Need some advice and info on milk goats!

[crazychickengirl]

Alright...all this milk goat talk is making me sooooo jealous! I have been trying to talk my hubby into getting a nubian and he absolutely thinks I won't have time to do milk her. Granted, I am busy, but I'm a SAHM with three kids (8,4,& 18 mos) and I home school the 8yr old. But, I'm home pretty much every day! I LOVE the idea of having the milk to make cheeses, soaps, and yogurt with, but he think I'll be too busy to do that too. UGH. I try to tell him that I can't make it unless I have the MILK (because he says I may not like making it once we get the goat), but I haven't found anyone to sell me some milk so I could try it.

Until the flu hit us this week, I was planning to go to a lady's house who breeds a mini-nubian. I think it's a Nigerian Dwarf crossed with a nubian. She says she's on the 4th generation and now the size is pretty consistent....bigger than a pygmy but smaller than a standard nubian. And it gives almost as much milk as a nubian. She was going to sell one that was 2nd generation (I think around 2 yrs old) bred for $100. We have 2 pygmys already so it would have some goat friends.

Anyways...here are my questions for all you milk goat people:

1. What is a good price to pay for a milker and what age should I look for?

2. How long does it typically take to milk a goat?

3. How long does it take to make cheese, soaps, yogurts, etc.

4. Any words of advice on how I can sweet-talk hubby into letting me get one?? LOL All I want for xmas is a nice, milk goat......

Any info, would be greatly appreciated!

 

[PotterWatch]

I don't have any experience with the actual milking and other things that go with it since we just got our goats and they won't kid until next month at the earliest. That price sounds pretty good though! We have mini-manchas and paid $450 for the pair already bred and a month of boarding before we were able to pick them up. Our girls are a mother/daughter pair. The mother is about 2 and this is her second kidding, the daughter is almost a year and should kid in about 4 months. Good luck with convincing your husband! It took me a little while, but luckily my husband didn't put up too much of a fight.

 

[MrsCountryChick]

Tempt him with all the delicious recipes.

My Hubby's pretty easy going most of the time. & we'd have a few Saanen Dairy Goats if it weren't for the season (need to do a goathouse, fence, etc). By the time I'd researched a few months it was fall & we'll prob build in the spring,

yea!!!

But I recently got a softbound recipe booklet just on Ice Cream. Yum.

Everyone talks of how wonderful Goatmilk fudge is from the farmer's market. & Ricotta from cows milk is great, fresh Goat's milk will be Wonderful. & everyone Raves here on Miss Prissy's yogurt recipe. I can't wait to try it myself!. They say it's better than store bought cuz it doesn't have that tangyness.

You could show him some info about them, here's where I've researched alot from:

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/

Here's their info & instructions for a milking stand used for both milking & hoof trimming, medicine care, etc. We plan on Building one for use this spring.

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/milkstand.html

MissPrissy (BYC ....(Queen Expert of Goats nearly).....both in care of them & recipe making, recommended to read the book: "Story's guide to raising dairy goats." It can be found at Tractor Supply for less than $20.00

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp...0551_10001_111008_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1

Good Luck with Hubby (they can be so pessimistic, grouchy & hard to to convince.

You could also get the book, read it yourself so you can be knowledgeable on all the topics of goats in the book.... then leave the book in the bathroom..... Hubby will eventually be bored enough to open it.

 

[helmstead]

I hate to say it...but you sound too busy!

Milking is a very schedule-dependent thing. You cannot simply be a couple hours late now and then...you cannot skip a milking.

If you have the time, AM and PM, to do it...then it's well worth it. Takes me about 5 mins per goat *actually milking* and not much longer for cleanup/etc.

Prices vary so greatly...but that sounds like a good deal to me.

Really - I don't want to sound rude...but this is a serious undertaking. When you leave town, you have to hire someone to do it for you twice a day. Sick? Sorry! Cold? Sorry! Hot? Sorry! If you don't keep up with it pretty strictly, your doe will dry up or worse, develop mastitis.

 

[Chatychick]

Yep I agree with Kate as I have 2 in milk right now and it dont matter if its raining or snowing...I have gone out to milk when I am sick and You have to make the time....
If you cant amke the time then its not worth it...after they have been in milk for a while you can slowly switch to once a day milking as I am doing now. But when first fresh it 2x a day...I al slowly drying my does up as they are due the end of Feb. Good luck with your decision.

 

[sdshoars]

if you are busy, you can do what i plan on doing, and its the same way the fiasco farm lady does it, so i figure its pretty good! she gets by only milking once a day, in the mornings. she locks the kids up at night (after two weeks constantly with mom) and milks the mom out in the morning (not completely tho) and then lets the kids out with her during the day, so they essentially take care of the evening milking for you. as long as you have the kids you can do this. and if you have to go out of town or get sick, just leave the kids out with mom 24/7 and they will milk for you, just make sure you feed like normal. i suggest you read the whole thing at the fiasco farm website! and good luck!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

I read about that and I'm thinking of trying it in the spring...nubians do make a good amount of milk so i think you'd still get enough in 1x per day to make a little something yummy!

Not to brag, but I'm getting another show quality doe tomorrow! Yea! I'm way too excited!

 

[freemotion]

Oooo-oooo-ooooo! I am considering breeding my two mini-crosses soon, planned on calling the buck owner tonight! Glad for this discussion. I was worried mostly about the milking schedule, and heard that you could leave the kids on part time.....and it also solves the occasional travelling I have to do, by simple leaving the kids on full time. Until weaned, of course.

How long can I expect a goat to be productive after freshening, and can you make butter from goats' milk? I thought you couldn't, but I read on another post about skimming cream.

We had goats for milk and meat when I was a kid (pun intended) but I was not involved in decision making and don't remember details. Dad doesn't remember, either. He thought the milk was naturally homogenized, so no butter-making.

 

[amysue2012]

LOL Just get one tell him it would be a great 4H project for your 8yr old. Drop the hole milking thing just make sure the one you get is already breed and dont tell him....then the bigger she gets just keep hinting that shes growing and your wondering if a buck didnt get in with her before you bought her.

Kinda sneaky but may work.

We got 2 Sonans this spring and payed 50 each from a guy I work with who breeds registered ones.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

butter? i haven't done it, but here you go...
http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/info/butter.shtml

oh and that sounds like a good price to me...