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Offline Kathyp

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milk goat
« on: April 21, 2008, 09:31:59 pm »
as much as i hate goats, i am thinking about a milk goat.  this would be a new adventure.  any suggestions would be gratefully received!  i also had considered miniature cows, but don't know much about them either.  they seem to be a popular thing in Texas.    i am not a big cow fan either but at least have kept them in the past.

i know you can make cheese from goats milk.  can you make butter?
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Offline poka-bee

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2008, 10:06:51 pm »
Goats would be easier to feed than cows & they are smaller they won't tear the pasture up QUITE as quickly.  They are a handful though personality wise.  Cows will go through a fence, goats will find the tiniest weirdest way to climb, crawl, shimmy, jump out of the pasture. There is tons of info on the different types of goats & which are for milk.  I am personally fond of toggenburgs, they look like little deer to me, are mid sized so easier to handle than say the alpines. La Mancha are very sweet.  I like the sounds any goats make other than pygmy!  I havn't but there isn't any reason that I know of except for the size of the fat globlues that you wouldn't be able to make butter, others might know!  Good luck!  Jody
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2008, 11:15:51 pm »
ya, cows are pretty stupid.  used to keep them, but have friends who raise and butcher, so i just buy parts now  :-)

was thinking that being a bit more self-sufficient might be called for.  as much as i hate goats, i don't need a big milk cow.  i don't mind goats milk. 

thought this might be cool. 

http://www.minicattlecountry.com/
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Offline poka-bee

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2008, 11:38:28 pm »
Oh, they are soooo cuutee!  I don't trust cows though...they look so placid they must be planning something evil like stompling me..maybe I'm projecting my own personality onto them.. :roll:
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Offline Cindi

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2008, 12:48:06 am »
Kathy, go, girl, go!!!  I can't stand goat's milk though, hee, hee.  I used to have two Nubien nannies and man, did I get an intense dislike for goats' milk, ich.  But, you will get used to it, yeah!!!  I got rid of them because of the mischief that they got into, and I didn't want to bother with that nuisance anymore.

I would give my kingdom to have a milking cow.  I was raised on real, raw cow's milk and we used to have a Jersey, Candy was her name.  I have spoken of this ol' gal before.  There is nothing on earth like the taste of raw cow's milk.  Yes, I know about the health issues of raw cow's milk, I say no more.

Our neighbour has a cow that is going to be calfing soon.  I asked her if she would sell me cow's milk and told her of my love for this product, I haven't had any in many, many years, and I yearn for it.  She refused, said it is against the law, (and yes it is here).  BUT.....she offered that now and then I could milk her cow for her and give her a break.  She told me that she didn't know how to milk a cow.  I told her I would show her, if..........so I think my dream will come true.  I will be only one drinking the milk, I am stingy and the rest can drink the store bought stuff, it is good too, but sweet, sweet, milk, right from the cow, of course, handled properly and cooled properly as well.  Good luck Kathy!!!!  Best of this beautiful and great day, Cindi
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Offline JP

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2008, 12:56:13 am »
Cindi, we could be partners in crime cause I would be right there with you slurpin' up that fresh, raw cow's milk! I love whole milk with the cream on top! Fresh, I can't even imagine how good that must be.

I really like goat cheese, especially on fried green tomato sandwhiches!


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Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2008, 01:10:18 am »
the only people who get sick on raw milk are city folks.  if they'd get dirty and stop disinfecting things all the time, they could drink the stuff  :-)  to much milk in a full size cow for the two of us  :-(
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Offline Cindi

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2008, 09:44:44 am »
Kathy, I agree, we eat dirt here all the time on the farm.  That sounded kind of weird.  But we do, we don't disinfect much around here, why bother?  Germs are germs, good germs are good germs too, and mostly good germs around here, hee, hee.

The only people around here that I would not give raw cow's milk to would be the foster children.  The government is pretty sticky about what is fed/drank etc., let alone raw milk, gotta be careful with stuff.  But we could easily consume 2 gallons of milk daily around here with all the people, it would also be economical.  We'll see, I haven't closed the door yet on a milker, a Jersey, of course, the pretty brown eyes keep me yearing for the visual too.  And high butter fat with this breed, lots of butter, cheese, cottage cheese, and yes of course, ice cream!!!  Beautiful and more beautiful day, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Bennettoid

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2008, 04:38:47 pm »
ya, cows are pretty stupid.  used to keep them, but have friends who raise and butcher, so i just buy parts now  :-)

was thinking that being a bit more self-sufficient might be called for.  as much as i hate goats, i don't need a big milk cow.  i don't mind goats milk. 

thought this might be cool. 

http://www.minicattlecountry.com/

I didn't know there was such a thing!!

