MiniNubians

[protodon]

I've been wanting to get a dairy goat for quite some time. At first I saw these MiniNubians and thought they would be a great fit but then I realized the ywere few and far between. So I decided to look for purebred Nubians.Well where I live, in chester county,PA they are also few and far between.

I did some more research and found a few places a couple hours away in various directions that breed MiniNubians. I'd like to know if anyone here has any or has any experience with them?

I currently have about an acre of land and no shelter for them. What size shelter would be good for 2 to 6 MiniNubains (I'm planning for some growth) I was thinking of using a large garden shed starting at 10 x 12 or larger. But sheds are so expensive! I'd love to have a small barn built. There are plenty of amish around here but their shed prices are much higher than lowes or someplace like that. I can't imagine how much they'd charge for a barn.

I'd also like ot know how much "food" one lactating MiniNubian might need on a daily basis. And by food I was thinking goat feed, alfalfa hay and pasture but am I missing something else?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I've been researching the topic of Dairy Goats for quite some time. I'd be ready to milk a goat tomorrow if I had shelter and a freshened doe!

And also I had a question about inbreeding. It seems as though some people have a "closed" especially with these new minibreeds. I always thought linebreeding or inbreeding was bad. But what are the limits here? How closely related are okay?

And finally, does anyone know for a proven fact that bucks make goat milk taste goaty. Have you actually tasted it? Because as I do more research and have difficulty finding goats anywhere near me. I start to think that I may need to keep a few bucks if I want milk. Which means more food and separate shelter. But is the separate shelter really necessary??

 

[ninny]

Quote:
DO NOT get a buck!! One you just don't have the room and two yes it will make the milk taste off. If you do get one be prepared. He will get out and cause chaos, and use you as a play toy if you don't show him whose boss. You will be wasting money on him as he is only earning his feed a tiny part of the year.


Your best bet is getting a pregent doe and using AI instead of the buck. I would get bottle babyies that way i can raise them up the way i want.

 

[helmstead]

I would say a 10 x 12 barn would be small for that many...but I can't remember off the top of my head what the indoor space is per goat.

Hmm...mini Nubian, in milk...probably a quart twice a day (pellets plus alfalfa pellets).

I avoid inbreeding (or linebreeding) at all costs. Just a personal preference.

If you are isolated, you will need your own buck. You'll get a lot of advice to the contrary...but trust me they're not the stinking people eating/mounting monsters people make them out to be! In my experience, the bucky milk thing is false. Even when I'm rebreeding my milkers...the milk doesn't get weird.

 

[griffin45]

We have 4 bucks on 5 acres plus 3 rams... You can have a nice set up on 1 acre. Just build for what you have ans then add on as you go. I will have to find some pictures on how to build up for goats when you can't build out.

Chris

 

[Chirpy]

I'm sure that different bucks can smell better or worse than others. I brought an Alpine buck to my barn for a month to breed to one of my does who has silent heats. We had to quit drinking the milk because it was so goaty while he was here.

When I sent another doe to the buck to be bred her milk also tasted off for about two days after she came back.

Now, if you have a buck on your place but he is kept a good distance away from the does (in a separate building/pen) then you shouldn't have any problems with the milk flavor.

I am also against inbreeding/line breeding. I think it takes a huge knowledge of genetics to go that direction and do it properly and well.

 

[cowman910]

a 10x12 shelter will be okay for a few goats i warm weather but if you live in an enviroment with cold nights and harsh winters than youy are going to need enough room for the goats to cuddle but also have alot of room to breathe.
a lactating doe would probably eat anout 3-4 pounds of grain and about 2 flakes of hay daily
a buck would be fine with your does if he is well manered. the milk should only go sour if the doe is in heat. but by this time their milking period is almost over. you dont need to worry about babies popping out all threw the year because the doe will only go in heat when the days get shorter, temperature drops and a bucks scent is near.

 

[Chirpy]

the milk should only go sour if the doe is in heat. but by this time their milking period is almost over. you dont need to worry about babies popping out all threw the year because the doe will only go in heat when the days get shorter, temperature drops and a bucks scent is near.

Although I've only had goats for a year some of this doesn't seem to be correct; at least in what I've learned with my milk does. I agree that the milk breeds will go into heat generally from August to January although their last heat is often in December. However, they will go into heat without a buck in the same county. It's just often easier to tell that they are in heat when a buck is in the next pen.​

 

[protodon]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I considered AI but I already know I won't be finding MiniNubian semen anywhere anytime soon. I guess if I really wanted to go that route I would only be able to use nigerian semen as purebred nubian semen would be out of the question.

I don't plan on cramming 6 goats in a 10 x 12 shed but I figured I would start with 2 goats and they MAY fit in there but then I have to account for kidding and partitioning and privacy.
From what I read the upper limit for space per dairy goat is 25 sq ft. 25 x 6 and that's 150 sq ft which is only about a 10 x 15 sized shelter which still seems small to me. What I need is a nice big barn to keep all the poultry, goats, etc in. Maybe one day.

 

[helmstead]

Quote:

Don't we all!?

 

[ninny]

Where did you find these mininubains do they have a website?