What Breed Would You Recommend? (Dairy Goats)

Which Breed Do You Recommend?

  • Alpine

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • LaMancha

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Nubian

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Oberhasli

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Saanen

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Toggenburg

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (if other, please post below)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

sunny & the 5 egg layers

Crowing
8 Years
Mar 29, 2011
4,712
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316
We are a family of four and go through about 3 gallons of milk a week. I would also like some leftover milk for making yogurt, cheese, ice cream ect. I was wondering what breed you guys would recomend for our family? I would also like to use the goats as harness goats and pull wagons/carts.

I would like a breed that is the following:

-Big enough to pull a cart/wagon
-Supplies our family with enough milk and some left over
-Has easy births
-Easy to handle (not too big)
-Are a good first-time goat
-Easy Milker

Thank you in advance.
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Have you considered a cow, considering how much milk your family uses? I had owned dairy goats in the past and sold them when I became pregnant with my youngest child. When she got up big enough for my older son to watch while I did the milking we started looking for a couple of new goats. I could not believe how the price had gone up in that two years. The best price I could find on a dairy goat, in milk, was $300. To get as much milk as we needed I would need atleast two, most likely three. As I'm doing all of this looking I keep talking back and forth with a family at a neighbor farm who has a dairy cow. I never thought I'd want a cow, but one day he told me that a local dairy had a cow for sale and he wanted to offer it to us. If we didn't want it he was going to buy it. I didn't think I wanted a cow, it seemed like a bigger responsiblility than the goats, for some reason. The price of the cow was cheaper than buying the goats, the feed for goats is much more expensive and they actually eat more. I would also be putting alot more effort into milking two, or three goats, but get more milk out of milking one cow. It ended up being a great decision for us! I get about three gallons a day. It seemed like a huge amount at first, but not a drop goes to waste and we have actually considered getting another cow if we run across another great deal. The pigs and chickens get half the milk and we drink the other half. I use so much more milk now because I always have it on hand. I even run out of milk sometimes...which drives us all crazy.
 
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I was going towards getting a goat because cows are so big and they need more room. I do not live on a farm (though I would love to). But thank you for the suggestion.
 
I think a lamancha would be great for you.. Do some studying on the different breeds and tastes of milk. You don't want a goat that produces goaty milk if you don't like the taste. Also if you don't live on a farm think size a saanen is a huge goat.. This is a great site http://fiascofarm.com/ hope this helps some.. And remember buy from a reputable breeder you may spend a little more but it will save you money down the road.
 
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I love Lamanchas. They are personable and not too loud. I think their teeny-tiny ears are adorable. I milked two mini-manchas and got around a gallon a day but they were also both nursing kids as well.
 
Pygmys. They are becoming popular now since they are great for showing since children can easily handle them.

The next breed I'm getting is Dwarf Pygmys! They are always at the fair here during August and I just love seeing them since the females always have babys with them.
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I like my Lamanchas best. They are friendly, quiet (most of the time) and produce quite a bit of milk. They are easier to keep fenced in too. My Nigerians are smaller and can get out of fences/pens easier.

I would also like to use the goats as harness goats and pull wagons/carts.

Wethers (altered males) make good cart goats. A friend has a huge saanen that she uses.​
 
Kinders all the way.


They have the highest butterfat content of any goat, making the most and/or best cheese, yogurt, etc of any breed, plus they're very docile, smaller than most other breeds but still a meaty type, they're very laid-back and super friendly, and cause the least trouble of the breeds I've been around, they yield a LOT of milk for their size, and they are very easy birther/kidders.

The ONLY downside to Kinders is their uncommon status. Otherwise they will always be my favorite, plus, some come in some wild colors!
 

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