 |
|
03/28/11, 10:33 AM
|
 |
Animal Addict
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
|
|
|
So Would I Like Nigerian Dwarfs?
I found a breeder with registered does/bucks/whethers, and kids for sale locally. She claims champion bloodlines, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a registered doe if I am going to do this. No bucks here, though. Are these guys noted for being friendly and sweet like the pygmys, as a rule?
__________________
Becky
|
03/28/11, 10:47 AM
|
 |
More dharma, less drama.
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
|
|
|
All depends on your goaty goals. Milking? Showing? Pets?
__________________
Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
|
03/28/11, 10:50 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Boomer, NC
Posts: 669
|
|
|
I can't speak for every ND or ND owner, but from my limited experience, ND's are very sweet. Our five (even the boys and the baby) are loving, curious, playful, and friendly. I'm sure there are exceptions, as each goat has his/her own personality, but just going on what we see with our own little herd, they're as sweet as can be.
|
03/28/11, 10:53 AM
|
|
Animal Addict
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
|
|
Alice, stictly pets aty this point. But DD is getting to 4H age this year, so I might consider a registered doe/ling for her to play with for 4H purposes. Only...no way can I sell her/him at the fair...I'll have to be in the stands to buy my own goat, I guess. 
LL, sounds very good. I like the portable sized goats!
__________________
Becky
|
03/28/11, 10:58 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posts: 5,492
|
|
|
All the ones I've had contact with have been sweet. Check with your local 4H - your daughter might be able to show wethers to start with and a couple of them would be a cheap way to find out if you enjoy having goats around. And the wethers if handled properly from the time they are babies are usually total love bugs. Plus they can be trained to cart which might be a fun activity for your daughter.
__________________
Wags Ranch Nigerians
"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West
|
03/28/11, 11:04 AM
|
 |
Married, not dead!
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 2,680
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by beccachow
Are these guys noted for being friendly and sweet like the pygmys, as a rule?
|
From what I've seen, they are even friendlier and sweeter than Pygmies. I said I'd never have a buck--but I somehow ended up with this Nigerian buck that is the friendliest, sweetest, and most well-behaved guy, even when in rut. I had decided to breed him to my Saanen and mini-Saanen for mini dairy goats. The first of his babies hit the ground a couple of weeks ago, and she is just like him. Even though she is being dam-raised, she runs to me like a bottle baby, climbs all over me, nibbles on my clothing, and loves to snuggle.
|
03/28/11, 11:05 AM
|
|
Animal Addict
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
|
|
|
You guys are absolute enablers.
__________________
Becky
|
03/28/11, 11:06 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,486
|
|
Every Nigerian I have ever met has been a love bug. For pets, you can't go wrong. Lots of color choices and sometimes even blue eyes too I bet a lil Nigerian would make an awesome 4H project for your munchkin.
For milking, I think their milk is fabulous.....very rich! But I personally wouldn't own one for milk as they are way too small for me to milk comfortably, and a majority dont have the teats for good hand milking... .Not saying all are like this, but in my expirence most are. The ones I've seen that do have good, long teats are way out of my price range 
|
03/28/11, 11:23 AM
|
 |
Enabler!
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: CO
Posts: 3,865
|
|
I love my Nigies and they come in so many colors and blue eyes too. You have seen my pix Becca
Personally if you are looking to go pet, I would not spend $250 and up on a registered pet. If she has them cheaper that is great, if not go for a wether. Even registered a wether should be less then $100, at least around here.
For 4 H that goat no matter the sex must be disbudded if dairy again around here at least. So you may want to call your local 4H and see what there rules are, if they need to be registered to participate in etc etc.
Nigies are a good size for your daughter, I personally find them to be sweeter and nicer then some Pygmies. Go for it Becca you won't be sorry, well at least not till you have a dozen or so in your backyard 
__________________
You may not copy my posts or pictures without my consent on this board or any other.
|
03/28/11, 11:26 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posts: 5,492
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23
Every Nigerian I have ever met has been a love bug. For pets, you can't go wrong. Lots of color choices and sometimes even blue eyes too I bet a lil Nigerian would make an awesome 4H project for your munchkin.
For milking, I think their milk is fabulous.....very rich! But I personally wouldn't own one for milk as they are way too small for me to milk comfortably, and a majority dont have the teats for good hand milking... .Not saying all are like this, but in my expirence most are. The ones I've seen that do have good, long teats are way out of my price range |
I must say I am astonished at the prices for Nigerians in some place. Hubby keeps threatening to move us east just so we can get better prices for our goats. I generally sell a doe kid for $200-$250 and mine are all from stock where you can get a whole hand on a teat!
This is the dam of my main herdsire - she milks at 6# a day when fresh.
And this is one of his daughters that just kidded. Her teats aren't as long as her grand-dam, but then she hasn't been milked yet either.
And here is my fiver year old chatting with the buck kids.
__________________
Wags Ranch Nigerians
"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West
|
03/28/11, 11:41 AM
|
|
Animal Addict
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
|
|
Ohhh...nooo...*thud. Cuteness overload...kids and kids...that's not fair .
