Goats VS Cattle

[salt and pepper]

Interesting thread Salt and pepper.
I don't have any cattle or goats myself though, so I'm just looking lol

I don't have any yet either, but I would really like one of either, and I want to make a calculated decision, the bigger the animal, the bigger the responsibility!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

I don't have any yet either, but I would really like one of either, and I want to make a calculated decision, the bigger the animal, the bigger the responsibility!

Yeah, I know what you mean.

 

[muddyhorse]

Nubian s give a good high butterfat milk. Most average between a half gallon to two gallon. Most goats when they freshen (start giving milk after giving birth) are milked twice a day. That means you HAVE to be there. If not you run the risk of at best sore udders, worst mastitis.
Goats are better for a small area they eat less. how many people are drinking the milk ?

 

[salt and pepper]

A large family, plus some close friends. I also want to be able to make butter, cheese ect with the milk, and I want a mild tasting milk. I couldn't find any dexters in my area, only jerseys, and holstiens. are these good choices?

 

[res]

A large family, plus some close friends. I also want to be able to make butter, cheese ect with the milk, and I want a mild tasting milk. I couldn't find any dexters in my area, only jerseys, and holstiens. are these good choices?

Jersey's and Holsteins are going to be pretty big for an acre. You will spend a fortune in hay to feed them. They will also outproduce your needs... I'd keep looking for a mini of some dairy variety.

The Dexter website does have breeders listed by state: http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_directory_ads.html

Or, you can contact the director for your region, and they should be happy to help: http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_officers.html#rd

Dexters are a little-known treasure, and everyone involved with the breed is happy to help. I have dealt with lots of different people, both at the ADCA and at shows/sales. EVERYONE has been awesome, with the exception of one hoighty-toighty breeder in VA. Who basically said I wasn't qualified to own one of her animals. Ohhhh kayyy.

 

[salt and pepper]

Jersey's and Holsteins are going to be pretty big for an acre. You will spend a fortune in hay to feed them. They will also outproduce your needs... I'd keep looking for a mini of some dairy variety.

The Dexter website does have breeders listed by state: http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_directory_ads.html

Or, you can contact the director for your region, and they should be happy to help: http://www.dextercattle.org/adca/adca_officers.html#rd

Dexters are a little-known treasure, and everyone involved with the breed is happy to help. I have dealt with lots of different people, both at the ADCA and at shows/sales. EVERYONE has been awesome, with the exception of one hoighty-toighty breeder in VA. Who basically said I wasn't qualified to own one of her animals. Ohhhh kayyy.

Ok thank you =) I'll keep looking!

 

[farmchick897]

Keep in mind too that each year you have to rebred whatever you decide to have for milk. You have something like a Dexter how easy will it be to find a bull or AI? I can tell you that I thought it would be easy to AI my Jersey heifer. Plenty of farmers in this area but when the time came it was a royal pain to try and get anyone to commit. I ended up breeding her to my Black Angus bull. Might not be able to breed a Dexter to any bull due to difference in sizes? Something to consider..

 

[cafarmgirl]

Keep in mind too that each year you have to rebred whatever you decide to have for milk. You have something like a Dexter how easy will it be to find a bull or AI? I can tell you that I thought it would be easy to AI my Jersey heifer. Plenty of farmers in this area but when the time came it was a royal pain to try and get anyone to commit. I ended up breeding her to my Black Angus bull. Might not be able to breed a Dexter to any bull due to difference in sizes? Something to consider..

X2. It would probably be easier to keep a couple of diary goats and either keep your own buck or see if anyone near you has one and could breed your does for you. That's also going to mean taking care of kidding, bottle raising babies and selling them each year if you don't want to enlarge your own herd. Does will need to be milked twice a day. I know you (OP) had mentioned you didn't want this venture to take up a lot of time on a daily basis. Any animal you keep for milk is going to take a fair amount of time, every single day, twice a day, until milk dries up. Then it's time to rebreed and start the cycle all over again. It can be very labor intensive. You need to have knowledge of kidding and doe health during and after pregnancy and potential problems that need to be treated during that time as well as care of kids. Same thing if it's a cow except that they generally only have one calf at a time. Goats can give you two or three babies at a time to deal with!

 

[res]

Keep in mind too that each year you have to rebred whatever you decide to have for milk. You have something like a Dexter how easy will it be to find a bull or AI? I can tell you that I thought it would be easy to AI my Jersey heifer. Plenty of farmers in this area but when the time came it was a royal pain to try and get anyone to commit. I ended up breeding her to my Black Angus bull. Might not be able to breed a Dexter to any bull due to difference in sizes? Something to consider..

Dexter semen straws are pretty easy to get. I don't know what vet clinics are like in the area the OP lives, but where I have lived, you can take your cow in to be AI'd and it is extremely cheap. Or, if you can transport, many Dexter breeders/farms will offer you to bring the cow back to be re-bred (many times at no charge).

 

[salt and pepper]

I understand it's a major undertaking. I would like a breed that has ease of birth. It's very easy to find semen on line, so that's not a problem, the only thing with goats is that the one time I had their milk, I didn't like it.