leave the babies on during the day, pull them off at night and milk in the morning). Mine also have incredibly good milk. If someone doesn't know they're drinking goat milk they always say it's the best milk they've ever had. If they know it's goat milk, of course, they always say it's "not bad". But the breeder I bought mine from bred very strongly for milk taste - that makes a difference.

They *are* bigger goats, but their temperament makes up for it. My 18 month old trots around in the pasture while I milk - not many animals I can allow her that freedom with.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I have one of each.

My Alpine is the herd queen. She's pushy, intelligent, moody, and managed NOT to get bred with the last two bucks we've used! She is, however, milking through after 14 months fresh.

My Nubian is approaching two years old and will freshen for the first time next month. She's affectionate, pushy, goofy, and can jump just about any fence she wants to.

My LaMancha is cautious, aloof, and very quiet. She had twins for us, and she's a good momma.

I like them all. It's like having a group of friends. They are all a bit different, but lovable.

[MisFitFarm]

I have Boers, Nubians and Boer/Nubian crosses. I absolutely love my Nubians and the crosses. I will keep the Boers that I have now, they are the remainder of my foundation herd, back when I didn't know one goat from another! I love them, they are family, so they won't be going anywhere. But any goats that I get from now on will be Nubians! They are sweet natured friendly goats, and very hardy.
I have friends with LaManchas, and they absolutely love them.

[northprairiegir]

We currently have toggs, nubians, lamanchas and boers. But we have also had a few alpines over the years. I have to say overall I like the lamanchas the best. I like their temperment, coloring and ease of milking.

[fcnubian]

I say nubians....but of course that is probably because I own them. LOL.

[6e]

I have LaMancha's and Alpines and I can't say that I prefer one over the other. They're both just as sweet as sugar and I love them to death and I notice no difference in the taste of their milk. The LaMancha's do have a softer voice.

[manygoatsnmore]

Oh, definitely the LaManchas! Once you get past the no-ear look, they are absolutely the nicest goats. I've had or have pretty much every dairy breed (except Sables) at one time or another, and I really like my LMs. I also really like Obers - a little smaller, and also very quiet and sweet. My Alpine is my big mouth, but very inquisitive and friendly, while my Nubian is about the quietest Nubian I've ever known. Probably why she still lives here, lol.

As far as the milk goes, we get good sweet milk from all of them, but occasionally my Alpine gives an off-flavored milk, probably something she browsed on before that milking. The milk has as much to do with the individual goat and what she is eating as it does with the breed.

If you go with the LMs, be prepared to answer the same question over and over..."Did you cut their ears off??!!!"

[reese]

I grew up raising all three breeds, and out of them the LaManchas are my favorite.

[FalconDance]

Alpines. Good milk, tend to be good mamas, tend to have a bit of sass in their personality but very affectionate (in my experience) and easy to handle once you've established that YOU are the ultimate queen of the herd. Of the three, these would be my choice. In fact, I just got a French Alpine gal recently.

Nubians tend to be quieter (or not, depending on if you have hummers). Good milk with a bit more butterfat usually, tend to be good mamas.

LaMancha. I can't stand the look. I don't like the breed at all, to be honest, for several reasons/experiences.

[homebirtha]

We love Lamanchas. They are very quiet. The only time you hear them is when they are in heat, so it makes it easy to get them bred. :-)

They're very docile and calm. No agression in any of ours, not even the bucks. They're just total loves. They want a scratch when you come into the pasture.

They give lots of tasty, sweet milk. We get at least a gallon a day when they don't have kids on them.

The girls have never ever challenged the fence. They're very easy keepers.

At first, I hated the no-ears look. Now I think they're the cutest things, escpecially the kids. There is something about those no-eared heads that are just so freakin' cute.

[GoldenWood Farm]

LaManchas all the way for me. For me personally I love the no ear look on LaManchas. I really dislike alpines because all the ones I have ever had or been around have been witches with a capital B to other goats. Towards people they are sweet as pie but with other goats no way. I had a friend who couldn't put two does in the same pen because they would go after each other and try and kill each other.

Not all alpines are like this mind you and I do like them as they are sweet with people and easy to handle for me but also I don't like the taste of their milk as to me it tastes goaty compared to LaMancha or Nubian milk. So I don't think alpines are a bad breed or anything I just don't like having them in my herd. (I also don't like milking them.....my LaManchas have always been easier to milk for me).

Now if I could breed another breed I would do Nubians. I am not and won't though but Nubians are so sweet and they just looove to be pet and snuggled (at least all the ones I have been around). I do hate the fact that they are big babies and LOUD to boot although my lone nubian doe isn't to loud so plus for her. Nubians also tend for me to be on the large side although LaManchas are getting there also. Also one turn off for me is EVERYONE has Nubians and I wanted something different.

