What is the best goat for milking purposes?

[thornberryvillage]

I've got a small commercial goat dairy in GA, and after some trial and error the first few years I have settled on LaManchas and Alpines.

Bob

 

[kstaven]

Best and easiest to manage dairy goats we have had here are toggenburgs. Great producers also.

RE the taste of milk. Goat milk only tastes bad if not handled properly or if the buck is with the lactating does.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

one of the best milkers is an Alpine. We don't have any but a friend of our does she gets 1 gallon of milk from each of her milkers. They are very friendly Even when we come over they love to be petted and sctrached. We have pygmies and boar goats and when we need milk for babies get it from her. Our babies thrive on their milk. My DH drinks it and says its delicious

 

[tberggren]

Quote:
Just wondering what were some of the trials and errors that caused you to settle on LaMachas and Alpines.
I was thinking of the LaMachas also but they seem hard to come by in my area, but maybe they would be worth the search.

 

[valmom]

I would love to get into making cheese, and I was thinking of a goat (My SO wants a goat, anyway). Having NO milking experience, how does one learn?

And, if we take the plunge, if we don't want to acquire a herd of goats over time- what can we do with the babies? I don't really want to get into meat goats, and, having raised foals, I would adore baby goats, but I can't let them accumulate

 

[MissPrissy]

valmom, that is exactly why I got goats.

Have you seen my yogurt and cheese thread?

 

[Napalongtail]

I have 2 Saanens and 1 Toggenburg. The 1 saanen supplied me with over 15 gallons of drinking milk per month and all the cheese, ice cream, yogurt , and soaps that my family of 4 boys and 1 husband could consume. And that was after the lady who made the cheeses etc. for me took half!! I think 3 is excessive for the average family but if it is large you may need a couple. WE are planning on only rebreeding 2 this fall and using one to milk through so the kids can have fresh milk year round.

 

[valmom]

Ooh SOAP! I forgot about lovely hand made soap

OK, so what do I do with the babies??

Somehow I missed the yougurt and cheese thread- I will go look.

 

[MissPrissy]

I do soap, too.

The babies are so much better when you hand raise them compared to the first goats you buy. You may find yourself keeping your hand raised babies and moving out your other stock. No goat is the same as the babies you hand raise. They are gentler, easier to handle and train for milking.

 

[Parson's Wife]

Thank you for your wonderful input...I have talked my husband, still tenative but willing, into this venture....
I have one more question for all the goat raisers out there; What is the best book(s), website (besides BYC), or magazines that has helped you in learning about goats for milking?

edited to add:How-to books, such as feeding, breeding, etc...