Raising Dairy Goats : Kinds of Goats for Dairy Farming

[xXxFellxXx]

what about a goat and a horse? meaning one goat and a horse for a companion?

[ugkcdrock]

@xXxFellxXx I've seen it done, However, it works better with say a Donkey or a Llama.

[jwelsea]

LaManchas ~ sweetest goats on the planet!!! The donuts for ears make them all the more endearing :)

[daffodyllady]

Could someone please tell me which breeds of dairy goats are more or less "talkative?" I had pygmies, and they drove my family up the wall with constant bleating!

[dappledbaybeauty]

@daffodyllady Pigmy's tend to be Nubian sometimes, I have a alpine/sannen he is very quite, though you think the anglo nubians next door are dying when they do anything vocal they scream there heads off its ear piercing the Anglo Nubian are a dual purpose goat meant and milk though there very prone to getting sick apparently, I think sannen toggenburg British alpine all those sort of breeds are okayish with noise but if you want quite don't get a nubian.

[AngelBones84]

Dumb question . I have had goats all my life . I was raised with them and we got goats milk , but our nannys always had kids . Question is . Do milking breeds need to breed and have kids to make milk ? I know there are some breeds of cattle that produce milk without haveing babies , are goats the same way ?

[daffodyllady]

@AngelBones84 All mammals need to breed in order to produce milk, which is biologically necessary for offspring. There are some females in all species which are able to stimulate a hormonal shift which can induce secretion of milk. This is done by suckling. If you would take a motherless baby into your arms and allow it to nurse your dry breasts, you might begin to produce milk for the orphan, eventually. But nature's way is that one must give birth in order to produce milk.

[adga140]

This guy is not a dairy goat breeder, obviously!

[BetaFisheta]

That's called indiscriminate breeding. Breeds have specific traits and are known for different qualities of their milk. Just find a breed you like and look for what fits your purpose. Registered animals may also be shown both in ADGA and most county 4-H programs have opportunities for showing. It's a great experience.

[bzucchini23]

I have pygmy goats and they are hilarious when they are kids and they are easy to manage if you get an excitable buck! Plus with their size, you can have a lot more in the same area.

[jwelsea]

Why is there no mention of LaManchas! Wonderful milk and docile.

[daffodyllady]

@jwelsea LaManchas? no ears! lol I suppose one could come to love em anyhow. lol

[SavedfromSlavery]

I'd just call the cross offspring a natural. Like the laying hens we have that are mixed breeds. They have out lived and out produced any from the hatchery. Our 10 year old still lays eggs and is my best broody hen and a great mommy of more that 120 chicks now.

Suggestion: Would you make a vid about the health and diet of a milking goat.  Specifics about what to feed and what to look for physically as a sign of good health verses poor or degraded health. THANKS!

[rivynaussies]

Sorry, have to say Saanens are my favorites. They are so easy to work and produce great milk for us.

[Sixfoot3nNC]

this new breed is not new at all....its called a mixed up, scrub goat!