What Am I Looking For?

[Kwings]

OK guys, I lurk around the goat forum a lot because I love the pictures and I want goats eventually and its never to early to start learning about them.

Now its going to be a LONG time before i'm able to have goats.

When i do get goats however, i want a to be able to drink the milk obviously and i'd want to maybe make cheese or butter, can you make goat butter? That sounds weird haha.

I might be interested in making soap out of goats milk too, and i'd like to be able to have dairy goats and have them still be good enough size so i can send unwanted bucks to freezer camp.

So what breeds would be best for what i want? I've already started researching goats but since i don't know a lot about which breeds make the most milk and which ones are better for making cheese and (butter?) i'm unsure of exactly what i should be researching since i cant make a decision on which kinds of goats i can choose from because i don't know and cant find answers to these questions.

I know its early yet for me to be making decisions and doing research but i researched owning a ferret for 3 years before i actually got one(HS), same as with my rat(after HS) and the gerbils i bred for 4 years (in middle school, sold to a local pet store, made just enough to feed the gerbils so they paid for themselves.)

I want to be able to decide from breeds that you guys tell me that will fill my needs and wants in the future and do all my research and then i will know exactly what i'm getting into. I don't go into anything without fully researching it first.

Thanks, any replies are appreciated. I wish Fainting goats were a dairy breed because i love them and they are so pretty! Someones pictures of all their fainting goats in their fields made me so jealous! I don't remember whose picture they were but they had beautiful goats!

[6e]

Almost any breed of dairy will work. Nubians are said to have higher fat and so better for cheese and butter. For meat, dairy/Boer crosses work well. And me personally, I'm partial to LaManchas and Manchie crosses.

[CaliannG]

Yes, you can make goat butter. The big difference between goat cream and cow cream is that to get at most of the goat cream, you have to use a centrifugal cream separator. In cow's milk, it will just separate and you can skim it off the top.

Saanens, on average, produce the most milk. Nubians, on average, have the highest amount of butterfat and solids. However, once you have ran it through a separator, it probably comes out about even. ~shrugs~

Any dairy breed can be crossed to a meat breed and therefore give you meat kids to eat, so that doesn't matter much.

In truth, when it comes to making things OUT of the milk, rather than just the milk itself, the breed doesn't matter. The higher fats and solids breed tend to produce less milk, so it is a toss up... Are you going to get more cheese and butter from a Nubian milking a gallon and a half a day at 4.34% butterfat...or a Saanen, milking 2 gallons per day at 3.64% butterfat?

So:

Saanens tend to be the most easy going and laid back. They also produce the most volume.

Alpines are friskier and more mischievous, on average, and produce almost, but not quite, as well as a Saanen.

Toggenburgs were bred to produce strong TASTING milk for strong tasting cheese.

Obers have personalities a lot like Alpines and produce much the same...they come in uniform colors.

Lamanchas tend to be cuddly and sweet, and, of course, have that unusual lack of ears. They produce a bit more than a Nubian, and have just a bit less butterfat.

Nubians are in-your-pocket affectionate, often loud as they cry for you to come love on them. They produce the least volume of the standard-size breeds with the highest butterfat content.

Then, there are miniature breeds. The absolute littlest, with the higher butterfat around, is the Nigerian Dwarf. They are thrifty, efficient eaters and milkers, but not for the exceptionally large-of-hand to milk. Then, there are miniature, half-size versions of all the breeds listed above.

Currently I have 2 miniature Nubians in milk. Between them, they are providing me with about a gallon and a half of milk a day that is near to being half-n-half..

[LoneStrChic23]

Top breeds with highest butterfat content are Nigerians, Nubians and La Manchas. Also, the miniature dairy breeds milk a good amount, lots of butterfat and less feed/space needed. Miniatures are created by breeding a Nigerian buck to a standard dairy breed doe... www.miniaturedairygoats.com

Alpines and Saanens are typically your highest producers, but have less butterfat content in their milk.

Any goat is edible I have Miniature Alpines, and Standard Alpines...... recently sent a mini buck kid who was born in December to freezer camp and he was a meaty fella who had nice growth..... Made fajitas out of some of it last week and they were amazing!

Yes you can make goat butter.... My mom made it from Alpine milk when I was a child, but it would be easier if you made butter from a breed like Nigerians, Miniatures, Nubians, or La Manchas. Of those breeds, my top choice would be La Manchas or the Mini's.

