Anyone with mini nubians?

[sandc]

We are near Denver, where you can have dairy goats in your backyard, but they have to be a mini variety. This year we have signed a lease for a pasture and garden space that will allow us to start our dairy herd again. I am getting either Saneen or Alpine does this year, but will probably not be able to find anything in milk for either breed that I can both afford and be within driving distance of.

I have found a guy with mini nubians that I am going to go look at. He will have several girls in milk late this spring, and I am getting very interested in buying 3-4 of them so that we have milk this year, and because I believe that I can find a decent market for any doelings I want to sell next year locally with people that want and can only have mini dairy goats.

I was really curious as to whether anyone her has any experiences with the mini nubians. I am curious about their personalities generally, and their actual dairy output.

Also, I am unsure as to how the whole breeding mini anything goes. I know that a nigerian dwarf gets thrown into the mix to start the mini variety, but can I breed a mini nubian doe to a mini nubian buck, or is there a chance that the full size goat genes lurking in both will give her a full size baby that will cause all sorts of delivery problems?

[thaiblue12]

They are a medium goat, so if the city/county allows small/mini goats these might not be ok for your situation. They may mean Pygmy or Nigerian, I would ask about size before I buy anything.

I have mini Nubians and they can be bred to a mini nubian buck or a Nigerian Dwarf. I use a full size Nubian doe with a Nigie boy, I won't risk my little girls having large babies.
They are be smaller or larger but you will not get a full size one crop up due to them having a large breed goat in their background.

I know a man in Brighton with mini Nubians, he has a nice herd. I think his does run about $300 or so. They are 4th - 5th generation or so, registered.

I like mine and their personalities, friendly not pushy, their output is more then a Nigerian. I did not measure it and usually pool it into one bucket. But I for sure did not get a gallon like I would out of the standard Nubian.
I like either style of ears, airplane and floppy, they can have either or both.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I also have mini nubians. I Love mine, they are very sweet, great temperment & the milk is great.
The 1 doe I milked this past year gave 2 quarts each morning, I only milked once a day.

When breeding the mini's you always breed a standard size Nubian, alpine, etc. with a Nigerian dwarf Buck. That gives you 1st generation(F1) kids.
Then if you breed an F1 Generation mini nubian doe to an F1 Mini nubian buck their kids will be 2nd generation.

If you breed a 3rd Generation doe with a 2nd generation buck then the kids will be 3rd generation (F3).
Kids are always 1 generation higher than the lowest generation parent.
When you reach 6th generation they are considered purebred with the registry as long as they meet the breed qualifications & standards.

[sandc]

thaiblue- Denver allows goats that have mini in the name. Where we have our property leased, it is ag, so we are looking at minis for the purpose of milking and selling into the Denver market and full size for our long term herd goals.

Want to pm me the contact info on the guy in Brighton? It may be the same guy I have been talking to. I cannot remember if he is in Brighton or Greeley off the top of my head.

I am glad to hear they have a decent personality. I have been spoiled milking alpines in the past.

[Frosted Mini's]

Maybe for your situation, you should get full-size does and breed to a Nigerian buck for mini kids for sales. There is always a need for more mini breeders and new genetics being added. The mini-saanen and mini-alpine gene pools are very small, so especially if you are interested in those breeds, go for it! I will have mini alpine kids, and several alpine does in milk for sale, but I live in Idaho. However, there may be someone from my area going to Nationals next year (in Minnesota), and could maybe meet you in S. WY to bring it to you. Not sure, but I bet there probably will be.