how much does a milk goat cost?

Interesting about the weaning. Maybe I misunderstood what she meant - perhaps the kids still get to nurse but they also milk the goats for their sheep that need bottle fed? I don't know, but it sounds like I need to get out there and get more info.

And TWO GALLONS??!! That's a LOT of chevre!

Some people really do wean that early, especially if they need the milk for something else. They won't grow nearly as well weaned that early, and it's not healthy for them as their rumen isn't fully developed yet.

I have paid as little as $35 to as high as $125 for a does in milk. I only have one from a breeder she was $85 and not milking or bred. The rest I have gotten from sales. I have seen little difference in quality to be honest from the pricer does to the cheaper ones. But every one is different and every owner has their thoughts on where to buy does.

PS I have Nubians, a Toggie, and LaManchas and the LaManchas are my favorite for milk!

Quote:
All too true. We see people weaning calves WAY to early at times also. Then they wonder why our calves fair so much better and are so much bigger at 6 months. Go figure!

CSAcitizen said:

I've had goats for 58 years or more, and I have never had a smelly Buck. I raise my Bucks from babies,, so they know how to be handled without bucking or resistance. They lead well on leash. I've had pretty smart ones and most of them were gentle, but not one was smelly. The part I hate the most is when I have to debud them at 4-5 days old, but it must be done if I don't want goats caught in fencing, and then destroying the fencing to get them out, and or them knocking out an eye - another goat's or mine or my kids. plus horns do not fit well going into or out of the milking stand. So I do not allow horns on my goats. But it must be done when they are 4 or 5 days old because once an adult, it is really too traumatic for them to have them sawed off. A goat can die from shock from trauma like that.. But it only takes 15 seconds when they are babies of 4 or 5 days old. It must be done on those days because the horn bud grows fast and adheres into the skull bone by 6-7 days so you do not want to wait that long to debud them with the goat iron. Not a calf iron but a GOAT iron -that is very important and do to let a Vet do it - Vets know little to nothing about goats. Every time I ever let a vet do de-budding or de-horning - they have almost always killed the goat - they use the wrong iron and they hold it on until they fry the baby goats brain and they over sedate the adult goat when goats do not take drugs well at all. So I do everything myself. ! They are not just a goat to me - they are also my pets ! They hold it on too long - it only needs 8 to 10 SECONDS. I do all my own goats and I've never had a problem to a shock to the baby goat. But a Vet kills them every time ! And Vets do not like to be told they are doing something wrong ! They do not take correction at all. I stay away from Vets just like I stay away from doctors !. . And the shock of it is too much for them to be done too close to the trauma of kidding (birth) so you need to wait to the 4th day so they are out of that shock before you give them another one. And they will scream but it is not really hurting them that much. If I do not get to do the de-budding then I will not de-horn the goat at all because as an adult it it too traumatizing to them to be de-horned. I wont' do that to them. Goats are very smart and very sensitive - most people do not know that - they are as smart or smarter then the smartest dog ! The goats obey faster and better then dogs or kids do ! And did you know they hold to their affection for their mothers for life - I saw that myself . When my adult goats got really scared , they'd run to their own mothers they have not gone near in years ! They would leave their own kids behind and run to their own mothers for safety and then the kids would follow them (their mothers). Goats are very family oriented so when you separate the kids from the moms, it's really painful for them. Goats are very loyal.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately the last person to post on this thread was on 12/12/2008. Probably all over the original participants in the thread have moved on.

Some veterinarians do know how to disbud. But they need actual experience with goats. I do my own kids, because as soon as they're done they're back with their dam. I give my kids banamine 30 minutes to an hour before actually disbudding them. It helps control the pain and inflammation after the act so they bounce back quicker. It still hurts them quite a bit, because they are getting a hot iron applied to their little heads.