what breed?

6ncounting · #1 05/04/08, 03:54 PM

I am new at all of this and was hoping for some help picking a breed that would e low maintanence and easy to start. This is the first animals we will be welcoming to our farm and we need something that will be easy to work around. Any help is appreciated.

Wags · #2 05/04/08, 04:18 PM

What are you wanting them for? Meat, Dairy, pets, brush eaters...?

Alibi · #3 05/04/08, 04:22 PM

for Meat I like Boer goats

for Milk I like Alpine and Nubian, Not because they are the
best (I don't actually know what would be)
but because they are affordable in price.

6ncounting · #4 05/04/08, 04:51 PM

I definately wil need some brush eaters, lol. But we're wanting some meat and milk too.

lettermom · #5 05/04/08, 04:52 PM

we have nubians and really like them!

eta: we are new at this too though

6ncounting · #6 05/04/08, 04:56 PM

hey there, didn't know you were on here too

Alibi · #7 05/04/08, 05:00 PM

Nubians are cute too lol

Freeholder · #8 05/04/08, 05:22 PM

Dairy goats can't really be called low maintenance or easy. Meat goats are probably easier, since they don't have to be milked daily.

Just a suggestion, but if you have never had any kind of livestock before, you might be better off spending a year raising chickens or rabbits before getting into goats?

However, the best breed is the one you can buy from a nearby breeder, who will hopefully have time to mentor you through all the learning experiences you are going to have over the next two or three years, as you get started! Once you have some experience, then if you decide you'd like to try a different breed, go ahead. But there are advantages to buying close to home: you probably won't have to keep your own buck for a while (check on this, though, because not everyone wants to stand their buck at stud to outside does); and you have nearby assistance with things like kidding time, disbudding, shots, tattoos, and castrating, not to mention injuries and illnesses (learn as you go along how to deal with these things yourself, but it's nearly always easier to learn how to do these things by watching someone else do it the first time, then having them watch and direct you).

If you purchase a breed that isn't common in your area, you may end up keeping your own buck before you are really ready to (or two or three bucks, to avoid inbreeding); and you won't have the contact with local goat-keepers to help you when you need help.

Now, if there are a number of breeds available locally, then you just need to do some visiting, try milking them, taste the milk (cold, not warm!

), see the facilities, talk to the owners and see what kind of people they are. Then you can decide.

Kathleen

ozark_jewels · #9 05/04/08, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueJuniperFarm

However, the best breed is the one you can buy from a nearby breeder, who will hopefully have time to mentor you through all the learning experiences you are going to have over the next two or three years, as you get started! Once you have some experience, then if you decide you'd like to try a different breed, go ahead. But there are advantages to buying close to home: you probably won't have to keep your own buck for a while (check on this, though, because not everyone wants to stand their buck at stud to outside does); and you have nearby assistance with things like kidding time, disbudding, shots, tattoos, and castrating, not to mention injuries and illnesses (learn as you go along how to deal with these things yourself, but it's nearly always easier to learn how to do these things by watching someone else do it the first time, then having them watch and direct you).

If you purchase a breed that isn't common in your area, you may end up keeping your own buck before you are really ready to (or two or three bucks, to avoid inbreeding); and you won't have the contact with local goat-keepers to help you when you need help.

Now, if there are a number of breeds available locally, then you just need to do some visiting, try milking them, taste the milk (cold, not warm!

), see the facilities, talk to the owners and see what kind of people they are. Then you can decide.

Kathleen

I'll second all that.

But if they are available, I consider the Lamancha to be the all-round best homestead goat. Hardy, healthy, productive, good-natured. Usually not *too* costly and not too hard to come by. You can eat the wethers and if the does are bred to a Boer buck they produce some very nice chunky freezer kids.

Patty0315 · #10 05/04/08, 06:56 PM

Maybe if you tell us were you are there may be someone close bye.

Visit as many farms and breeds as you can and then select a breed. Goats are not "easy" but with some reading are doable.

I raise Saanens and love them . Great milk and lots of it . The extra bucks taste good also. From your forum name I am thinking you need a high producing breed to supply enough milk for 6 plus in a family . Saanens can do it . You cannot just get 1 goat you need 2 or they will drive you nuts.

Patty

6ncounting · #11 05/04/08, 07:10 PM

I am in Southern Kansas, a few miles north of OK border. A dual puropse goat would be ideal.

ozark_jewels · #12 05/04/08, 07:15 PM

Rather than a dual purpose breed(where you lose a lot of milk production *usually*), I would suggest a "dual purpose herd", consisting of a few dairy does and a Boer buck. The kids from these breedings will be nice and chunky for the table and the does will still produce to their best ability as milking animals. My favorite dairy does to breed to a Boer bucks are Lamanchas and Saanens, but any breed works as long as its got a large frame and a deep body.

6ncounting · #13 05/04/08, 07:18 PM

great tip, thanks. Are the Boer buck's agressive?

ozark_jewels · #14 05/04/08, 07:29 PM

Depends on the buck. NO buck is ever to be trusted even if they act like big babydolls. They are a male animal and thus dangerous. Some are much more aggressive than others and a lot depends on how it was raised. Also, a disbudded buck(no horns), is usually less aggressive than a horned buck.
The best thing would be to find a Boer goat breeder near you with healthy goats who would allow you to breed your does to his buck for a fee for the first year anyway. Or, to buy a young Boer buckling(weaned). To get a Boer buckling disbudded, you would need to find a breeder who will do that, or put a deposit down on the one you want at birth and have him disbudded at about a week old. Most Boer breeders leave horns on, so you need to work this out ahead of time.
I disbudd all mine unless otherwise requested.
The first Boer buck I ever bought was a mature percentage buck with huge horns....he literally tried to kill me one day.
The buck I bought next, I have had for five years and we respect one another. He is not a problem, but I *never* trust him 100%. He has horns also but is a fullblood buck so the horns curl along his back and neck rather than out and to the sides.
The young buckling I am raising now I bought as a bottle buckling and he is disbudded.
Agressiveness doesn't have that much to do with breed in my opinion. It depends more on individual personality and handling. MOSTLY HANDLING.
I have 5 mature bucks, 1 yearling buck, and 4 baby bucks coming along as the next generation of herdsires. Call me crazy, but I like bucks and would rather have too many than too few.

But I handle them *myself*, no one else and we get along very well. My younger siblings do *not* go near the bucks during breeding season and only supervised in the off-season.
This is not to scare you, just to caution against becoming complacent around bucks. I love my bucks....but I never trust them behind my back.