New to goats, what do you think?

Kate_29 · #1 12/14/12, 10:19 PM

Hello everyone! I have been a goat admirer for YEARS and have been really thinking about getting a couple dairy goats the last couple years, but I have been afraid to take the plunge. I have recently come across 2 Nigerian Dwarf/Nubian cross sisters and have fallen in love! They are about a year and a half old have just been bred to a Nigerian/LaMancha cross. I have not yet purchased these beautiful girls but I wanted to see what you guys think. They are not overly friendly, but aren't completely wild, and they have never been bred or milked before. They would be my first goats and my first attempt at milking goats. Any and all advise is very much appreciated!

This is a picture of the girls!
New to goats, what do you think? - Goats

And the boy they are bred to...
New to goats, what do you think? - Goats

Donna1982 · #2 12/14/12, 10:40 PM

Might be my phone but I cannot see any photos.

andabigmac · #3 12/14/12, 10:44 PM

Welcome! Try again with the pictures. As for advice... Make your pen bigger than you think you'll need because 2 goats can turn into 20 in no time. Make sure you have your new girls tested for CAE and CL at a minimum. You will save yourself a lot of heartache later. Read everything you can. Have your shelter, feed and medical kit ready before you bring them home. Also don't ever ask us if you should get goats or more goats. We are enablers of the worst sort.

Kate_29 · #4 12/14/12, 11:44 PM

Can you see the pictures now? Aren't they pretty girls?

andabigmac · #5 12/14/12, 11:50 PM

They are precious. It's funny how their ears are so different. Genetics are amazing. What are their names?

Kate_29 · #6 12/14/12, 11:54 PM

They don't have names! But if I do get them I was thinking Gypsy and Jasmine!

Kate_29 · #7 12/15/12, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andabigmac

Welcome! Try again with the pictures. As for advice... Make your pen bigger than you think you'll need because 2 goats can turn into 20 in no time. Make sure you have your new girls tested for CAE and CL at a minimum. You will save yourself a lot of heartache later. Read everything you can. Have your shelter, feed and medical kit ready before you bring them home. Also don't ever ask us if you should get goats or more goats. We are enablers of the worst sort.

Thanks for the advise! I am building a much bigger pen very soon. I must get ready for all the beautiful babies I will have soon! What do you recommend having in the medical kit?

LFRJ · #8 12/15/12, 12:42 AM

Welcome. Pretty does. Easy to see why you fell in love. The wild part can be toned down, particularly after they've kidded. Our doe was aloof from people until she kidded and was worked with on the milk stand. I think there are ways to encourage a doe into warming up to human handlers after they've give birth. Hopefully someone will explain how this is done. Worked for our doe (though our breeder took care of training her for us). Those are long ears for a Lamancha/Nigi cross. I was expecting elf ears.

Kate_29 · #9 12/15/12, 01:07 AM

You are right! Sorry, he is Nigerian dwarf/Toggenburg! Not LaMancha! lol

Frosted Mini's · #10 12/15/12, 02:08 AM

They are cute, but looks a bit chubby...how old?

I would not get these does in particular for your first goats, and here's why. Horned dairy goats are going to be a pain in the patooty. They can get caught in fences, feeders, etc. Large udders and horns don't go well together. If you ever wanted to show them, the horns would need to be removed surgically by a vet (cannot show horned dairy goats). You will have to build milkstands to accomidate the horns. If you have children/grandchildren, I would be concerned with the horns and them-they may move at just the wrong time and poke an eye, etc.

Even though they can be tamed down, it would be better to have your first experience with goats be with nice, tame, easy-going goats. You won't have to fight them as much to do the things you need to like hoof trims, vaccines, etc...and chasing wild goats around a pen every day to milk them is not a fun task (or so I have heard).

If you want this particular type of goat, or if you really like this breeder, I'd ask them about picking up some bottle kids next spring-and ones that have been disbudded...or maybe an already trained milker or two if they sell them. You will have a much better experience and be more likely to stay in goats if you enjoy yourself.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 12/15/12, 05:36 AM

Very pretty girls Kate & welcome to the forum. I myself don't mind horns & have never had a problem with them. When my husband built my milkstand we figured that into the equation.
I do think it's important to have them tested for CAE & Johnes, I would not test for CL because test results are to unreliable. I would be sure to ask the owners if they've ever had any abccesses in the herd before though & if so did they have the puss testes. An abccess doesn not always mean CL because a lot of things can cause an abccess.

I would also ask if they've had their CD & T vaccines & also when & with what they were wormed with so you'll know what to do or use on them when needed.

The horn part wouldn't bother me & you can also make them friendlier too if they aren't really wild. They just need some more time spent with them.

C & D Antitoxin (Not the same as CD & T vaccine) is almost a must to have on hand. It can be a life saver although it's not needed all the time when you need it you need it like NOW.
Vitamin B 12 Complex
Probios paste

There are a lot of others things you'll in time most likely end up getting but you can get those things here & there & as you need them.

Rockytopsis · #12 12/15/12, 06:13 AM

They are very nice looking girls. Their horns are big enough that they should not be a problem sticking their heads through a fence.
We tame our goats with Animal Crackers. First just putting them in their feed. Then offering them by hand. Then while petting.
That is also a good way to lure them into the milk stand and get them used to being touched.

