Dairy Goats

HatfieldMcCoy · #1 01/27/15, 04:45 PM

I'm wanting to get a couple of dairy goats for my farm this year. I'm thinking about Alpine's and was looking for any information about this breed and about their milk!

Alice In TX/MO · #2 01/27/15, 04:58 PM

LOVE Alpines!! All dairy goats are wonderful.

I've had Alpines, Saanens, LaManchas, crosses, and etc.

Saanens are big producers. LaManchas are gentle. Alpines are headstrong. Crosses are pot luck on production and temperament.

**mygoat** · #3 01/27/15, 08:16 PM

Another alpine lover here.

Honestly, you'll get generalizations about personality for all the breeds... I agree with most of them, but at the end of the day, there is tons of variability between individual personalities it's moot - keep the ones you get along with and like looking at, and get rid of the ones you don't, not matter the breed.

I love the classic alpine colors, I think they're gorgeous. Alpines are usually so statuesque, and dairy - love those flat rumps - I just think it's such an impressive and graceful breed. And more likely to be bred for conformation/production IME, than spots and blue eyes and flashy colors... Which, believe it or not, do nothing for milk production or conformation.

I also find it pretty easy to find genetics I need to improve my herd, which is a consideration with the rarer breeds especially if your'e not willing to put in a ton of effort.

They are on average the 2nd highest in production and 'rather low' milk fat content, with Saanens being the highest producers right above Alpines. I couldn't taste a bit of difference between alpine and nubian milk for mouth feel and flavor, plus I really don't need a super high fat milk especially considering how much I drink... :P

HatfieldMcCoy · #4 01/27/15, 09:03 PM

I just looked up Saanen's and they sound better than the Alpine's, with higher milk fat and from what Ive read they are gentle and do well in cold climates.

Frosted Mini's · #5 01/27/15, 10:54 PM

How about a nice saanen/alpine cross? I will have some born about the end of this week, hint hint. LOL. You're too far, but nice thought, eh. My alpines do just fine in my cold winters, not as well in the 100 degree summers, same as my friend's saanens. Butterfat is pretty similar, production is pretty similar. Really, they are about the same. Just alpines come in all kinds of colors and saanens are white.

HatfieldMcCoy · #6 01/28/15, 12:10 AM

If you were closer I would have bought one or two off of you lol I guess it depends on which breed I can find local as to which breed I will get to raise. They both sound like they would be great animals to raise and both has about the same milk.

motdaugrnds · #7 01/28/15, 12:32 AM

The best tasting goat milk I've ever tasted was from a Toggenburg. With that being said, I've had Alpines, Toggs and Nubians because I bought one of each to start goat herding with. All 3 were pure bred and this is what I learned from those:

The Alpine was a great milker (little over a gallon daily). She was the one who would talk to all other goats while I was trimming hooves; and if they didn't stand still for me, she would butt them.

Toggenburg: She gave two...yes 2...gallons of milk daily. She is the one who literally got between me and an oncoming dog ready to butt that dog if it got closer.

Nubian: This was my favorite simply because she was a "character". She would yell loudly if I didn't attend to her needs right away. She is also the one who butted my own "large" dog 3 times because it was playing with me and I had fallen down. And when I was training another dog to guard and that dog started growling, she ran over to check out the situation. She, too, was a heavy milker.

I've been raising strictly large Nubians since 1998; however, since I process some goat for the freezer, I'm getting a "Boer" buck when this Nubian buck gets too old to do his job well.

sammyd · #8 01/28/15, 02:00 AM

I love Alpines. Have had everything but Toggs. Do not care for Nubians and their constant bleating.
Currently have 2 each Alpines and Saanens.

creeklady2000 · #9 01/28/15, 05:56 AM

I love my alpines they are my breed of choice I have 7 does and a buck , and I just got a tog buckling last year to cross with daughters as I love them as well, for me personally they have the best tasting milk I have tried , but it is all personal preference ,my milkers will give me around a gallon a day and that is plenty for our needs and then some,

marusempai · #10 01/28/15, 08:15 AM

I love Alpines and think they are the most beautiful goat. But you're right, what is available locally to you makes a big difference - the closest Alpine herd is three hours from me, so I will be going with my second favorites (Nubians) unless something surprising happens. I have a couple Saanens too - I highly recommend them as starter goats, as they are very laid back and easy to handle. Also a little boring. But definitely easier to learn things like hoof trimming on than drama queen Nubians.

Pony · #11 01/28/15, 12:01 PM

If I had to choose between Alpine and Saanen, I'd go with the Saanen. Pretty mellow, good producers.

I've not raised Alpines, only had the experience of visiting with them. We (Alpines and I) just don't click.

THinking about breeding one or two of my Nubians to a Saanen buck next season, because I like Snubians a lot - just not as much as I love my Nubians.

Frosted Mini's · #12 01/28/15, 01:16 PM

My alpines give 3/4-1+ gallons a day as yearlings and 1.5+ in their next lactation.

lovinglife · #13 01/28/15, 01:26 PM

I have never had Alpines, though I have seen some that made me wish I did! I now have Nubians, yes they can be loud but darn those big ears and they are characters, yes I love my Nubians. But I also have Guernsey's and they are such a joy to be around. So sweet and calm, quiet and beautiful. You should try to hang out with different breeds if you can, they do really have different personalities.

JoannaCW · #14 01/28/15, 02:53 PM

Intrigued by all the comments about Saanens being laid-back. I've only had a small number of goats, but my Saanens have been much more aggressive with each other than my Alpines. (I only had one doe who was aggressive towared people; she was a Saanen too...) I also like the Alpines aesthetically... When I started I knew I wanted Alpines or Saanens because of their high productivity and because I'd heard they coped better with long cold winters than Nubians.

Pony · #15 01/28/15, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoannaCW

Intrigued by all the comments about Saanens being laid-back. I've only had a small number of goats, but my Saanens have been much more aggressive with each other than my Alpines. (I only had one doe who was aggressive towared people; she was a Saanen too...) I also like the Alpines aesthetically... When I started I knew I wanted Alpines or Saanens because of their high productivity and because I'd heard they coped better with long cold winters than Nubians.

I don't have extensive experience with any breed except Nubians. I've had Snubians and Saanen, as I said. Never really had any aggression issues between goats.

The sheep, OTOH....

Frosted Mini's · #16 01/28/15, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoannaCW

Intrigued by all the comments about Saanens being laid-back. I've only had a small number of goats, but my Saanens have been much more aggressive with each other than my Alpines. (I only had one doe who was aggressive towared people; she was a Saanen too...) I also like the Alpines aesthetically... When I started I knew I wanted Alpines or Saanens because of their high productivity and because I'd heard they coped better with long cold winters than Nubians.

Thank you for saying this. My friend's saanens are the same way, fight like crazy. Not mean to people, but hers are not used to seeing anybody but her and get flighty. I had the hardest time catching them the one time I tried to milk for her while she was away.

I think any breed can have a range of personalities.