Questions about goats...

[CrimsonRose]

Ok I really want a milking goat but don't have a lot of extra cash to purchase one... The only ones I've found around where I live want a minimum of 150 for one and that's not even purebred! I can't justify paying 150 for a mutt... LOL

Not far from where we live they have a swap days thing about 2-3 times a year but that doesn't start back up until April... Last year they had a few nice goats really cheap! I found several does already milking for $40 bucks! But Hubby didn't want me to get one... So I've been saving up on my own... LOL so now he doesn't have a say...

I was going to wait until swap days but I'm just so stinking impatient... I want goats NOW... LOL

We do seem to have an abundance of cheap pygmy goats and boar around where I live... (or within a reasonable driving distance)

So here is what I would like to know... Has anyone ever milked a pygmy goat??? I've spent weeks online looking up info and a few sites said yes other said no... I understand that I will not be able to get as much milk from one as I could an actual milking goat...

But from what I've found they are easier to care for and eat less food... (which is a plus) I already have a small shelter almost finished for a few goats I just need to fence it in...

I was wanting to pick up a few pygmy goats now and then possibly get a few saanens or nubians in the spring or fall... when swap days is back in town...

My 6 year old really wants a milking goat too and already does a great job of helping me with the other animals... So I was thinking it would be easier to teach her how to milk a smaller goat as well... (since she has small hands... I remember milking a cow when I was little and had to use 2 hands to milk one teat... LMBO)

I found a listing on craigslist that is about an hour and a half drive for some pygmy does that are already pregnant...
http://columbus.craigslist.org/grd/955426044.html

So would it be worth it to get a pygmy for milk? or would I be waisting my money and time?

 

[Teach97]

I think you would be wasting your time...if you really want a goat for milking get a nubian or swiss or something bred for that...there is a reason they don't use longhorns in the dairy business...too much work. The reason the milkers eat more...they milk more...plus have you ever tried to get under one of those pygmies! They are kinda low to the ground...you will need a very small bucket!

Don't even think about the boers...great for meat not so great at the milking and not really the correct temperment for letting someone tugging aroundon their private personal parts.

 

[jvls1942]

I have never been a fan of pygmy goats.. I had lots of saanans and a few alpines.. You can't go wrong with a Nubian,, If I ever had goats again, i would go Nubian.. watch craigslist or even advertise for one

don't get stuck with one of those fainting goats.. the novelty grows thin real fast..

make sure the goat has two good teats.. and try to get one that is about 2 to 4 years old..

If the people say she is milking, ask to be present to see how they milk her and how well she stands.
and how much she gives..

I had one who could stand on her front legs and run her two hind feet in the air..

make a milking stand for yourself..
remember, you will be milking her about 5oo times a year..

 

[helmstead]

Yes, I've milked Pygmy goats. I daily milk Nigerians, too.

The ONLY reason I'd milk a Pygmy on purpose would be to prevent mastitis (which is, as a matter of a fact, the only reason I've done it). They have small teats (imagine the last bone of your pinky finger) and produce about 1 cup per milking, twice a day if you're lucky.

If you want small...go for a Nigerian who is MILKING bred (not petting zoo type). You can expect 4 lbs a day from a good milking Nigerian.

 

[CrimsonRose]

Thanks for the info... That's what I kinda figured... But I found a site that said she milked her pygmy's and she went on and on about it's such great milk... oh well I guess I'll just have to wait until spring...

I've looked for goats for a few months now... Trying to get a deal... Local people want a small fortune for mutt goats (so I have no clue what quality I would get) I even had one person try to pass a boar goat off to me as a milking goat...

and I can't justify a 3 hour road trip (6 hour round trip) with 3 screaming kiddos in the backseat to buy a good milking goat right now... LMBO

Oh well I guess this will give me time to build even more pins so I can buy a big heard in spring...

I never thought about the bucket... I was planning on building a tall milk stand though...

