If you had 20 acres....

[Haviris]

Both, and I have both, a jersey cow, nigerians and a nubian. The goats are dry right now, so it's up to the cow. I don't drink milk, but the rest of the family does, I'm also raising a calf and still have one goat on a bottle, so plenty of uses for the milk!

 

[LAMchop]

Cow. 20 acres? Many cows! I love my girls (little Jerseys). One look into those big doe eyes and your heart will melt.

 

[jspdesign]

See, I also think that with 20 acres, if you have a smaller, more manageable animal, you have enough room to grow your own hay exclusively. With my 10 acres, 2 ponies and small horse, and two non-productive goats (they'll be changed up for meat/milk crosses when their natural life span is done....how long do pygmy goats live?!

) I'm able to produce enough hay to 'almost' make it through the year without buying any hay. I also do not have my own hay equipment and so share 1/2 to a little over half with the neighbor who hays it off for me. This also keeps me from over grazing and damaging my pastures.

Things I think about when it comes to my farm stock:

Can I manage it myself, if I don't have ready help available?

What will I do by myself in an emergency? Am I strong enough to strong arm an animal in to a chute/medicate etc.?

How long does it live?

How much does it eat?

Can I "make" it's food myself?

Will it damage the pastures beyond recovery for next season's grazing?/How big are my pastures and how big do they NEED to be?

What kind of fencing will it require and can I afford to fence that size area?

Just my thoughts that I'm throwing out there. Don't mean to sway you or anyone any direction of course, it's only my own personal thoughts.

Jamie

I really like cows! lol I just don't think I can manage to capture and medicate one if necessary all by my lonesome and that's how my days are spent while little kiddies and hubby are away.

 

[Haviris]

Just a note, as far as handling, my cow knows her name, and comes when called, she's halter broke and leads very easily. At milking time she's there waiting, I open the gate and she runs to the milking area, we snap her lead on and she eats while we milk, when the food is gone she stands til we're done and we lead her back to her pasture. I think it's more of a training issue then a size issue. I can't imagine anyone not being able to handle her. I got her as an adult, but jersey calves are quite small!

The goats are probably just as well trained, but they are smaller and more agile, you're more likely to have kids trying to climb or jump on you, and they are always fighting over who gets to go first. I don't prefer one over the other, but I consider the cow much less trouble (maybe it's a number thing, only one cow) when it comes to milking.

 

[Tradeshows]

I'd get a goat less weeds!!!!!!('

',

 

[Why and Dotte]

I'd go goat,
we have 40 acres here and it's all horse, I used to have goats she started to dry up and I didn't want to take on anymore kiddos, easy to milk and sweet as can be. I couldn't taste any difference between store bought and goat, I'm buying raw cows milk now and for some reason it's making everyone have stomach cramps unless it's cooked, it's only our first gallon though.

 

[way2gomom]

Goats for me

My mom has 2 goats that just kidded, so we'll be back to making goat ice cream, cheese and soap again! Plus, my son doesn't tolerate cow's milk or soy milk proteins, and goat milk is the closest in composition to human milk, which makes it very good for those with sensitive stomachs.

 

[patnjess]

Cow, we go through almost 2 gals a day.

 

[patandchickens]

If you don't need milk year-round, another option is sheep. That's the way I went

The deciding factor for me, between goats and sheep, was mainly that I think goat kids are THE cutest thing in the world (cuter than human kids

) and I would have a really, really hard time either eating them or sending them to slaughter, if pet homes did not materialize. Whereas lambs I am not so attached to. Do remember that in order to get milk, there has to be babies produced, so know what you're going to do with 'em.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Goats are very messy and they stink alot more than cows do.
The billy goats man alive do they stink!!

Trust me I've had tons of them and boy do they smell bad! You can smell'em a mile away.

Cows are alot nicer to have then goats in u wonna start a dairy.