Each breed had its own personality traits..... if possible visit a few different breeders of various breeds to are what meshes well with you....Nubians tend to be noisy (everyone I've ever been around had been anyways), La Manchas are such love bugs, very laid back and their personalities make you over look the weird ears....Alpines have a rep for being pushy....some even say aggressive/bossy....Grew uo with them and I disagree 100% on them having nasty temperments....Mine have all been love bugs..Saanens are the holsteins of the goat world....very heavy producers and are nick named gentle giants for their sweet dispositions.

I'm not a boer fan....showed them in HS and just didn't care for them.....but a boer or boer mix will obviously be meatier and dress out better than a full dairy breed.

Research CAE & CL, feeding, and fencing requirements too..

[Kwings]

Thanks everyone! I'm liking the way Saanens sound and i'm glad it almost doesn't matter which breed you get that you can still make butter and cheese pretty much no matter what.


Theres no reason i couldn't have more then one breed though is there? The only downside i'd think of is people might not want to buy a mix breed goat but i duno how goats work so maybe someone would lol. Don't know if i plan on selling any besides for meat or whatever.

[6e]

As much as a breed thing, milk quantity can really be an individual goat thing, so no matter what breed you pick, go to a breeder that does milk tests and can show you how much their goats milk. We have LaManchas that will milk more and Obers that don't produce much. It depends on the goat and we've made cheese out of almost every breed and haven't noticed all that much difference.

[CaliannG]

You should buy goats you LIKE.

I don't mean, necessarily, the breed you like, although your should get the breed you like...but it is important you get the individual GOAT you like.

[Manchamom]

My Oberhasli are much sweeter and gentler than my 2 alpine/nubian mixes and they love to milk. I can put a half gallon jar of Ober milk in the fridge and the cream rises to be skimmed just like cows milk. I also like that they are a smaller package that milks a bunch. My 2nd freshener is 140lbs. and milks 8 to 9 lbs. a day. The bad thing is that they either have big floppy bags or their teats are so small they are like milking cats. There are alot of breeders out there working to improve them though and my girl with her big floppy bag is so easy to milk...it just pours into the pail.
I have milked a nubian/boar mix. She did well enough in the pail, but, a more stubborn opinionated animal I've never met. She would actually throw angry tantrums.

[colemangirly]

I haven't heard anyone on here mention kinders yet, so I will. They are a mid size breed. Cross of a nubian and a pygmy. You get the higher butterfat content from both the nubian and the pygmy so great for cheese and butter making. Still get a good amount of milk from a smaller package that dosen't eat as much. Plus you get the meatier package from the pygmy. They will dress out at 60-63% for butcher weight, which aint too shabby for a dairy goat. And my favorite part is that they are a great size to handle, even the kids can take care of them. Mine are as quite and loveable as anything, our nubian is very noisy and drives me crazy.

[Oat Bucket Farm]

Everyone has covered the various breeds pretty well. Personally I am partial to the LaMancha. I find their tiny ears quite endearing and their personalities are just awsome. I have raised Nubians and while beautiful, they just weren't for me. My LaManchas produce plenty of absolutely delicious milk.

Find a breed you like. Visit some in person and get to know them. I always kind of liked the way LaManchas looked but it wasn't until I had the opportunity to spend time in the company of one that they completely stole my heart. So visiting a breeder is an important step. Also, you said you liked the sound of Saanens, if you want more color, you could go with Sables which are colored Saanens.

[LoneStrChic23]

Originally Posted by CaliannG

You should buy goats you LIKE.

I don't mean, necessarily, the breed you like, although your should get the breed you like...but it is important you get the individual GOAT you like.

I agree with this 100%!

My dear friend was so set on Nubians because of all those cute, big eared baby pictures. Was on limited funds so she bought two bred does from someone local...

Those two beast are the most evil goats EVER!!! So bad in fact that they would not last here one day without being sent off to freezer camp!

She could have bought this mutt from the same person....Not sure what it was...guessing maybe Saanen/Nubian....sweetest doe ever, decent udder and milk stand trained....but she was set on Nubians and now has these awful girls.....they BITE!!!

Not saying don't go with a breed that you like best, just make sure you like the individual goat....

My area is mostly meat goats.....the few dairy people close have Nubians.....but my heart was set on Alpines....had so many people tell me not to do Alpines because I can't compete with Nubian/Boer people.... Well, I traveled hours and hours to get my Alpines (and minis) and I'm so glad I ignored everyone who said it was a bad breed choice for my location because I couldn't be happier with my lil group

As far as mixes..... I guess it depends on your location. I did not think I could sell my recent kids well.....I bought my standard Alpine bred to an Oberhasli and sold one of her 3 week old doelings as a bottle baby for $125 this week.

