Why goats?

[tlance]

Why do you all have milk goats instead of a milk cow? Or do any of you have both. We are a large family, #8 baby on the way, and were thinking of getting a milk cow. We have had goats before and I love them except for the fencing issues. I want to make dairy products from the milk but we require quite a bit of milk for our size family. I know goat milk is suppose to be healthier but I've had trouble in the past with the taste. I do know the reasons for off flavor. Anyways, would you get goats or a milk cow for my size family? Please tell me your reasonings. Thanks sorry for kinda rambling.
Tracy

[LittleRedHen]

Welcome Tracy! I am a mom of 6 (with intentions of having more) We are getting into dairy goats because we have limited pasture. Goats are more easily satisified than a milking cow (less hay for us to buy) Cow pregnancies are 9 months whereas goats are 5 which means sooner turn around time to refreshen. I love varieties so i can get multiple goats, hence multiple colors and personalities, whereas i could only have one milking cow which would be boring to me! All my kids have their own goats :P

Then we have our own buck who doesn't eat a whole lot. Finding a Bull to breed a cow would be harder and it wouldn't even be cost effective at all to have my own Bull with our limited pasture and finances. So its far easier/cheaper on all fronts to have goats.

If your flavor is off, for me i find that i need to clean utters better to avoid the off taste. Plus do a few presqueezes to clean out before i start milking. Otherwise it tastes just like cow milk

[Oat Bucket Farm]

The need for more milk means you have an excellent excuse for buying more goats

I love goats. Love their personalities, the lesser space and food requirements, plus I find that health care such as trimming feet easier.

[BlackWillowFarm]

I just sold my two dairy goats and kept my Jersey cow. I loved my goats, but they just aren't for me. Fencing them in was the hardest part about having goats. They are too smart for their own good. Plus, I don't like the little bit of goaty taste in the milk. I prefer cow's milk. My jersey is nursing a calf so I only milk once a day, but get almost two gallons each time. If I didn't have a calf, I would get almost four gallons a day. Plus I make butter and cheese and have cream whenever I need it.

The calf is for the freezer, and with the cow nursing her, it doesn't cost me much to feed her. She does eat some hay, but not much. Freezer beef for next to nothing. Since a cows gestation is nine months, there won't be as many dry periods where I have no milk, like there would be for the goats every five months. If you have more than one goat, you could stagger the dry off periods though.

For me, I like the quiet, calm nature of the cow vs the rambunctious behavior of the goats. I like having just one cow and calf to care for. Plus at milking time, I only have to deal with milking one animal and I'm done.

Hopefully this helps you in your decision making process. Does everyone in your family like goats or cows milk? I only like goats milk if it's freezing cold. I can drink cows milk warm and still like the taste.

Food for thought......

[southerngurl]

I, too, hated the goaty taste of goat milk from the store. It was later (before I got my own goats) someone gave me some fresh goat milk and I dared try it that I found their milk can taste just as clean as cows milk. It is the handling of the milk that is important. Chill it quickly and don't jostle it around a lot (this is why milk you buy in the store is so nasty, it is shipped and handled so much). Goat milk has a find milk flavor, not as strong a milk taste as cows milk often, very very good. I am very sensitive to "goat taste" and don't have a problem with it unless the milk is getting old.

Goats will eat things cows will not, and leave the grass for something else. You can have several in milk at a time, and have their freshenings overlap so you never have a dry spell if you want. You don't have all your eggs in one basket so to speak, like with a cow.

They are safer to handle, and much much cleaner. Cows poop wherever they happen to be, big ploppy poops. I've never had a goat that I was milking poo on the milkstand, or in the milking area when I bring them in.

I also like their personalities better. They are quite silly, doing their sideways jumping and whatnot.

Just get appropriate fencing to start with and feed them well, and you won't have a problem.

[nehimama]

Just me by myself here, but LOVE goats' milk. Never a goaty flavor, unless I let my milking practices slip. I love the variety of goats available. They are eye candy for me.

Since goats are smaller than a cow, their size is a big plus with me. If a 1500# cow steps on your foot, you know it! If a 150# goat steps on your foot, you just say "Git offa my foot, you goofball." Their smaller size makes them easier to handle - for foot trimming, administering meds, etc.

I have found that fencing is not an issue IF the goat(s) are contented where they are, have plenty of space, plenty of browse and compatible (other goats) company.

Just my 2 cents.

NeHi

[DQ]

older kids can easily and safely handle goats. the milk is healthier. butchering a 60-100 lb goat yourself is alot easier than butchering a big ol cow. less freezer space needed as you can keep some of your meat "on the hoof" until you need it. goats aren't big enough to really hurt you (generally) a cow can hurt you accidently. you can be more independent with goats as opposed to a single cow because you can keep a number of them, retaining some genetic diversity and your own breeding program without depending on someone else to keep them also to "swap genes". goats generally twin which further expands independant breeding program opportunities.

negatives - goats have more parasite problems. fencing. more animals to deal with and all that entails. butter is alot harder to make with goats milk.

[pookshollow]

Since a cows gestation is nine months, there won't be as many dry periods where I have no milk, like there would be for the goats every five months.