I love my pygmies...but I think I could learn to love Nigerian Dwarfs. The pet prices here are $75. That's all my guys are good for...the one goat and a sheep were rescued from a dinner table, the pygmys were just for fun...now I am thinking of going a bit more serious. There isn't a lot of competition around here. I am thinking smaller goats equals less hay? I know the pygmys don't eat as much as the bigger boys.
Oh...and don't kill me, I don't care for goat milk but the only kind I had was the store bought. Had a bizarre aftertaste. Is it an acquired taste?
__________________
Becky
|
03/28/11, 12:07 PM
|
|
Married, not dead!
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 2,680
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by beccachow
Oh...and don't kill me, I don't care for goat milk but the only kind I had was the store bought. Had a bizarre aftertaste. Is it an acquired taste?
|
Fresh goat milk should be indistinguishable from cow's milk. Before I had dairy goats, I too had only tasted goat milk from the store, and it has a distinctly bizarre aftertaste, so I wasn't sure how fresh goat milk should taste. But it is wonderful. Especially Nigerian milk, it is so rich and sweet. Better than cow's milk, IMO.
If I were you, I'd get a nice registered doe from milky lines, so that you *could* eventually breed her and try some milk for yourself!
|
03/28/11, 12:11 PM
|
|
Animal Addict
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
Posts: 12,211
|
|
|
ENABLER!!!
On the plus side of it, if I had her registered as a dairy goat in 4H, I wouldn't have to worry about the whole dinner thing, right? Or would she still have to sell her?
__________________
Becky
|
03/28/11, 12:12 PM
|
|
Married, not dead!
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 2,680
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wags
This is the dam of my main herdsire - she milks at 6# a day when fresh.
|
Wow! What gorgeous teats on that doe! Now that's one you can milk!
|
03/28/11, 01:38 PM
|
|
Enabler!
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: CO
Posts: 3,865
|
|
If you are showing dairy you do not sell your animals. Also our 4H has costume contests and agilty etc. They are not shown like the terminal animals.
Ooo are we convincing you with pictures? I'll try, lol:
Triplets from last year:
Nigie babies, ready for shipping? lol
__________________
You may not copy my posts or pictures without my consent on this board or any other.
|
03/28/11, 01:56 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posts: 5,492
|
|
Store bought goats milk is disgusting!!! Fresh goats milk - especially Niggie milk is wonderful! My kids have been raised on it and when we were on vacation last year they had cows milk and my daughter said "Mom there is something wrong with this milk - it tastes really weak." But then my does are all testing at 7% or better butterfat too.
If you want some more enabling (kids & kids) check out the little 30 second slide shows here: http://www.wagsranch.com/kids.html
__________________
Wags Ranch Nigerians
"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West
|
03/28/11, 02:02 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: middle GA
Posts: 16,654
|
|
|
Well, I'm new to ND's, but wouldn't trade them for anything. My last heard were pygmies, and they were sweet, but I think the ND's have them beat on sweetness. The milk actually taste a little sweeter than cows milk, to me anyway. And the cream! I love that they have so much cream in their milk. Going to try making some 30 minute mozzerella with their milk tonight, and I can't wait. My little does love to give me kisses when I go see them. Even the bucks are sweet and gentle with me. I'm definitely hooked on them!
|
03/28/11, 02:43 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Troy, Vermont
Posts: 1,695
|
|
|
OK my first day back in months, literally, and I see this thread. And looked at all the pics too. I am a glutton for punishment. I have been trying to think of ways to sell my goats with out sending them to slaughter or an auction and I see this! Now I can't get rid of them, I just have to find a way to keep them. You guys PLEASE HELP ME think of a way to keep them.
In regard to your guestion(sorry I hijacked your thread) you cannot find a sweeter, more loving goat than a ND and their milk is to die for. I am a huge cow milk fan and I would sell my right arm for some good ND milk right about now. I don't have a single doe in milk out of 17 does! Didn't do any breeding this fall but may have one pregnant one. Not sure. Never thought I would like the milk from a goat but I am hooked. My bucks are just as sweet to me too. Unfortunately, they can be quite smelly at times and still love to be petted and loved so you will smell, just fair warning. :happy0035:
|
03/28/11, 08:12 PM
|
|
Katie
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
|
|
|
We love our Nigerians, even our bucks are as sweet as can be, not all TOO smelley either!! But I think I'm used to the smell.
When our babies start coming here in the next week, I'll be sure & post you some more baby pictures!
Thaiblue12, what is the wood frame thing you have built with all the babies in it? Is that actually what it was meant for, snuggling in?
|
03/28/11, 08:17 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Frozen in Michigan
Posts: 4,887
|
|
|
im not sure if anyone answered you but you do NOT sell goats to show them in 4H unless you enter them in the market goat categories. my children are taking our Alpine doelings to Open show for the fair this year (we dont take part in 4H but want to take them to the county fair)
__________________
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:30 AM.
|
|
