I'm sittin' on the fence here....goat vs cow

[miss_thenorth]

Ok, I have three acres--two of which are bieng used by horses. Tried to run goats with the horses last year, but the horse fence did not hold the goats. Since the fence is just new, it will NOT be redone. So I got rid of the goats, and then I started thinking about getting a small dexter cow. I've come to the conclusion that we just don't have enough land to hold two horses and a cow (even a small one.) so that leads me to goats again. I really want an animal that will give us milk--goat or cow. .
I could get a cow--but I would have to supplement hay for cow and horses in summer.

What I need help with, since I know there are several goat milking ppl here, --from what I understand--you need expensive equipment to separate the cream from goats milk, where cows milk it just kinda floats to the top.

Is it just a pipe dream (other than expensive equip) to get enough cream for butter etc from a goat? I also "heard" that if you pasteurize goats milk-- it tastes goaty (pasteurizing it to separate cream)

Please goat people--help me! It is goat kidding season, so If i am to get one-- it should be soon or wait until next year. The new goat pen can be done real soon.

 

[PamsPride]

I vote cow!

 

[Beekissed]

If you'd be willing to use some intensive grazing methods, you could stretch that acreage enough to have enough graze for your horses and cow.

I vote cow or dairy sheep....Friesian?

 

[nightshade]

I vote nubian! We just picked up a great one from a friend yesterday, today was our first day to milk her. And I am so excited this is our first gal a day goat !

 

[miss_thenorth]

We had two nubians before--( I think they are adorable) I was actually thinking of nigerians--small, good amount of milk for the four of us, plus fencing would be easier. ( I have the fencing here--it just needs to be installed.)

As far as cow is concerned-- I might be able to make it work, but, I'm leaning' towards not having enough room--even with good pasture management. I love goats-- but can I get cream from their milk? That's pretty much my main concern.

 

[freemotion]

My goat's milk is not "goaty" since I don't have a buck or much browse. But I don't pasteurize unless I am making yogurt. I drink it warm from the goat and raw and now I can digest milk again.....hot chocolate every day!!!

If I had three acres of pasture, I would go with Bee's suggestion and intensively rotate and get the little cow. Yes, you will have more options with the milk and cream. If I can ever get my formerly-forest pasture up to decent standards, I may switch to a little cow one day. I have very little topsoil, so we are composting like crazy and seeing gradual improvement.

The horses would get confined if needed for part of the day and fed a little hay, to give preference to the productive animal. I am a long-term horse owner until very recently, and still work professionally with horses part-time, btw.

For a goat, you can always go with elecro-net or a similar moveable fence, within your pasture.

That is what I would do, given the chance.

 

[SKR8PN]

I know this going to sound cold and callous, but......get rid of the horses, feed something that can feed you.
In my world...horses cost money and return only fertilizer. Cows on the other hand....give us more cows, meat and MILK!

 

[FarmerChick]

I vote cow.

You can process her into great cuts of meat later...if you are not a goat meat eater at all. Even if you are not a meat eater, I still vote cow...LOL

Tony's cousin has 2 horses and 3 cows on about 2 acres. They of course feed round bales of hay all the time. Cows do well with horses.

 

[FarmerChick]

I know this going to sound cold and callous, but......get rid of the horses, feed something that can feed you.
In my world...horses cost money and return only fertilizer. Cows on the other hand....give us more cows, meat and MILK!

I have to shoot you down on this one!!!

If you are a horse lover like me!! Then having horses is truly justified......yea in the olden days they were important to work the plows and ride into town, but now they are a luxury item mostly. BUT alot of horse lovers can say they enhance our lives. I farm all the time, never keep animals that are unproductive etc.....but don't be getting near my horses..HA HA HA

They return companionship and fun for riding as relaxation for alot of people. You just gotta love horses to be on this side of the fence.

 

[Beekissed]

I love horses too, but I'm with SKR8PN on this one. If you don't do an exhorbitant amount of riding and using of the horses, the occasional pleasure ride becomes pretty costly when you calculate the hours of relaxation and companionship one actually gleans from the average horse vs. the hours of work of watering, putting in hay/buying and transporting hay, feeding, caring for, fencing and the costs of vetting/farrier.

From what I can see of the people I know who have horses, when they first get them they ride frequently, then less, then seldom. Then they have big pasture ornaments whom they pet on occasion, pay big vet bills and farrier bills for, buy lots of hay for and eventually realize that they have had them so long and they haven't been ridden for so long that they have created a retirement home for a couple of hay burners.

In a practical sense, horses aren't practical..unless, of course, one does use them for other things like logging, getting in firewood, plowing, pulling, rounding up livestock, or guard animals for meat animals like sheep, cows, goats, etc.