Huh? Goats are bred once a year (or less often if they milk through) and are dry for two months, same as a cow. And if you have several goats, you can stagger their kidding, so you are never without milk. With one cow, when she's dry, she's dry.

[mary,tx]

Yep, you always keep more than one, so it is easy enough to stagger breeding.

I guess I have goats because they are smaller than cattle and I am not afraid to do most of the management by myself. And not afraid to have the children help.

Now that I am getting used to raising a few cattle, I do think that maybe some day I will want to have a milk cow. But I'm happy with the goats, and we all like their milk. Bad milk is a management issue.

Oh, here's one more thing. I had to pull a (dead) calf recently. Pulling a calf takes a lot more strength than pulling a kid.

[Chaty]

I have both and believe me the goats are easier to take care of and feed also. I have cattle and a milk cow. I also have many goats and some of them I milk. The cows milk bothers me and the goats milk dont. I dont get that goaty taste unless I place the milk in a plastic container then it will get goaty taste. Cows are harder to medicate and it sure hurts when they step on you or in some cases sharge you and really hurt you. I love my goats. I would pick goats over dairy cows anytime.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Goat poo is MUCH tidier than cow poo.

Goats love you like dogs.

Goats are entertaining to watch.

Goat milk is perfectly wonderful if you follow clean milking practices.

My Alpine is producing milk after kidding almost 19 months ago, and she has not been bred since. She's a bit unusual, as the norm is 10 months in milk, then a two month rest before kidding. You should be able to pick your breeding time in the fall so that you have your milking vacation when you want.

[togg75]

The main reason to raise goats for milk over cows is the milk itself.

Goat milk is safer for human consumption when used raw. Cows milk must be tested for disease if used raw. I read a big essay on the differences in this discussion and for me it boiled down to $ input for milk output the goat wins.
Safety in raw milk the goat wins. Natural homogenization Ease of handling the goat wins. Amount of land needed to maintain health of animal the goat wins. Amount and size of equipment needed to get the animal to the vet....goat wins.

I think that a Jersey cow crossed with an angus bull would make for some good eating after weaning. Cow differently wins there. Also 4 gallons of milk a day doesn't sound like alot until you have a freezer full and no other storage jars left to put todays milk in. 4 gallons a day adds up fast. I drink alot of milk and so does our family of 5. we drink maybe 2 gallons a day on our best days. I know a family that drinks 20+ gallons a week. that is still short of the almost 30 gallons a week given from a cow.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yes, you can put a goat in the back seat of your car.

[cybercat]

We do not have goats yet but we will. Hubby grew up with cows I did not. You can buy more goats for the cost of 1 cow. They are easy to haul also as you can do it in a car or truck and do not need a animal trailer. Vet cost will be cheaper. You can do your own breeding without having a male. Not so easy with a cow. They require less space than a cow.

[goatkid]

I have goats mainly because I worked on a goat dairy and fell in love with them. I like their personalities and they are easier to work with. No way could I haul a cow to the vet in the back of my station wagon. They're safer to milk than a cow. If a cow kicks when you milk, she can break your arm. All a goat will do is spill the milk. Their milk is easier to digest and many kids with allergies to cow's milk can drink it. Gaots are great pets for kids and safer for them to handle. They make great 4H projects.

[billooo2]

Cows hurt a lot more when (not if) they eventually step on your foot.

It is safer to have goats with the children.

Goats will respect a 2 or 3 strands of electric wire if the fence is not holding them.

Goats are a lot easier to transport ....to the vet.........to another farm for breeding.

I like the taste of goat meat (those buck kids are fairly easy to butcher and cut up.)

If the kids like goats, then can all have their own goat ( a lot easier than the same number of cows)

Goats are just fun!!!!

[sammyd]

I don't know about safer....never had a cow almost lop off one of my kids ears like a horned goat did.
But there are only 3 or 4 of us around now so we don't need as much milk.
Goats are easier for us to house and clean up after. Make plenty of milk. Don't eat as much as a cow.
Personally, I prefer cows, grew up around them. Had a couple that followed me around like dogs just like goats will. Cows can be entertaining. But they just don't fit here at the moment.

We were sceptical at first, but a taste of the milk while looking at some goats really influenced our decision.
We've milked into ice cream buckets and heavy plastic buckets, SS buckets and currently have a vacuum pump and milker bucket. Never had really goaty milk. Keep everything clean and feed them well. I think the feed influences the taste the most.

[goatkid]

It's best to dehorn your goats. I agree that horns can be dangerous. I also wouldn't allow young kids around a buck, but them I wouldn't allow them around a bull either.

[billooo2]

Originally Posted by sammyd

I don't know about safer....never had a cow almost lop off one of my kids ears like a horned goat did.
.

Great point!!!

That is why I disbud (burn) the horns of all babies.

[togg75]

Originally Posted by billooo2

Great point!!!

That is why I disbud (burn) the horns of all babies.

I was skeptical about dehorning goats at first. I thought I liked the way the animals looked with their horns. Then you see the trouble with the horns besides the obvious. Horns get stuck in fencing easy. Children and horns do not mix

I disbud mine at 1-3 days old. Plug it in wait for the heat press it into the buds for a few seconds and your done. A little stink, but no horns and the little guys never remember. Like circumcising.....