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I can imagine, that if you don't want to milk or don't have the time to milk as OFTEN as you need with a nubian, a mutt that is a nubian cross would be perfect. There is a farm by us that sells Nubian/Boer crosses for $75 a kid and $100 a milking doe.

 

[Chirpy]

I would agree with the above posters that you don't want to milk a pygmy, they aren't considered a milk breed either.

I wouldn't get a Nigerian Dwarf to milk either although, having said, I got two and plan on trying to milk them in a year and a half once they are old enough to freshen. I do know that if you chose to get ND's to milk you want to put the money in a genetic line that has been bred specifically for milking, also as someone above said.

I waited for about five months to get two good quality Alpines (2 yrs. old) for my first two milkers. I'm glad I waited and put the money ($200 each) into them. Starting with experienced milkers, since I was inexperienced, made it very easy and fun for me. They stand so nicely on the milk stand and let me 'learn' on them.

I have since bought two Nubians and am milking one of them (the other freshens in Januaryish). She is six and has been a little more of a challenge to milk as she likes to hold her left leg up in the air and move it around while I'm milking. Had I started with her, I'd probably been frustrated at times. Now, I know how to work with her since I have the experience with the first two.

So, I suggest you find at least a couple of local farms (I went to four) that you can go to and actually milk some of their does so you can feel the difference in the size of teats and see the difference in the size of the orifice. It truly makes a difference on both of those and that way when you are ready to buy, you can milk the doe and know if she's the right one for you. Plus, you may want to learn about udder attachments also.

Good luck waiting... that's sooo hard!

I think you'll be really glad you wait for a dairy breed.

 

[sunnychooks]

Just a thought... Do you realize that you really should get two? They are herd animals and don't do well alone.

ETA: You mentioned that you may want to get a bigger herd in the spring. Keep in mind that in order to get milk you need to breed them! You may want to re-think getting a bigger herd because you'll have plenty of goats before too long anyway!

 

[CrimsonRose]

Thanks again for all the info...

yep I know they need more than one

and yes I'm planning on breading them... We go through a ton of milk, butter, and cheese so I'm sure we will need several

We have about 5 acres and are buying 5 more acres right next to us so I'll have plenty of room... he he he

If I could find some really good milkers I wouldn't mind putting the money into them either... it's just the nearest goat dairy farm I could find was a 4.5 hour drive away... so it's kinda hard to just drop in and check it out...

I would like to actually get a saanen but would settle for a Nubian If I could find one... Closest I've found was a Nubian boar mix... And I've read that boar are bad milkers so I was afraid it wouldn't be worth it the lady was asking 150 for her... and she hadn't even been bred yet!

So I was figuring if I was going to have to settle for a mix breed then I wasn't going to spend that much... especially since I'm planning on getting a few goats at swap days this spring... Man I hate waiting...

 

[Chatychick]

I have milked Pygmys and they are basically considered a meat goat type and wont produce much milk. Yes a diary breed.boer will produce some milk. Just because they are mutts doesnt mean really they are bad goats just the people decided not to register them. Not a bad price as I have paid more for a Nigerian dwarf. Nigis produce lots of milk depending on her lines and whom she was bred to. The buck has some say in her udder. I didnt believe this till I bred my good milking doe to a lower buck and it did make a difference. I have a buck that the milking lines are great and it sure made a difference in the milking this year.
Get what you will be comfortable milking as the smaller are hard on the back and the larger do have larger teats. If she is trained to milk half the battle is over. Good feed and lots of alfalfa make the difference in the milk also. I have large and small goats and some are more work than others. Make sure the goat if friendly as you dont want to chase each day just to milk and goats are routine animals and learn fast sometimes. Get what you want and if you have to wait it will be worth it. Good luck and remember they do need their shots and worming and trimming also. Plus you do need 2...it can be a milker and a wether (neutered male). as long as there are 2 its will be better.