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The one thing I didn't know, and wish I had was that they have to be TAME when you get them. You will not tame an older goat to milk for you if she was never handled. It is just too difficult and not worth the effort. If the original breeder was too lazy to bottlefeed and handle it as a young kid then it is meat not a dairy goat no matter what breed.
Another few things--
Mutt goats are just fine for most things. A mixed breed dairy will milk just as good (sometimes better) than a champion. The price of champion lines is not always indicative of a good milking goat. Papers mean little if your only goal is to have a pet/milker. Papers do help to make future sales if that is your goal. Low quality mutt goats taste just the same as championship boer, although sizes will vary in lower quality goats.
And my own opinion-- personality is worth more than any body quality, any bloodline, anything. If a goat has a good personality, is friendly, easy to handle, then you can easily overlook a lot of faults.
I made the mistake of spending big money for "championship" goats one time. They were never handled, and not friendly. Those papers that I spent so much for didn't mean squat when I was getting stomped by a bunch of wild animals that belonged at slaughter. And that is where they went. Championships and bloodlines mean nothing if you cannot use the goat for its intended purpose. I would rather have an ugly, good milking mutt rather than any papered, champion anything.
As for sheep..........
I haven't owned many. But I would suggest you get hair sheep as opposed to wool sheep if possible. Their value is much higher in resale.
On the same note as before.... Any sheep that fulfills its purpose for you is better than a champion that can't fulfill its purpose.