[Kwings]

Personally i think the Lamancha's are kind of creepy with their lack of ears, not to offend anyone but i don't think i'll be getting into those unless i happen to find an amazing one.

Then again i said once i'd never own a pit bull (nothing against them but their big old laws scared me a little lol.) But now i own a pit mix and i love her to bits and even though she's not as big in the jaw as the purebred pits i'm no longer spooked by them.
I seem to get what i need despite what i want so i think i'll be OK as long as i go about it right.

I really like the long ears of the nubians, and those babies are soo cute! I think i'll just start researching breeds i like the look of and go from there. Since it will be a LONG time until i can get into goats I've got plenty of time to decide lol.

[LoneStrChic23]

Originally Posted by Kwings

Personally i think the Lamancha's are kind of creepy with their lack of ears, not to offend anyone but i don't think i'll be getting into those unless i happen to find an amazing one.

Then again i said once i'd never own a pit bull (nothing against them but their big old laws scared me a little lol.) But now i own a pit mix and i love her to bits and even though she's not as big in the jaw as the purebred pits i'm no longer spooked by them.
I seem to get what i need despite what i want so i think i'll be OK as long as i go about it right.

I really like the long ears of the nubians, and those babies are soo cute! I think i'll just start researching breeds i like the look of and go from there. Since it will be a LONG time until i can get into goats I've got plenty of time to decide lol.

LOL! That is very typical......most people are put off because of the weird ears...

*I* was one of those people!!!

I don't own La Manchas and never have, BUT after spending time with some, their personalities totally won me over and now I would not mind having one...or a few...lol. Especially when Audra post those adorable pictures of her newest, flashy black and white babies!!!!

I think Nubians are to die for adorable as babies......those ears can not be beat for cute factor...kind of like basset hound puppies...

But...

I love my Alpines......they are so graceful and deer like in appearance, come in a great variety of colors and can really pour it in the milk bucket. The sassy personality matches mine quiet well too

Hopefully in your research phase you can visit a variety of breeds and breeders before making a choice and find what breed meshes well with you

[CaliannG]

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

I love my Alpines......they are so graceful and deer like in appearance, come in a great variety of colors and can really pour it in the milk bucket. The sassy personality matches mine quiet well too

This is my thing. My Alpine doeling *laughs*, and her dam also found humor in the world.

Everyone tells me that Alpines are mean...but I just find them to see the world to be as ridiculous as I do.

[Manchamom]

No creepy LaManchas here...just amazing ones...even at 6 months they're easy to work with.

Plus a Saanen and a Saanen/Alpine/Boer.

And if they all look the same it's harder for anyone to tell how many you actually have.

[Kwings]

Manchamom , i love your pictures!!

I'll probably get over it when and if i ever actually meet some I've only ever seen pictures of them and my brain just goes (the ears are gone! O_O) lol.

I'm silly, and though i think they look weird right now i'm not ruling them out just yet!

What are they all packed up for? I'd never thought of that before, what exactly do you do with them?

[Manchamom]

In that picture we are at one of the SOLV beach clean-ups.
They pretty much do whatever any other small packstock does. They carry the food and camping gear mostly. They are easy on the trails and woods, don't create rutted mud like large pack animals, don't overgraze meadows, and don't tear up dispersed camping areas. They can get into places a larger or more tempermental animal can't. They follow like dogs so you're not at the end of a lead rope you're whole trip.
Since you are just reasearching at this point these might be kind of fun.
http://www.goatpacking.com/getTheBook.htm
http://goattracksmagazine.com/bookstore.html
http://www.napga.org/
And a pic of a day hike. The boy in the back is a Lamancha/Alpine x. We've found that crossbreds tend to be sturdier working animals.

It's about time to get out on the trails again.

[saanengirl]

One advantage of Saanens for milk and meat is that in addition to the large amounts of milk they produce, the buck kids are very fast growing, so even though you don't have the muscling of the meat breeds, particularly the Boer, you still get kids that are big enough for slaughter at 3-4 months. I get about 45% carcass yield from my Saanen wethers. If you want dual purpose, you need the old-fashioned style of Saanen that is big boned and powerful. These goats also tend to be fantastic producers. Some of the modern show Saanens look to me like white Alpines. A Saanen should have rugged bone structure. The Alpine, while being a large goat is more refined than the Saanen. They tend to be very pretty and smooth, and often beat the old-fashioned type Saanen in the show ring, but they are not my idea of what a Saanen should look like.