You've GOAT to be KIDding me

[Ninjasquirrel]

Nubians are a dual purpose breed, though more bone than meat. So are pygmys, to some extent (mostly because of multiplicity).

One thing you can do is raise dairy does and a meat buck. Just sell all of the kids (instead of keeping the doe kids for milk, as you normally would.)

EDT: And yeah, very few mammals are going to produce milk without first having a reason to produce it, aka, babies.

Good to know. I would have been rather disappointed if i bought all females only to find out they wont make milk. We bought all females with our chickens because you dont need a rooster to make eggs...once again an ignorant thing we did not know initially

 

[PirateGirl]

Good to know. I would have been rather disappointed if i bought all females only to find out they wont make milk. We bought all females with our chickens because you dont need a rooster to make eggs...once again an ignorant thing we did not know initially

We are so far removed from our food sources, there is no way to know. I believe having a kid will trigger the goat's milk production hormones and I believe there are ways to extend this as long as possible before the next kid (perhaps this is a breed thing or individual thing, that I'm not sure, maybe a diet thing ). Even think of people you know that have had babies, the length of time they are able to breast feed can vary quite a lot.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Check out Nigerian dwarf goats for milk and if you live in a warm climate, hair sheep. No wool to deal with.

 

[PirateGirl]

Good to know. I would have been rather disappointed if i bought all females only to find out they wont make milk. We bought all females with our chickens because you dont need a rooster to make eggs...once again an ignorant thing we did not know initially

Oh, I had quite the conversation with my new roommate about chickens and roosters and eggs and chicks or lack thereof

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Found a great site:
https://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/
So the verdict is you do have to keep them pregnant...but not that often. This lady says that they will produce milk for up to 1 year after pregnancy. It also looks like you can make a decent profit from selling the babies! I like the idea of having a goat that will produce wool as well. I want a goat now...

 

[PirateGirl]

Found a great site:
https://www.weedemandreap.com/raising-goats-milking-goats/
So the verdict is you do have to keep them pregnant...but not that often. This lady says that they will produce milk for up to 1 year after pregnancy. It also looks like you can make a decent profit from selling the babies! I like the idea of having a goat that will produce wool as well. I want a goat now...

Thank you for sharing this site. I found a "free" goat down the street from me which reignited my desire for goats!

 

[Rammy]

Good to know! I think we would be leaning more to a milk goat versus a meat goat. I wonder though if there are varietys that can be used for both like with chickens. Our birds are a meat/layer breed which is why they appealled to us.

I know a few people on BYH have LaMachas or Nubians because they say the milk tastes better. The persons you could ask directly on there are @goat_whisperer or @goatgurl. They raise goats of both breeds. Also, @devonviolet makes her own cheese and milk from her goats.

 

[Cyprus]

Okay I'm gonna jump on this bandwagon as I've both worked with dairy cattle and researched dairy goats for years.

First: Yes goats are edible. But a fullblood dairy goat won't give you much meat UNLESS you're talking about crossing two dairy breeds and raising the males for meat. I.E Nigerian x Nubian is the best example.
Second: You don't have to keep neither a cow nor goat constantly pregnant for the female to produce milk. In fact, you shouldn't. Cows are bred about 60days after calving because cows are pregnant for 9 months and start drying up about 9 months after freshening (giving birth) so they get 2mo off to produce fresh milk, calve, milk for 60days, get bred, get dried up at 7mo gestation and repeat.
Goats are pregnant for 5 months and can milk for up to 2 years in the case of some Nubians. The general rule of thumb is to breed a doe about 3months into her lactation cycle and dry her up when she has 2months of gestation remaining.
Third: If you want to make cheese you need A LOT of milk so your best breed of choice is Saanan (basically the Holstein of goats). To make the kids worth more, breed her to a Boer buck.
Fourth: Goats are escape artists and not for people completely new to livestock. They take very strong and secure fencing to contain and lots of mental stimulation.
Fifth: Goats are foragers, not grazers. That means they can't just eat grass. Hay is a must and branches are a great addition to their diet.
Sixth: Goats do poop a lot and their poop is harder to clean than with cattle. Goats are also picky eaters and drinkers, so if hay is soiled or water is dirty, they will not eat or drink it.

Any other questions? Feel free to ask

 

[PirateGirl]

 

[cassie]

My SO and I are trying to make the slow transition into a self sufficient homestead. Ive noticed that of our groceries we eat a lot of cheese. So Im toying around with possibly rearing goats in the future as our land is too small for a cow. However im completely ignorant as to anything about goats. Do you need to keep them pregnant like cows to produce milk? Do they poop as much as my chickens do? What sort of enclosure do they need? What should i provide them for feed? Are they edible?
Needless to say I have a lot more research to do before we even consider getting them. If anyone has any links to information on how to successfully rear goats i would really appreciate it. Also if you can answer the few questions i asked above that would be very helpful.

Buy a book. The Storey Guide to Raising Milk Goats may be a good first step. Go to www.caprinesupply.com and ask for their catalog. Along with listing books and supplies it is full of good information. Get goats only because you want to and would enjoy having them. They are unlikely to save you any money but they can give you a lot of pleasure.