Got my goat!

[abbygibson1212]

I've been searching high and low for a saanen/ saanen cross, and I found! My friend called me a couple hours ago and I just got back from picking her out

The people I got her from had a lot of goats, all kinds of dairy goats, and they put a Boer billy and a Nubian billy in with them, so I'm not sure if my baby is half saanen and half boer or half saanen and half Nubian. Anyone have any guesses?

Btw she's staying with my Amish friend and lives with his adult and baby goat, until I get moved out to the land I own, and then I plan on getting another goat to keep her company.

She looks like a saanen and is mostly white with a bit of a peachy color on the back of her neck and side.


I'm also open to name suggestions! I was thinking Millie but I'm not sure. Thanks!

 

[Abox]

She looks Saanen except for the ears and coat seem both long. I have Saanan buck and a Alpine mix doe and her twins look like Saanan. We have both full blood and half Saanan that we sell in the North west corner of AR. I love them they are quiet and gentle.

 

[abbygibson1212]

@Abox Her mom is saanen and her dad is eithe by nubian or boer, I'm trying to figure out which one

 

[H Diamond]

I've been searching high and low for a saanen/ saanen cross, and I found! My friend called me a couple hours ago and I just got back from picking her out

The people I got her from had a lot of goats, all kinds of dairy goats, and they put a Boer billy and a Nubian billy in with them, so I'm not sure if my baby is half saanen and half boer or half saanen and half Nubian. Anyone have any guesses?

Btw she's staying with my Amish friend and lives with his adult and baby goat, until I get moved out to the land I own, and then I plan on getting another goat to keep her company.

She looks like a saanen and is mostly white with a bit of a peachy color on the back of her neck and side.


I'm also open to name suggestions! I was thinking Millie but I'm not sure. Thanks!

If I had to guess, I'd say Boer. That's only because she looks a little stocky for a Nubian cross. Also you have a higher chance of color from a Nubian than the Boer. But. .. That's just a semi educated guess, it's still 50/50, lol. I love the name Millie!
Also, I'm so happy to read you plan to get her a friend! Many folks don't understand that need, so good job! I'm sure you are going to be a great goat owner.

Eta.... Also the location of the color and the shade of the color she has on her are very Boer like.

 

[abbygibson1212]

@H Diamond I was thinking boer too because of the color and her airplane ears. Do you think she'll make a good milk goat if she's half boer?

 

[H Diamond]

That is hard to say. She may have smaller teats and poorer attachments. That being said, there is no guarantee the Nubian they were running would throw any better udder. Did you check her teats? Does she just have 2 clean ones? (Meaning no splits in them) Boers are notorious for having extra teats. Does with extras can be hard to milk. The Boer would add some butterfat to the Saanen milk... so would the Nubian. I think the answer to your question comes down to quality of the udder, and other than extra teats, you won't know until she freshens. For all practical purposes, she should make a fine back yard milker.

 

[abbygibson1212]

@H Diamond Hm I didn't think to check her teats, but when I picked her up I could see them so I know that they're not terribly small. I'll try to get a good look at them next time I'm out there! This is my first goat, I still don't know a lot about them lol I've never even drank goats milk! Just gonna hope I like it and if not I'll be makin a lot of cheese and soap. Do you have any other info that would be useful? Like when to halter break her, best things to feed her, best age to be bred for the first time, etc.?

 

[H Diamond]

If no one else answers before I can, I'll reply when I can get on my computer. It's easier than on my phone, lol.

 

[abbygibson1212]

@H Diamond Okay!

 

[H Diamond]

@H Diamond Hm I didn't think to check her teats, but when I picked her up I could see them so I know that they're not terribly small. I'll try to get a good look at them next time I'm out there! This is my first goat, I still don't know a lot about them lol I've never even drank goats milk! Just gonna hope I like it and if not I'll be makin a lot of cheese and soap. Do you have any other info that would be useful? Like when to halter break her, best things to feed her, best age to be bred for the first time, etc.?

Ok, let's talk about goats! Lol.
Goat's Milk: It's delicious! My hubby who is only a skim milk from the store drinker is even coming around to it. It makes the best homemade ice cream! If you make a simple chevre,it is amazing in lasagna and burritos. It also makes very good mozzarella. Both the chevre and mozz are really simple to make once you have a recipe and the ingredients. The one bad thing about goat milk is that you don't get the cream on top like cow milk, so if you want butter you either need to collect it for awhile or get a cream separator.
A misconception about soap... it really doesn't use up much milk, lol. It's still fun to do, and by all means, I won't stop you, lol. ( I have a soap making business, so I'm all about folks making soap)

Halter Breaking: I don't do it, so can't speak to that. My goats wear plastic chain link collars, and that works for me. I start working with my kids pretty young. I let my doe kids jump up on the milk stand and nibble grain as soon as they want to. (I've got some 3 week olds doing it right now)

Breeding: We don't breed by age, we breed by size. Generally for a full sized dairy we go by 80lbs. For all practical purposes, that generally falls in the 8month old range. I like to get my does bigger than that, but that's kind of the minimum.

Feed: The best thing you can feed a dairy doe is high quality alfalfa. That being said, feed is going to be dependent on what is available to you. She needs a balanced diet, a proper calcium: phosphorous ratio, around a 16% protein level for the total diet, lots of good roughage, fresh clean water, and a good GOAT (not sheep) mineral (I use a cattle one currently, formulated for my area and high in copper). I hesitate to tell you what to feed, because again, it is largely dependent on what you have available and what kind of browse she will have if any. Generally speaking if you can supply free choice good quality alfalfa, and good mineral, fresh water and grower pellets (free choice) now and a decent dairy ration on the stand when she freshens (working up to the stand ration a few weeks before), she should be in good shape.

Some other tips... Keep a few goat meds on hand. Some penicillin and biomycin are good for antibiotics to have on hand. Some banamine is also nice. I keep selenium on hand (because I'm deficient, check your area to see if you are) in the form of Bo-Se, it's an RX injectable. I also keep Vit B complex, activated charcoal, epinephrine, dexamethasone, a variety of wormers, baycox (for cocci prevention), CD&T, CMPK, a bag of normal saline for IV fluid if needed, Lutalyse, and I don't know what all else, lol. A lot of people keep that goat nutri drench on hand... I don't know why, lol. It tastes terrible, burns your throat (it has propylene glycol in it), and doesn't really do a whole lot. Keeping a little molasses and karo syrup on hand will also serve you well. One veyr important thing to keep on hand when you start breeding is a feeding tube!
Umm... hoof trimmers are a necessity. Goodness, I don't know what all else, lol. remember, I've been accumulating the above stuff for years (obviously some of the meds I have to keep a revolving supply) Goats don't get sick on a Tuesday afternoon, they get sick on a Saturday night when you can't get anything from a vet

Is there anything you have specific questions about?