Also if you can feed them in a small area and just be there while they are eating. Talk to them, touch them on occasion while you are putting the feed out. Dont rush them because that never works.

Nancy

lilygrower · #13 12/15/12, 07:00 AM

The first thing you should do before getting goats is to have a vet. Maybe more then one vet. I just had my fourth goat emergency over the last 4 years and had calls in to three vets before I could get one that could make time for me and I had to bring the sick goat to their office 30 minutes away and when she could not do much, on to Cornell University, another 30 min. I lost three goats, would a closer vet have helped? Who knows, but I would never have got my goats (pets) had I known the difficulties. I did have a new, local dog/cat vet do a farm call for shots and general check-up this summer, but I knew she would be limited on her ability for some cases. Had same problem w/our horses, four vets in four years. I pay cash, work around their schedule and the vets seem surprised to find otherwise healthy animals. But w/only 2 horses and 4 (now 3) goats, can't find a vet willing to make an emergency farm call. Ironic that I live between two dairy farms, one that has a vet visit every week.

Alice In TX/MO · #14 12/15/12, 07:11 AM

They look well cared for. I'm going to repeat the testing caution. CAE at least. Johnes, too. Deworm with Cydectin, then again in ten days.

Ditto on the animal crackers and technique.

I don't have horned goats, but that's just my policy. We have a granddaughter with sight in only one eye, and I'm sure not taking a risk. Plus, I don't like bruises on ME.

Minelson · #15 12/15/12, 07:42 AM

Very pretty girls! And I bet they have gorgeous babies from that buck

Here is a thread that was just started with tips on what to have on hand
Goat Health Care/First Aid Kit

Kate_29 · #16 12/15/12, 12:18 PM

I have an AWESOME vet. He lives 20 miles away and still does house calls in the middle of the night. I have his cell # and he treats people with 2 animals the same as he treats people with large herds. He will take payments from loyal customers without credit check, all of which is completely unheard of around here! Seems like everyone is just so money oriented they could care less about the actual people and their animals, but not him! He is mostly a farm vet but will also treat domestics. My first interaction with him is when my St Bernard got arsenic poisoning, still not sure how, perhaps from food, perhaps they were poisoning rodents in the field behind my home. Either way we almost lost him, I BEGGED the vet to do anything he could, I didn't have a lot of money but promised payments, work, clean pens/corrals anything... They didn't have a kennel big enough for him and cleaned out a supply closet and put a baby gate. They had him for a week with IVs and multiple tests he did all that even thought he knew I was very poor at the time. I would come to visit my big boy after work and he even told me if I wanted to stay after they closed just to lock up after I left! He cut the final bill down to almost nothing and even said he would take payments on the rest. I wont go to another vet unless he is on vacation! Anyway, I have an awesome vet and had planned on getting them tested asap. I was also planning on keeping them in my smaller pen until they are a bit tamer to make it a bit easier to interact with them.

All of the experienced milkers that are already super tame are a bit out of my price range. They are worth the price but I just cant bring myself to pay the price for something I am not even sure I will like or follow through with for long. lol Plus, I absolutely fell in love with these girls!

Frosted Minis, they are a year and a half, I don't have any kids, they will not be shown, I will be using them only for personal dairy purposes. They are not completely wild just not overly friendly, they are a bit stand offish but they don't kill themselves trying to get away from you. I was also thinking they may not be the best for my first milkers but also thought that I could train and use any doelings that would result from the pregnancy as my milkers.

Thanks for the link Minelson! I will start getting my first aid kit together asap!

Katie! Thank you for the welcome! Thank you everyone for your wonderful advise and encouragement! Goat people sure are nice people! <3

**mygoat** · #17 12/15/12, 01:27 PM

About a month before they're due, start them on grain, slowly increasing it to about 1lb-2lbs per feeding. When milking, I usually feed 1lb grain per 2-3 lbs milk produced.

To feed them, put them in the milkstand and sit down and pretend to milk. I do the whole procedure start to finish - pretend to wash, pretend to milk with a bucket under them, then let them down when they're done with grain.

Thus far, never had a FF Who didn't take to the milking regime like and old pro. Works like a charm. Usually FF's are really kicky and can be very frustrating if you don't work with them before they freshen.

earthkitty · #18 12/15/12, 01:42 PM

For me, I ask questions like you asked but then ignore all the what-ifs if I already adore the animal in question.

I just got my first goats in August, and they very quickly became my favorite animals on the farm.

If you love them, do it, as long as they are healthy. If they are healthy, any situation can be worked around.

Oat Bucket Farm · #19 12/15/12, 01:51 PM

Very pretty girls!

Kate_29 · #20 12/15/12, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earthkitty

For me, I ask questions like you asked but then ignore all the what-ifs if I already adore the animal in question.

I just got my first goats in August, and they very quickly became my favorite animals on the farm.

If you love them, do it, as long as they are healthy. If they are healthy, any situation can be worked around.

HAHA! I do that too! Or I find a way around the negative "what ifs"! Like what if I cant get them to cooperate enough to milk them? I will milk their babies! What if having horns on my milkers doesn't work out? I take care of the horns on their doelings and milk them! lol Where there is a will there is a way!

I have pretty much decided that I want them! Now I just have to square up some financial things, I had not budgeted for goats and December is an expensive month, but if I can swing it, these beautiful girls will be mine!!!