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Barnyard Buddies:  goat breeds  |
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Aunt Em
True Blue Farmgirl
137 Posts
Emme
Carnation
WA
137 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 3:04:45 PM
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We are thinking of getting goats this year, and we need help picking the right breed. We want great with kids, and good milkers. My hubby is interested in pygmy goats because he thinks they are so cute. (which I think is terribly cute that he thinks they are cute!) I'm thinking nubian or toggenberg. (sp?) I know I could research online, but I want real life testimonials! If you have goats, what breeds do you love? Any that you would advise against?
Thanks in advance!
Emme |
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Love-in-a-Mist
True Blue Farmgirl
367 Posts
Shannon
Independence
Oregon
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 7:40:28 PM
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I don't have alot of experience with goats, but I have been around pygmies a bit. I have always had good experiences with them and have a friend that used to show them as a kid. You can get milk from them, but if you want alot of milk maybe a milk breed would be better. My friend always fed her pygmies alfalfa and grain, I'm sure there are breeds that are cheaper to feed.
http://love-in-a-mist-shannon.blogspot.com/ |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 9:12:31 PM
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I have had several breeds, including pygmies. My favorites by FAR are Saanens. They are big, sturdy, all white and the does are very feminine looking and graceful, and give wonderful milk and lots of it. They are the most gentle and friendly "people loving" goat I have had. I have had pygmy (cute, true, but hard to milk and hard to fence in..the smaller the goat the higher the fence needs to be) Nigerian dwarves..loved them, but hard to milk and hard to fence like pygmies, Oberhasli (beautiful and good milkers but smaller than I like since I am tall) and angoras...small, cute and a fiber animal to boot. Since I got my cow the only goat I keep is an angora. But I did love love love those Saanens. Good luck! I love goat personalities. YOu will get so so many different opinions I am sure. All goats are clever and fun. You will love them.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Tracey
True Blue Farmgirl
766 Posts
Tracey
State of Confusion
USA
766 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2007 : 07:38:48 AM
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I think goats in general are very social animals, but it helps if they were bottle raised. A friend of mine has nubians; she swears their milk tastes best. (I know, I'll get a slew of 'it's what they eat' comments, but I'll take her word for it as she's been milking for 30 years now.)
Depending on how long you want to milk (er...be tied down to milking), you could also look into meat goats such as boers. No reason you can't milk them; they just won't produce as long. If goats are like sheep, though, the meat breeds will produce gobs of milk during their shorter lactation. Boers remind me of big puppy dogs.
A couple weekends ago I saw a woman who had triplets that were mostly boer, but had 1/4 angora. Golly, were they pretty...and soft!
Whatever you get, just remember that goats are evil. They'll eat the clothing right off your body! Sheep are nicer. And you can milk them, too 
Visit Quiet Storm, our adopted Mustang! http://wildaboutquietstorm.com
http://carpentercreek.blogspot.com http://mustangdiaries.blogspot.com http://marbletownangels.blogspot.com
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QueenofQuiteAlot
True Blue Farmgirl
865 Posts
Dalyn
Milk 'n Honey Ranch
Central, WA
USA
865 Posts |
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Bluewrenn
True Blue Farmgirl
1122 Posts
Erin
Texas
USA
1122 Posts |
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Barnyard Buddies: goat breeds |
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goat breeds
