New to Goats....Advice greatly appreciated!

[smcjoj3]

We have decided to get a goat. (we are just starting off on our "getting back basic's/sustainable living" journey ... & I have been lurking around or a few weeks here & reading up....

Anyhow. At first I was thinking of starting off with a female dairy goat, because we want a goat for the milk, to help clear our land & as a pet. but then...I have never had a goat & am learning....so I wondered if I should not start off with a doe? Should I get a neutered male goat to start with? I have read there are pros and cons to the castrated males in regards to their health, but I am thinking about having the doe, and her going into heat and us not having a bull around....and how that will all play out?
Also we were leaning towards a Nigerian Pygmy goat for their size, to start off with, but is this a good choice for first time goat owners as far as temperament? (I would rather not have a screaming goat also!)
Oh - & is getting 1 goat a bad idea? Will our little friend be lonely & do better with a friend?

I appreciate any advice you all have to give, even if you tell me I am too uninformed to ever own a goat!
TIA

[pookshollow]

Goat terminology 101 - "doe" is a female goat, "buck" is a male goat, "wether" is a castrated male goat.

If all you want is brush eating goats, start out with a couple of wethers. No, you can't have just one. They are herd animals and they don't do well on their own. Wethers do well on browse and grass hay - they don't need grain, that's what will cause urinary calculi.

Nigerian Dwarfs are nice little goats, but unless you buy from breeders who breed for milk, you won't get a lot of milk out of them. African Pygmies are miniature meat goats - some people milk them, I wouldn't bother.

If you want to have milking goats, get full-size goats. You could have one doe and one wether, if you like. Be prepared to milk twice a day, every day, whether you feel like it or not. You will need to breed the doe once a year - find someone nearby that has a buck - I wouldn't suggest starting out with one.

Actually, find someone nearby that has goats, period. Ask if you can come over and ask questions. It's always helpful to have a goat mentor when you're starting out.

[Alice In TX/MO]

As mentioned above, you need two. You may want a mini milk breed such as Mini Manchas, but any of the full size breeds that are already trained to the milk stand will work for a newbie. Just shop for a doe in milk already.

The best place on the web for newbies to spend time reading BEFORE buying goats is:
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/index.htm

Welcome to our board here, and may you have years of goat bliss ahead of you!

[smcjoj3]

Thanks for the responses!
I was re reading my original post & one of the sentences in it is a huge run-on sentence and totally confusing, so I apologize about that first off!

-I had planned on doing a ton more research before we brought goats home, & I had thought getting in touch with a local farm and spending some time there would be a good idea, so thank you for re iterating it. :happy0035:
- Alice, thanks for the link, I have been looking for a good site with newbie info.
I read people really love their LaMancha's, quirky looks and all. So, that was a breed I had thought maybe would be good for us.
I don't know why, but I am nervous about having 2 full size goats. What is the big difference in miniature goats vs full size goats? Is there any reason for me to have irrational nervousness about goat size?

Thanks again for your advice! (and hand holding!)

[Cyngbaeld]

A full size dairy doe isn't necessarily a large animal. Nothing to be nervous about, IMHO. Mine are such loves, but I won't put up with an aggressive animal, I don't care what size it is.

Do get your shelter and fencing in order before bringing the animals home. Goats are hard on fences.

[pookshollow]

Is there any reason for me to have irrational nervousness about goat size?

Um . . . no! They're not that big! Most full-sized does are in the 100-120 lb range. As long as you get dehorned goats, the worst they can do is step on you.

My biggest goat is a wether who stands maybe 37" at the shoulder - he comes up and leans on me, while gazing up lovingly into my eyes. If he's standing on something, he'll put his head on my shoulder and 'hug' me with his neck.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I was intimidated by size at first, too. The LaManchas are a good choice for starters because of their gentle nature, if you are interested in that breed. There are family lines of LaMancha that aren't so large.

We like the MiniMancha because they combine the best of the LaMancha breed and the shorter stature of Nigerian Dwarf goats. My MiniMancha doe is VERY productive and a sweetheart, too. Mini breeds eat less and still produce quite a bit of milk.

[flarytails]

When I got my first goat (not counting the ones I owned as a teenager) I couldn't afford a companion for her for a few months but we practically lived outside and I think she thought of us as her herd we went for walks with her and everything. When we got more goats she still prefered our company. Years later and we have 4 goats, she gets along great with them (she's the boss) but still would rather be with us and walks right into the house to hang out if we leave the gate open. I'm not a goat expert in any way but wouldn't it be ok to have a single goat if you were able to be around it all the time? Just my theory since dogs are pack animals too but they are happy to live in a human pack. I hear goats are easier to house train than dogs. I doubt I could ever talk my hubby into that but I they would sure make entertaining indoor pets.
Goats are such easy animals I wouldn't be nervous about owning one at all.

