Homesteading for Dingbats: DAIRY Animals - part 2

This is continued from Homesteading for Dingbats:

Dairy Animals - part 1

So you have decided, let us say, that you want to go with dairy goats

with your farm's milk producing animals.

You like, then, the low impacte goats make on the land

and appreciate the way they clean up undesirable plants and thorns.

You like the small, manageable size dairy goats come in, and you do

not feel the need to be flooded in milk.

Maybe you like the look of goats over the larger dairy cows.

You do not want to own a bull or have access to AI services,

and you either know you can keep a buck and wether companion

for him, or know someone with a quality buck you can breed

your does to.

You like the idea of the amazing cheeses goat's milk

can provide verses the heaps of butter you might

get without a cream separated and little effort from,

say, a Jersey cow.

Maybe you say the snazzy tie dyed shirt

my Saanen pal Jim K. proudly wears

that reads,

"No Goat, No Glory" is 100% true 

Maybe you picked up the book

Goat Song at Borders at wanted to hear

your own goats create a personal

ditty for you.

All in all, goats, you've decided are for your

homesteading milk needs!

Now:

The biggest obstacle in the beginning is deciding

which breed to go with.

This will prove a simple obstacle compared to

the care after your purchase.

Let me stop here and say that you do not need

to do is try to do this the cheap way.

Do not consider buying the foundations

of your herd from an auction

or breeder who has no idea what CAE,

CL and Coccidia is.

Do not start with unregistered animals.

I will explain why later.

Back to the breeds:

Average size, milk yield (MY) and  milk composition of dairy goat breeds.*
Breed	Height (in.)	Weight (lb)	MY (lb)	Fat (%)	Protein (%)
Alpine	30	135	1990	3.56	3.06
Am. La Mancha	28	130	1712	3.80	3.29
Nubian	30	135	1572	4.61	3.66
Saanen	30	135	2077	3.52	3.02
Toggenburg	26	120	1915	3.38	3.01
* 1989, 305 day DHI breed averages for milk yield and composition.

The above chart tells you about statistics on milk and butterfat production.

You see Nubians lead the pack in Butterfat and are behind in production,

 though the Nigerian Dwarf, not listed, has a higher % still.

The Saanens lead the way in production,

 but they have nearly the lowest

butterfat.

I have limited experience being around Toggenburgs, Oberhasli and Lamanchas.

What I know of them I will go over, but Saanens, Alpines, Nigerians and Nubians are

the breeds I know best.

First, Nubians. . . the most lovely of all the breeds,

in my opinion. They are the most popular, so consider that in a

sellers market, you might have a flooded area when it comes to

selling kids.

Because they come in so many colors, people have had a

tendency to breed for spots and flash, and this has hurt the

breed. People have overlooked conformation. They have a

tendency sometimes to fickle, weak constitutions. 

They are known for having great feet, something some other

breeds have serious issues with. They have, often, the most

palatable milk,according to many folks. The rich milk is great

for cheeses. They are a large bodied goat, and they make a

great dual purpose breed if you want to produce meat with

extra bucklings.

They are a breed for the snobs, which means buy

 Purebred because it is the one

 breed people poo-poo American status on (meaning

one relative way-way back in the paperwork wasn't a

Nubian).

They give less milk than most of the other breeds.

They are quirky and very loud. They are stubborn,

but they have the most personality, short of, perhaps,

the Nigerian Dwarf. They are possibly the most personal

and intelligent. This is what endures them to me. That

and they are eye candy! And that butter fat, no other

large breed comes close! 4-6 lbs a day is what I've

found to be typical of the does. Some do 8lbs.

Second, Saanens. The milk house of the dairy goat world.

They are hardy. I got into this breed because of the hardy nature

 I observed in them.

They come in only white (Sable is a spring off breed, and they

have color).  This leads some to speculate, and likely justly so,

that the hardy constitution is do to having nothing but milk and

 body to breed for. . . no being drawn away into spots and color

 breeding.

They are very laid back, a bit lazy, even. They are not very

vocal. They are very large. Some people are put off by the

huge size, but that is what I liked so much about them. They

are prone to bad feet.

