Nigerian Newbie To be

Rowena · #1 09/29/08, 03:58 PM

We are looking at getting some Nigerians this Spring. First time here with goats and we are thinking of breeding and milking eventually, but what kind of time investment in milking am I looking at? Is their equipment for these cute little creatures to speed things up or is it not even worth the investment?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 09/29/08, 08:44 PM

Depends on if you have fence, sheds (feed shed, lounging shed), milk house, milking stand, etc., already.

Honestly, if you don't have fence and housing and you are looking to break even, it won't happen for a long long time.

That said, we love our goats!!

Rowena · #3 09/29/08, 09:27 PM

The housing and all I am not worried about, and they will be more for enjoyment than anything and my daughter wants to get into 4H, but I was wondering how much time the milking would take and if an investment in automatic equipment (if it exists for these little guys) would be worth it. How long does it take to milk a goat??

Genevieve M. · #4 09/29/08, 09:32 PM

I'm milk 2 Nigerian first fresheners. They don't really give enough milk yet to make it worth my while, but I'm training them for next year when their milk increases. Both are due in December, so I'll see soon how they mature.

I could easily milk them in 15 minutes. You'll need a milk stand, maybe a strainer, and milk filters, but certainly not a milking machine.

Rowena · #5 09/29/08, 09:39 PM

Thanks for the information Genevieve!

Thunderhill · #6 09/30/08, 05:22 AM

For us, the hardest thing about milking Nigerians is the small teats. If you have only a couple to milk you could use a maggidan milker and do two goats in about 10 minutes. Plus the Maggidan milker is pretty reasonbly priced at 45.00. If you have more than a couple to milk, I would look into a machine.
here is the link to the Maggidans. If you are handy, you could probably make one for alot less. It will save your hands on those little teats...believe me.
http://www.maggidans.com/milker.htm

Alice In TX/MO · #7 09/30/08, 08:22 AM

Make your own from a drench gun, tubing, and a syringe body. Use whatever size syringe body works for your goats.
Nigerian Newbie To be - Goats

Mrs. Jo · #8 09/30/08, 08:49 AM

We milk our Kinders and Nigerian Dwarfs in a group, which means I freshen at least 4 -6 to kid around the same time and pull the kids and milk the does. We milk twice a day, use lots of the good milk and freeze a lot for the dry period. I do have a milk machine that helps a lot when the does are just fresh. At some point, later in their lactation, it takes longer to milk them with the machine than it does with our hands, so we end up switching. We usually start in late february and continue to september and october, or even november. This year I ended up drying up everyone a little too early. I could have kept milking for another month. Oh well, next year we will do things differently.

It takes about an hour to do the milking for 6 does here. That includes the walk to the barn and all. I usually grab two does, milk them and walk them back, grab another two, ect. That's twice a day, plus 40 minutes to feed them and do other chores. In the spring, we can invest as much as 3 hours taking care of them, but it drops way down in fall and winter. And if you bottle the kids then you have to feed them, too.

So if you want, feel a need for, or like, fresh goat milk then most likely you will find a way to make it work. Otherwise, just let the kids nurse the does.
We like the milk so much we go to extra trouble for it, but that's just us.

dbarjacres · #9 09/30/08, 09:27 AM

I milk a nigerian and a nubian by hand in 10 minutes, 15 including taking milk to the house inbetween does and straining.

Rowena · #10 09/30/08, 03:00 PM

That is exactly what I needed to know. I sure hope we like the milk. We go through 4 gallons of cows milk easily a week and that is if I don't make puddings, etc. I am looking forward to trying some soft cheeses too!! Now, I just need 36 hours in a day, anybody know how to do that!

Thanks again everybody!!

crazygoatgal · #11 10/01/08, 09:04 AM

I have ND's and just want to welcome you to the fun and exciting world of Dwarf Addiction. They are soooo like potato chips! I milk 3 at the moment and am on O2 and I can do mine (by hand) within 20 minutes or so. And I only milk once a day for convenience sake, which is really nice. Goats in general are pretty adaptable and the ND is very much like that. The babies are wonderful and whether you bottle or dam raise, they are quite friendly. Obviously, bottle babies are the choice if you are going to sell them because they are the friendliest. But if you spend time with them, the dam raised ones are very sweet too. Just make sure that you know that you are buying disease free animals, such a nightmare when good people get cheated and are sold unhealthy animals and all their hopes are dashed in one fell swoop.