What kind of goats should I get?

[faeryrose]

I have an acre pasture and a little barn, enough space for two or three goats. Problem is, I don't know what kind to get! Pygmy goats just for pets? A farm not too far from here has cashmere goats and I'm tempted to spend the extra to get them; theoretically I could sell the fiber to make up for some of the cost of raising them. I'd love to have dairy goats except I'm not prepared for the commitments of breeding, kidding, and milking. I dunno. I'll probably just end up with whatever's cute.

 

[Slongest]

We had 25 pygmys untill just a few weeks ago theyre small friendly and easy keepers i let them out to roam free when its not so cold out they make great lawn mowers and pick weeds ive tried the angora goats and that was a plain nightmare i hated sheering them they didnt like it but like you said i figured by selling the hair it would help with the cost of raising them but i was wrong i sheered them twice a year and can only sell the hair if you cut it a certain way and this and that but i would encourage you to get pygmys.

 

[Stacykins]

Cashmere goats do not need shorn like angoras (who make mohair rather than cashmere). They shed their fiber naturally. You just brush it out of them when they start to shed and boom, cashmere fiber.

Are you interested in milk production at all, for your family's use? If so, a pair of Nigerian Dwarves might be up your alley. Same size as a pygmy, but more slender and dairy-like. Pygmies are often used for meat, and don't produce much extra milk when they kid (there are exceptions that are good milkers, but this is not the rule).

 

[michickenwrangler]

Your best bet might be to get a few dairy wethers just as pets. There are an abundance of them and you don't have to worry about breeding or rut season.

 

[Je33ieg]

If I may, i'm partial to Myotonic (fainting) goats. I have 4, and they are THE GREATEST joy!

Here are my babies:

 

[faeryrose]

I'm leaning toward Nigerian Dwarves. I wonder if I could coerce someone else to do the milking if I go out of town.