LaManchas for me are my favorite breed because of their steady bombproof temperment, always have been easy to milk for me, don't get huge (at least my line which I prefer and like). They are also just so danged smart. Their milk tastes great also. Oh one thing I forgot to say is that with Alpines I have noticed at least for me that they are more prone to milk fever as they seem to milk so heavy and also seem harder to keep weight on. My LaManchas I have never really had a problem keeping weight on but my previous alpines have been TOUGH. This might not be true for all alpines but that is just my experiences with them.

Oh yes and Nubian/LaMancha crosses are my FAVORITE crosses. Temperament wise they are great and oh so danged sweet! But one thing I like about LaManchas is you can get any color pattern or color which makes it so fun at kidding time.

[meleahbee]

I have a LaMancha. She's not a good goat, I'm sad to say. I got her when I knew even less about goats than I do now (which still isn't much!)
I think she was a cull animal. She's a hermaphrodite. AND she has a terrible cough she can't seem to shake. Makes it hard to take her packing. She's very, very shy - won't let us pet her. Near impossible to catch. I don't think I've ever heard her vocalize.

If she weren't at my farm, she'd probably be somebody's dinner! But, despite her problems, I still love her, and I don't give up on her.

So, hopefully my LM is an exception to the rule!

I like my Nubians but they are LOUD and kinda pushy and in your face. But other than that I love them. My favorite are the Boers. They're so laid back and mellow.

[cjb]

I know its not on your list but I really love Obers. They are pretty, on the smaller side and very quiet. That said, one of my favorite goats is our Ober/Nubian mix. She got the best of both worlds, although she is a bit noisy.

A local breeder sells mini Obers and I'm feeling the need to get one.

[Cashs Cowgirl]

I have three LM's and 1 boer mix. The boer was given to us when she was about 8 months old...she was very standoffish, but is much better now after a year and she has a nice udder compared to the one LM that I'm going to start milking. The other two LM's didn't take...we think they did, but shortly after our 'wonderful' neighbors allowed their dogs to be out unsupervised yet again and they chased the mess out of them...anyways. My LM's are sweet and love attention. I have one that is bossy/pushy, but then someone has to be the herd queen right! LOL

[goatiegurl*Oh]

I really like colorful goats and black/tans. How big do these breeds get on average,height/weight? Anyone want to post some more pics?

Goldenwood Farm- I like your answer and those kids are adoreable,I really like the one thats in your face,and the one to the right of it on the ground.

[CountryHaven]

Wow everyone picks on the Alpines personality (okay, not everyone) lol, I have never had an unpleasant Alpine. Mine have always been loving. That said, I prefer the Nubian, or Lamancha milk. Most people always talk about the sweet easy going personalities of the LaMancha's too. I've only had one, and she was very bossy, the herd queen with no exceptions, and could be bossy with people too (not with me). It was just her. She gave great milk. She was a lousy mother. She is gone now. I wouldn't hesitate to have a Lamancha again though. Her 'strong' personality was just 'her' personality. I think that's probably true in most breeds.

I have boers, boer crosses, Nubians, a Nubian/Alpine cross (a favorite of mine) an Alpine (another favorite) and several undetermined breeds, but lovely goats. I used to soley have Alpines years ago when I was milking. Never had a 'cross' one then either.

Pick what you like to look at and have around. Every goat has it's own personality.

[MisFitFarm]

Originally Posted by CountryHaven

Pick what you like to look at and have around. Every goat has it's own personality.

That is SO true! Goats are just like people, they each have their own individual personalities.

Nubians come in all colors and patterns imaginable, they are my favorite by far. Mine are also not as vocal as others must be, I don't have a problem with them being noisy at all.

[GoldenWood Farm]

Tami thats my mom. LOL! She was being mobbed and I just had to get a picture of it.

I have a bunch of pictures of my herd LOL! I will post a few photos of some kids from previous years as well as the adults though. My girls run around 130-145 pounds and the boys at 150-180 pounds. Not huge but big enough.


GoldenWood VRT Raggedy Anne (last year pic)


GoldenWood VRT Wren's Flight (last year pic)


pair of bucklings (wethered) from about 2yr's back from my LaMancha cross doe.


This is Brandy being sassy (she is mom to above boys)

I won't post any more LOL but if you want you can PM me if you want to see anymore.

Justine
ps: here is a short video I shot 2yr's ago of some of the kids and girls "attacking" me.

[goatiegurl*Oh]

My faveorites are Anne and Flight. Curious, if you bred a Alpine or Lamancha to a Nubian what kind of ears would you get?