What breed do you think these are?

[V-NH]

So, I have gotten a couple people's thoughts on this in another thread, but there wasn't any kind of a consensus so I wanted to seek others input. A couple of months ago I bought three female goats. They are now about a year old. I purchased them as alpine/nubian crosses, but I have some serious doubts that there is any nubian in them. I'm not sure exactly how much they weigh, but I know that I can lift them up to put them in the back of my truck without too much of a struggle. If I were to guess, I would think that one of them is about 60 pounds, another is 70-75 pounds and the third is more like 90 to 100. Other than input from all of you, is there any concrete way to find out what they are? I'm not trying to find out because it matters a whole lot to me, I am honestly just curious.

[mygoat]

If they ARE alpines, they are very small for their age. Mine are usually bred around 80-90lbs, and are around 7-8 months of age. The color, ears, and head type is consistent with non-nubian lines, but if the percentage is like 75% alpine/25% nubian, than I could also see that - I just don't think they're 50/50 crosses. I'd say they are higher percentage Alpines, other than that, you have no real idea what could be in the pedigree.

Another reason they could be small is if they are nigerian crosses; however, if the previous owner said full size dairy, then they are probably stunted due to mismanagement - most likely they did not receive coccidia prevention as youngsters. MOst animals are NOT clinically sick with diarrhea associated with coccidia - most cases of coccidia load result in moderate to severe stunting. Poor feeding/lack of deworming can also do the same.

[trnubian]

I don't see any Nubian. They all look like alpines to me.

[V-NH]

The person didn't really say that they were full sized dairy goats at any point in time. They told me that they were alpine/nubian crosses. I bought them from a cattle farmer that was just starting a small herd of dairy goats for personal use. They bought an entire season worth of kids from a medium sized goat farm for next to nothing and then raised them up and sold all the ones that they didn't want for a small profit. So, ultimately, I can't be sure that their understanding of the breeds involved is accurate. If it helps, the one in the middle picture next to my wife's leg is the largest of the three. My wife is only 5'2" so it is a fairly small goat.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Alpine/Nigerian Dwarf is my guess. I think they got confused because Nigerian and Nubian both start with N.

[Frosted Mini's]

Yeah, I think they are mixing up Nubian with Nigerian because a lot of people do that and like Alice said, both start with N...they are also both Africa places.

[V-NH]

I was kind of feeling the same thing, however... I just took a look at your website, Frosted Mini Goats, and I don't think my goats look anything like your mini alpines.

[Alice In TX/MO]

MiniAlpine (Alpine/Nigerian Dwarf Cross)

[wintrrwolf]

I do not see nubian. My first thought was alpine/nigerian and I have noticed some people get the name nubian nigerian mixed up.
All 3 are very pretty but I think the 3rd one is my favorite

[V-NH]

The third one is my favorite too. The other two are super friendly to the point where they come over and try to eat your clothes the moment you go near them. Unfortunately the third one doesn't really like people very much and runs away if you try to touch her. I'm hoping to socialize her more before she is at the point where she needs to be milked. I don't want to chase a runaway udder!

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I am going to move forward assuming that they are alpine/nigerian dwarf crosses.

[Alice In TX/MO]

The only important issue in figuring out what they are is the buck you choose for breeding purposes. Don't use a full size breed.

[TRAILRIDER]

I agree with Alice.

[V-NH]

So, are my options basically pygmy or nigerian dwarf? I have seen nigerian dwarfs for sale everywhere, but I have done a ton of searching and I can't find pygmy kids anywhere in New England - at least not at the moment.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Or any mini breed. Mini LaMancha, Mini Alpine, Mini Nubian.

[Cyngbaeld]

You might find a mini alpine somewhere.

[V-NH]

I think I am going to keep my eyes open for a pygmy in hopes of breeding their kids for meat.

So, another question. How much milk do you think I can expect from these girls later on? My family drinks about 3 gallons of milk a week at present and I am hoping to have some extra because my wife likes to make cheese and I want to experiment with soap.

[Frosted Mini's]

My mini alpines as ff's usually milk 1/2-3/4 gallon a day and second freshening+ around a gallon a day. I chose good milking lines for my parent stock (alpines and Nigerians), though, so ymmv, depending on their lineage, what you feed them, management,etc.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

I have to say, my mini nubians are pretty meaty little boogers, even at a couple months.

Almond Joy is 2 weeks younger than Peachy the Mini Saanen yet has much more muscle and outweighs her easily. Rudy my mini nubian buck was born mid-December and is already almost as big as my Nigerians and certainly outweighs them.

If you can't get a hold of a pygmy buck, I think a mini nubian would be my second choice for meat kids.

[Frosted Mini's]

I bet a kinder would be even better (Nubian/pygmy) for meaty babies than a mini Nub.

[V-NH]

I am going to see an 8 week old pygmy buckling tomorrow night. Thanks for the advice and information everyone! I will let you know what I decide.