What goat breed would be best for cheese and goat milk soap?

[CherokeeCowgirl]

I want to start making goat cheese and goat milk soap. What would be the best breed for this?

 

[redhen]

nigi or alpine.. But i'm no goat expert...

I've heard they have fatty milk thats good for that stuff...

 

[PotterWatch]

As far as milkfat is concerned, I don't know what is best but I always go for these guys:

*Decal made by chickenzoo

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Here is what a website I found says about it:

While there are hundreds of goat breeds worldwide, five major breeds of dairy goats are used to make cheese in the United States: Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Saanen and Toggenburg. Most dairies use several and vary them between the high milk producers and the high butterfat producers. The high butterfat breeds like LaMancha and Nubian make richer cheese, but don’t produce enough milk to sustain a profitable operation: they might yield only one gallon of milk a day. Their milk is blended with that of more prolific breeds, like the Alpine, which might produce up to two gallons a day, to enable a larger production

I personally love the Nubian and LaMancha breeds the best.

Jean​

 

[KinderKorner]

Kinder Goats! Pygmy and Nubians both have high fat. Pygmy being the highest but too little to be fun to milk. So get yourself a Kinder. A pygmy/Nubian mix. I LOVE my herd. I had a cup of milk just a little while ago, it's very sweet. And great for making cheese or soap.

They are rarer and a newer breed. So they are like an undiscovered treasure. No kidding. I would refer them to anyone!

Plus who can resist sweet faces like these?

 

[CherokeeCowgirl]

Thanks for the fast replies and the info! I am excited about this new project!!!

Does anyone on this site make goat cheese?

 

[bagendhens]

any of the dairy breeds would work...

nigerians are a cool mini dairy breed but can have small teets making hand milking hard so check out the girl before going with that breed.
kinders are along the same line (nubian x pygmy)

i personally like nubians, but they can be a "drama queen" breed, look closely at the personalities of the parents of the kid if possible before going with nubians, ive met MANY lovely sweet quiet nubians, but ive also heard lots of stories about noisey stubborn nubians too, they are the jerseys of the goat world though, good production and great for cheese...

aplines are the top milkers in terms of comercial production, they tend to be well tempered and produce lots of milk, personally im not as attracted to them though...(a favorite for soap, they produce alot of milk...)

a favorite that ive heard ALOT of good about is the lamancha, they tend to be good milk producers and those that have them LOVE LOVE LOVE their personalities, definatly a great starter breed if you can get past the ear thing

the oberhasli is another favorite, a swiss dairy breed, and those that have them love their personalities, great producers.

Toggenburgs are another swiss dairy breed (and thought to be the oldest, there top notch producers BUT ive been told of all the dairy breeds toggs tend to be the most skittish despite lots of handling.
they do great in cooler temperatures though and generally of the group are the best breed if your looking for a dairy breed to hook up to milk and not realy interact as much with...they are not terrified of people but most tend to be reserved.

my personal choice (when i get my own farm) is manchas and nubians with mabe a couple mini nubians (nubian x nigerian)
i want goats for similar purpose, milk, cheese and soap/lotion.

if your looking for a good dual purpose, boer x nubian is a great cross to produce dairy goat thats also got good meat potential.

 

[Illia]

Yay, LaMancha fans!

I'd also say go for LaManchas - We have two, due in April and June for babies, who are just the sweetest dolls and are so pretty and neat looking! They will produce excellent cheese, yogurt, milk, butter, etc for us.

Their bloodlines go back to their granddad, who had an actual udder that produced milk!

To my experience, Nubians are kinda bratty and nowhere near as friendly. . . Alpines are nice, too, though.

 

[KinderKorner]

I agree. Nubians can be a pain. They are loud, and huge, and well. Kind of air headed.

Every person is going to have a different opinion on the best goat. You'll have to find one that suits you best.



On a side note, Wouldn't a male with milk be a defect?

 

[Illia]

That I do not really know - It is my parents who are into all the goat stuff. I've personally never heard of it before they mentioned it, so I really don't know. If it is, atleast we aren't keeping any males.

Soooo stinky. soooo stinky.