You have two camp in Saanen breeders. Those that breed

for mega production and very long lacations, and then you have

 those that breed for conformation and do not get that super milker.

Somewhere in between is your best bet. You do want

a doe giving over 8 lbs a day if you are dealing with a Saanen, and

you do want sound conformation, which means decent

feet, strong and straight back and good legs. . .but mainly,

 make sure the udder is correct. American Saanens are desirable,

verses Purebred status being what  you're looking for in Nubians.

They are also used as a dual purpose breed.

Alpines come third. They are, by all accounts, a fairly aggressive

goat with other goats, esp. other breeds.

 They are hardy, perhaps the most hard of all. They forgive mistakes

made by beginners in their care at lot more so than, say, Nubians

 ever would. They are also not very vocal, as a rule. They come in

a variety of colors,  though not nearly as many as the Nubian

 or Nigerian.

They are a medium sized to large breed. They are not typically

 thought of as a dual purpose breed. They rank right behind

Saanens in production, but you have a smaller, easier to manage

goat for the trouble.

Some people report to me the milk can sometimes not be as

palatable, but then many people feel it is no different than

other milks. They are also a very popular breed. I've found

 a gallon a day is typical, or more, of the breed.

Nigerian Dwarfs are a hard goat to not love.

They are tiny and winsome!

They come in all the colors of the rainbow, and they are also

popular pets. This makes finding quality milking stock a bit tough.

 Be sure to not get caught up in blue eyes and pretty  colors when

you opt for this breed.

They can really produce if well bred with milky lines,

but they typically have short teats and are so low to the

ground, you might need to invest in milking machine to

avoid issues milking efficiently.

They are amazingly hardy. They usually kid, even as first

freshening does, with triplets and quads are common later on.

The excess bucklings sell easily as pets, so if you're not

 wanting to sell bucklings for meat, this is a plus, too.

They can give 1/4 a gallon a day, if well bred for milking, and

 they consume a lot less than the large breeds.

They are zany and very fun to watch, but they are can be a bit loud.

Oberhasli, Toggenburgs and Lamanchas are breeds I have not been around

as much, and I have not owned any of these breeds. From what I

know of friends who breed them, the Lamancha usually lands at the top

of lists, despite what someone breeds, as a great producer and with a

great temperament. They consistently are said

to be the most likable breed. The Obers are a nice choice for someone

looking for a Mid sized goat, though they are uncommon and quality

animals are hard to find. The Toggenburg is basically the same, though

less so, I believe, than the Oberhasli. Both Togs and Obers come in

only a single color for each breed. Lamanchas come in a fairly wide

variety of colors.

An increasingly popular option for those looking for a smaller breed,

but those wanting more milk and easier milkability than what is

offered in Nigerians, is a cross between a Nigerian buck and

a large breed doe.

The Miniature Nubian produces a higher butterfat giving

doe than the Purebred Nubian, and the cross creates

a hardier animals than the Purebred Nubian. It is hard

to sell the first and second generation kids because

they usually have helicopter ears, so be prepared

for that. This is what discouraged me from repeating

this breeding. If you're able to buy 3rd and up generation

kids or adults, then they are a nice, hardy cross.

They, like other crosses, if out of Purebred

parents, can be registered through the MDGA.

The Mini Nubian cross will not produce as well

as the other crossed, but again, you're getting

super high butterfat.

Anytime, I have found, you cross a Nigerian

with a large breed, you're going to get a

smaller, hardier animal. The problem really

exists only in whether or not the kids will sell

well because they do or do not look like

the miniature version of the large breed.

The Nubian presents the hardest challenge

in this regard.

Goats have a steep learning curve.

You must watch out for CAE, CL,

Goat Polio, Copper deficiencies,

Bloat, kidding problems,

Selenium deficiencies, coccidia,

conformational and udder problems,

mastitis and other issues.

With proper management, goats

are a fantastic joy to own.

The next blog in the Homesteading

for Dingbats series will focus

on choosing a doe or future herd,

what to look for and on management

once you've made your purchase.