Dairy Goats?

[Dace]

I have a new goat connection. She has a bunch of white ones and some brown ones. No idea of the breeds...I am guessing the white girls are Saanens. After that I am at a loss.

Anywho.....first of all, if we have not worked out a deal to buy this house getting a goat is not even an option, BUT if we can wrap that up and I have the opportunity....well any advice?

Do I really want a goat? from everything that I read here they are a huge pain in the arse....but they are cute and I could make cheese and have more poo to compost.

Is that good enough reason to bring home a troublemaker? Would I need two? I know some critters like to have company.

Any other critical factor to consider? I understand that it woudl need shelter of some sort and a pen....but what else should I think about?

 

[big brown horse]

I dont know a lot about goats, but I do know you need two or more.

Goats are tons of fun to watch...like a little circus in your backyard.

What house are you talking about? The one you are in? Yea!! (Or is it too early to celebrate?)

 

[Occamstazer]

I want a dairy goat so bad! I could use the info too

 

[freemotion]

Read everything on this site, twice. Or thrice. www.fiascofarm.com

Love my goaties! Once they have found and pointed out to you all the flaws in your fencing, it gets easier. I really recommend getting an experienced milker. Or go learn to milk. If you were nearby I'd teach you and you could spell me now and then. I'm sure there is someone like that near you, too! Check at the feedstores, the vet's office, etc.

You might consider learning how to make some simple cheeses, too. Don't get discouraged by the length of the process. It takes the same amount of time to make a four-gallon batch as it takes to make a one gallon batch.

I did not prepare very well other than the fact that I'd owned goats for a few years as pets. We had dairy goats as a kid, but my bro milked and mom processed the milk, I just drank it. So when the milk was coming into my kitchen, a gallon a day, I was completely overwhelmed. Before long, though, a gallon a day was not enough and I bought another doeling. Looking back, I could've prepared a little better.

Even if you aren't able to, that's ok. Honestly, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Oh, I am doing it all again. Looks like I have two preggers and hopefully the third one will cooperate before bucky goes to freezer camp.

 

[Dace]

BBH.. yes, way too soon to celebrate!

The lady I met is willing to teach me how to milk and teach me how to make cheese and let me come over to milk and take home. She did mention some sort of milk machine that she relies on and how much of a pain it is to milk by hand.

When I was a kid my grandmother used to tell me stories of how they had a goat when my dad was little. She said that goat thought it was a dog and would follow my dad everywhere.....they always sounded cute to me.

The lady I met's goats felt a little dirty....do you have to bathe them? Or are they just that way? I like to pet me pets.....I don't like that nasty 'gotta get inside and wash my hands' feeling. (yep, suburbia queen here )

 

[freemotion]

If my goats feel or look dirty, it is way past time to clean the stall. Unless it is summer, they like to dig a little in the dirt and find a cool spot to lay down in, so they will get dusty.

Whether milking is a pain or not is very individual, I guess. It is my favorite chore, intensely satisfying. I like to lean in and sniff Mya's belly....she smells so good, in the way that horses smell good and leather saddles smell good and hay smells good. It takes me about a minute per quart to milk, so with one or two goats, it would take longer than that to set up and take down and clean a machine, I would think. Unless someone has trouble with their hands, then that I could see. I would spend the money on a machine in a heartbeat if I ever injure my hands and can't milk longterm.

My dad milked four cows by hand twice a day when he was a kid...two Holsteins (volume producers) and two Jerseys (less volume but high butterfat.) He scoffed at my one-handed milking method at first but now he is a convert. Mya can get kicky, and holding the quart canning jar right up to her teat while milking with the other hand makes for very clean milk. So it takes me 1-2 minutes longer than two hands and a bucket would. In my situation it is SO easy. And the lids go right on those jars, so it is easy to transport the milk to the house and put the jars right into the dishwasher after straining. Seamless stainless steel buckets are expensive!

 

[Dace]

Ahhhhh....I love horsey smells. Reminds me of good times

Well you do make it sound pretty easy. Guess I will keep my mind open and see what happens.

I think my kids would live having goats!

 

[Wildsky]

I used to want a goat for milking, but decided to set my sights on a cow, more milk, tastes more like the store bought stuff we're used to, can make cheeses and butter etc...

baby cows can be sold or processed for food which we're also used to tasting and eating.

Goats are great, I have a naughty one in the back yard, but I think if we had space etc.. I'd get a cow! (just to get hubby to think the same)

 

[savingdogs]

Well I'm a city girl who always loved camping and finally bought (through downsizing) five acres in the forest now that I'm 50 years old. Still have two teen boys in the house and the DH has always wanted goats.
Been huge animal lover, horse lover as a kid, but up here in WA horses are really muddy alot and very expensive to have. We do already have chickens at this point too.
But on this place we bought, it is a huge hill and full of blackberries, we have neighbors using goats to keep things cleared and they sure were cute to watch. There was a fenced "dog run" and "kennel" which our dogs disdain as just not good enough for them (they live in the house).
So last summer we went to the county fair to .....look around.

We fell in love with goats! The whole family. We ended up buying from a 4H family we met. They had mixed breed dairy goats, two doelings and a wether, we bought inexpensively, and they gave us a couple of "goat lessons" which were invaluable. Didn't take much to convert the dog run into the goat pen, in fact, it makes a better goat pen than it ever was a dog yard.

They have been so fun. Very amusing to watch and the ones we chose are really friendly and loving. I think that is the most important thing, pick the right goats. Hay is plentiful where we live so feeding them is not expensive. They also have all that brush and blackberry to eat.

I won't repeat the other good advice you've gotten here, but I didn't hear anyone say to make sure you pick really sweet and friendly ones. That has made it much easier for us to learn how to be goat people. Our goats love us very much and I never expected that. Ours are still young so I can't give you milking advice, but we are looking forward to milk, cheese and goats milk soap.

 

[warthog]

I bought 4 goats about 6 months ago, thought I had done my research, ours are for clearing brush, increasing herd and meat, not dairy goats.

Yes as previously mentioned they will find all the weak points in the fences, and this six months has been very hard work. But I must say that is my fault, not the goats.

I thought you could just tether them, and move them about to eat the brush, well yes you can if you want them to strangle themselves. So we had to put fencing in and generally get our act togehter. But now they can roam in safety and eat all they like, and loaf about when they wish they are so happy. It also nice to go and sit with them when time allows I find them so relaxing.

Anyhow, enough of that, goats are wonderful creatures, I love mine to bits and wouldn't be without them, can't wait to have babies (the goats not me)

I am sure you will fall in love with goats, just as most people do, and just want more and more.

Good luck