Looking for ND's in Canada

sahmoffour · #1 03/04/12, 10:17 AM

I'm having terrible luck trying to find Nigerian Dwarf's from good stock in Alberta! I've been researching for a couple years now, and we're finally on an acreage where we're ready to get a couple milk goats, so I'm looking for a couple doelings or does. Does anyone know of any good breeders that has a clean herd around BC, Alberta or Saskatchewan? I've looked on kijiji (equivalent to craigslist) and have found a couple but when I asked the important questions (pictures of sire/dam, CL/CAE testing, peak milk production of dam, etc) all I've gotten are "I don't knows" and "these are just my kids pets" etc.

CaliannG · #2 03/04/12, 08:17 PM

This place breeds NDs in Alberta. If they don't have any, they may know where to get some.

This place also, that I found:

THISTLE HILL FARM - Carol Borys
Box 360, Hay Lakes, Alberta T0B 1W0
Phone 780-878-3344, Fax 780-878-3966, Email: petfarm@telus.net
NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS, DORPER X SHEEP

One of the two should be able to get you some leads. ~smiles~

sahmoffour · #3 03/04/12, 10:44 PM

Thanks, I did find those two but judging by the first one's website it doesn't seem like they actually milk any of their goats. In their doe descriptions it doesn't say anything about production or udder or anything. Since I want a dairy goat, as well as a ND I really want to buy from someone who's been breeding to better the breed, especially udder for easier milking. I did email the second link but haven't heard anything back yet. I have a couple emails out to other breeders I found but no replies yet.

sahmoffour · #4 03/05/12, 06:47 PM

Does anyone know of any proven quality breeders of any breed in Alberta? Or even Saskatchewan or BC? I'm open to breed recommendations as well, it's looking like Nigerian Dwarfs might not be feasible as the ones I've found, when asked, the breeders either told me they knew nothing about the goats as they were their kids' pets, or they didn't test for CL or CAE, or they didn't milk them, etc.

We have a family of 6, and I'm looking for dairy goats for our own personal needs. I'd love to eventually be able to make our own butter, yogurt, cheese, soap etc as well, which is why I was leaning towards ND's for their higher milk fat percentage. We live in an acreage subdivision, and we're allowed animals but only 7 of them. Since we want chickens, we'll be going over our numbers obviously but the general consensus around here is as long as you don't annoy your neighbors nobody cares what anyone else is doing. There's lots of other neighbours in our subdivision that already don't follow the restrictions here. So I'm thinking I should stay away from Nubians since they're pretty noisy I hear. I'm not loving the earless look of LaMancha's, but their milk fat and quiet personalities would let me get past that except those seem to be impossible to find as well. I was wanting a smaller animal that I can easily handle on my own as my husband works away so most of the time I'll be managing the goats on my own.

Any breed recommendations? Or breeders?

JBarGFarmKeeper · #5 03/05/12, 07:31 PM

You may not be loving the "earless look" but, honestly, go meet some. They are all the things you seem to be looking forward to. Also, fewer animals would be required to have the kind of milk you are looking for. Also, I know they are there because a local breeder (here in Missouri) has exported her goats to Canada for the last several years. If I may, I will PM the info to you and you can email her for any contact and questions. These are true dairy goats...milked, showed and tested.

sahmoffour · #6 03/05/12, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBarGFarmKeeper

You may not be loving the "earless look" but, honestly, go meet some. They are all the things you seem to be looking forward to. Also, fewer animals would be required to have the kind of milk you are looking for. Also, I know they are there because a local breeder (here in Missouri) has exported her goats to Canada for the last several years. If I may, I will PM the info to you and you can email her for any contact and questions. These are true dairy goats...milked, showed and tested.

I would love it if you would be willing to do that, I'm definitely willing to pay for value, and would love a breeder that comes recommended from a "true" dairy owner that knows their stuff! Thanks!

I'm also thinking LaMancha's have the traits I want, and I'm sure the earless look would grow on me, especially if I end up with quality animals that are easy keepers and awesome milkers.

sahmoffour · #7 03/05/12, 08:59 PM

I did find a couple promising breeders out of Manitoba, so I emailed and am hoping one might be willing to ship me a couple doelings since I can't seem to find any (websites anyways) around here. Hope this pans out!

I'm still thinking of getting a couple Nigerian Bucks as I'm a bit nervous to handle the bucks myself for some reason, and I like the idea of having Mini-Manchas as well. That still brings me back to finding decent bucks though, but at least they seem a bit easier to find than does.