[LoneStrChic23]

You definately need more than one. Start with two does, a doe & a wether or two wethers.

Goats aren't that big... My Danes were bigger.

Mini breeds are a good starting place for newbies. They are not as tiny as Nigerians, they are smaller than standards. I started out with miniature Alpines. My mini girl is about Lab sized, doesn't eat much and is milking 6 1/2lbs per day (over 1/2 gallon) and thanks to the Nigerian influence get mikk is very rich and high in butterfat.

I can't do Nigerians, they are TOO small, and sadly a majority are bred for the flashy, colorful pet market NOT for milking....teats so tiny I could never figure out how to milk them. Now there are some breeders who do breed for milk...good production, nice teats, good udders ect. ect. but in my area they are expensive...

I got the mini's because of my kids (ages 6 & 8) & they were a great starting point for us.

I've since added standards and I prefer them even though my kids prefer the minis

Visit this site for more info on mini's:
http://miniaturedairygoats.com/

[Oat Bucket Farm]

Definitely start with two. LaManchas are an awesome breed. They have wonderful milk, long level lactations, great personalities and are quiet. They are not a big breed but even the Saanen who is one of the bigger breeds, is not that big. If you look at a few websites, you will see plenty of people standing with their goats and you will be able to see that they are not that large.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Alot of good advice above but I wanted to say Welcome to our forum & to the new future goat world!

I also agree that starting with the mini breeds is a good place to start & if starting out with does' is a little intimitating for you I vote for wethers too. Although we have does', bucks & wethers & I love them all & all are sweethearts for some reason the wethers always tug at my heart, they are truly just lovable pet material.

[motdaugrnds]

Welcome to the world of goats! They are full of surprises and loads of fun if you keep your sense of humor (and a camera).

Since you mentioned using the goat for cleaning acreage, I would not suggest a milking doe unless that acreage has already been cleared of thorny brush. The goat would enjoy eating; but there is risk in damaging the udder.

Yes, goats do not do well alone. They need a friend. Also, unless you have a "clean/healthy" buck near you to breed a doe to, you need your own buck. If I were starting from the beginning, I would not hesitate to get one doe and one buck of the same breed (a milking breed). I would get a doe who is use to being milked and I would get a "young" buck (under a year old that has been bottle fed from birth). Yes it will take a little doing to find these; but it is worth the extra effort.

Also, fencing and housing is very important and needs to be in place "before" the animals are brought onto your place. NEVER "hobble" goats as it leaves them too vulnerable to predators. If you could, you might, also, want to invest in a good dog that will stay with the goats at all times.

The url given by Alice is a good one; and you would benefit from the information there.

Good luck and do let us know what you decide on.

[lilachill]

We started with 2 bottle fed wethers, Nubians. Nubians becasue that is the breed my local person has and we just like their looks. The size was not a problem, although lighter in weight our dogs seem bigger. My initial goatkeeping was for brush management. I did not feel prepared to learn about nutrition for a bred or milking goat since there was so much going on on the homestead.
For me there was a real learning curve in farm management-how often to move the electronet fence for fenceline clearing, how tight the hi-tensile needed to be, how much hay to feed , even finding the best place in the stall and pasture shelter for minerals.
This year we have one bred doe (she shares her barnyard with 2 sheep presently) so this is our learning year for breeding and birthing. We aren't ready to commit to milking daily so she will raise her own kid.
Having a local go to goat person is very reassuring. Looking a small farm set ups gave me ideas for our own barn and pasture. This site (the search feature has been invaluable) and fiasco farm web site have really helped.
Good luck. Goats are the slapstick comedians on our farm.

[saanengirl]

I raise Saanens (the goat breed in the U.S. that tends to be the largest size). My mature does generally are 32-34" at the withers, and weigh 175-190 lbs. Height wise that is the size of a large dog. Goats tend to be heavier than dogs of similar height because they have a much larger abdomen to hold their rumen. The rumen is essentially a fermentation vat that helps them use their food more efficiently.

Saanens are very large as far as goats go, but they have the most gentle temperament and are easy to work with. They are extremely easy to train to the milk stand, and are the most productive of the dairy goat breeds.

I see that you live in North Carolina. In your state, it should be pretty easy to find good quality stock in any of the dairy goat breeds except for the Guernsey. There are many good breeders in NC.