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Starting Member
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Last Login: 7/2/2009 6:13:31 AM
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| Hi all! We have decided to get a few dairy goats. We have all the necessary information from our town. What is the next thing we should do? We would like some information/websites from seasoned dairy goat owners. We are very excited. Any breed better than the other? Are only certain goats good for milking? Eventually I'd like to make cheese for us to use. Vet costs? We have read many books on goats, with many more to read. The library is full of them. We just want to hear from people who already have some. Thanks!
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 4/25/2010 8:56:40 AM
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| Buy the best goats you can afford. You may get lucky with a $50 grade doe (I did - once) but you may not. Find out what breeders are in your area, as you will need the services of a buck (you don't need or want to keep a buck for only two does). No point buying Alpines, if the only buck near you is a Nubian.  All the dairy breeds are decent milkers, so it boils down to a) what you like and b) what's available. I have Saanens, and I love them. I started out looking for Alpines, because I'm really not keen on all-white animals, but I ended up with a Saanen doe. She has become my foundation doe, and I'm getting some lovely goats from her and her descendants. At her peak, last lactation, she was giving me 6 litres/day (over 6 quarts) and she kept milking for over 20 months, as did her daughter, both giving 4 litres/day through that time. I also have Nigerian Dwarfs and Boers, but obviously I don't milk them. Nigies are dairy goats, but it's not worth the effort when I have the "big" girls.  Sue had a post not too long ago with tons of useful websites - you might want to scroll down and see if you can find it. www.fiascofarm.com is a useful site - lots of good info. I go there for medication dosages and withdrawal times. You're off to a good start, reading and gathering information before you get your goats!
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 8/15/2010 2:15:27 PM
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Hi 
The breeds that produce the most milk are the dairy breeds, which (hopefully I wont forget a breed, but if I do someone will correct me ) are LaManchas, Nubians, Saanens, Sables (which are colored Saanens if I remember correctly), Alpines, Toggenburgs, Oberhasslis, and Nigerian Dwarfs. Sorry for any spelling I might have butchered with their names!
Nigerian Dwarfs, which are what I have, are smaller so they make less milk than a standard breed, but they are also supposed to have high butterfat. Their teats are smaller, also, which may be hard for people with bigger hands. I haven't milked mine yet, so I suppose I'll see if my hands are big when I do  I do love my Nigies. They're so cute and come in any color
Nubians are another high-butterfat breed, with adorable pendulous ears, but they're also vocal. I had one a long time ago and she made the funniest noises Saanens in general produce the largest amount of milk, but that will vary from animal to animal also. A lot of people like LaManchas, and they are pretty cute because their tiny ears make them look like they have no ears at all!
Half Caper is correct about http://www.fiascofarm.com - it's really helpful.
The hobby farm website, which you've already found, is great, too.
The American Dairy Goat Association website will have more info about breeds for you - http://www.adga.org.
http://goatdairylibrary.org/ has a lot of info.
I get a lot of supplies I need but can't find in stores nearby from http://www.caprinesupply.com. http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com and http://www.jefferslivestock.com also carry goat supplies.
Oh, and if you want to make cheese, go here- http://www.cheesemaking.com
I hope that helps! You'll love goats
"Agriculture... is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness." --Thomas Jefferson
Wonderland
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 3/15/2010 12:11:28 PM
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| This is a small simple thing which you may know already but all goat teats are not created equal and having good, easy to get your hand around handles is really nice.
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 12/14/2009 4:19:30 PM
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mystnd (7/1/2009)
This is a small simple thing which you may know already but all goat teats are not created equal and having good, easy to get your hand around handles is really nice. And fairly large orifices are awfully nice. I love Bon Bon dearly but she gives a LOT of milk and has small orifices, so it takes three times longer to milk her than it does to milk Latifah. Fortunately she's a sweetie on the milking stand so it's no real hassle except that my hands get tired. It's a good idea to milk a goat before buying her. Although with Bon Bon it was love at first sight, so I'd have purchased her anyway. :o) Sue
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 7/2/2009 6:13:31 AM
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| Thank you all so much! The replies have been wonderful. Thank you again. Our children will be helping out a lot with the goats. Hopefully I can convince my son that a "girl" would be the best way to go for him...he is 9 and has 2 sisters...even the dog is a girl! LOL! Maybe I can get him interested in making cheese with me. Blessings!
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 12/14/2009 4:19:30 PM
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Risen Acre Farm (7/2/2009)
Thank you all so much! The replies have been wonderful. Thank you again. Our children will be helping out a lot with the goats. Hopefully I can convince my son that a "girl" would be the best way to go for him...he is 9 and has 2 sisters...even the dog is a girl! LOL! Maybe I can get him interested in making cheese with me.Blessings! If not, get him a wether to raise. A large dairy goat wether can easily pull a cart or wagon or carry packs to go camping. Goat wethers are fun! Sue
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 12/14/2009 4:19:30 PM
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Sue Weaver (7/2/2009)
Risen Acre Farm (7/2/2009)
Thank you all so much! The replies have been wonderful. Thank you again. Our children will be helping out a lot with the goats. Hopefully I can convince my son that a "girl" would be the best way to go for him...he is 9 and has 2 sisters...even the dog is a girl! LOL! Maybe I can get him interested in making cheese with me.Blessings! If not, get him a wether to raise. A large dairy goat wether can easily pull a cart or wagon or carry packs to go camping. Goat wethers are fun! Sue Oh, and I should add, very inexpensive both to buy (many dairy breeders practically give buckling kids to good homes) and keep. Wethers tend to be easy keepers.
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 3/15/2010 12:11:28 PM
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| In the process of stumbling and bumbling my way through becoming a goat rancher, I have discovered that my decision to breed my dairy does with my fainter goat boys appears to have been a great decision for the bucklings (soon to be wethers). These boys are incredibly sturdy and muscular which I think should be a great asset whether they end up on the freezer or as pack goats. Normally goat packers use dairy wethers (again...they're cheap) but I am hoping a couple of these guys will be real good. I had noted that they didn't seem to have "fainter traits" and just read that the first generation crosses usually don't. Mary Ann
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 7/3/2009 4:01:51 AM
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| When purchasing your goats be sure to pay close attention to how they handle for you. There is nothing worse then getting a goat who runs from you or won't go up on the milk stand. Of course all goats have these issues from time to time, however, I have found that goats that have not been made of or properly trained are a real pain in the butt and hold up my chore schedule. Good luck finding what you need and goats are great.
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