Gonna show this to my wife.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2008, 08:48:52 pm »
i really liked this part.

3) Size - If you purchase a short Dairy cow, be aware it maybe necessary to build a milking platform for your cow to stand on for milking. This will save a lot of back ache if you are hand milking. As a short cow with a large utter puts the milking handles very close to the ground.
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2008, 02:04:51 am »
Get some pygmy goats. They will still put out about a quart of milk for each doe per milking which should be plenty for 2-3 people.  I'm seriously considering switching from Toggenburg crosses to pygmy goats.  A milking platform can be as simple as a 2X8 about 3 feet long with an upright 2X4 at one end with a feed station.  A small rope or chain to hold the goat while milking (about 10 minutes) and your good to go.  You can train the goat to stand on the milking stand prior to milking by making the only place she gets her daily grain--about 1 tuna can full.  If you like you can get a small bright metal bucket from the paint section of your local hardware store for 3-4 dollars and milk directly into the jar.  Jeffers Livestock Catalog does carry milking machines for goats and pasturizers.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2008, 07:23:27 pm »
the goat may be the way to go.  most of my friends are not big milk drinkers and their kids are grown.  don't think i could even give the excess away.
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Offline HAB

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2008, 11:27:12 pm »
Do the miniature cattle have the same birthing problems as miniature horses.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2008, 12:21:02 am »
that was my first question also!  the guy i talked to said they do not.  he only had to pull one calf last year.  i don't remember how many he said he had.  it was a good number.  one pulled is not bad.
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Offline thomashton

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2008, 12:47:48 pm »
Go with the goats. I love goats. They are naughty and ill behaved but that is part of the fun of them. I don't know how many bad words have come out of my mouth in dealing with them as they've eaten the poultry feed in the winter, gotten out of fences, eaten things they shouldn't, stripped bark off of trees, head butted me in the groin etc etc etc. But I still love them.

Plus, for a small family, you can't go wrong with the amount of milk you'll get. Make sure you have at least two goats as they are herd animals and will cry if left alone and be depressed. The other doesn't have to be a fresh milker though. It can be a dry doe or wether or whatever.

You'll have plenty of milk to experiment with for cheese, butter, yoghurt, ice cream etc etc etc.
Have fun. You'll love the personalities of goats.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #15 on: April 25, 2008, 02:01:24 pm »
i have had goats in the past.  swore i'd never do it again!  i think the Nubians might be nicer than those mutt meat goats. not only were they into everything, they were hard to handle.  not mean, but very assertive.
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Offline HAB

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2008, 03:01:54 pm »
Also had Nubians, raised my oldest Daughter on the milk.  They can be (not always) very gentle, and the kids loved to play with them.  Have thought about getting some more.  Gonna have to look into an inexpensive  milking machine first.  The joints won't take milking any more.
Learned early to keep the bill in his own pen.  Nearly all our bills were big enough to hurt someone with an unexpected butt as were the older does.  :)

Offline superhoney

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2008, 04:36:52 pm »
We run 15 Boer/Nubian Nannies and 25 kids at the moment. We (my better half and I) have started a dairy herd with a Full Nubian, and a Nubian/Toggenburg mix, yep just 2. We would like to start making cheese and soap next year at some point and get off of store-bought milk and the unknown that entails.

The Boer Billy is kept in his pen, which is made of heavy pipes all welded up to 6' so he can't tear it down. But he beats on the covered enclosure in there enough to have to rebuild it every couple of years. He's got a wether for a roommate and quite frequently reenacts Oz, the cable show, not the cute one with the witches.

So far the two little ones we have are growing steadily, and we pet and handle them alot so they get used to it for milking etc. The milking stand is in our future as soon as my welding skills are a little more precise (another topic). We do use a head gate w/treats for shots, hoof clipping etc on the Boers, it's just not off the ground like a milk stand.

Our herd will have horns though, which is something to think about. Some can't bring themselves to burn them off (they scream like you're killing a human baby, you think I'm kidding) and will put up with the dangers of horns in the goats later life, and to some it is an absolute to take them off for safety reasons for them and for you while handling them. Personally I like the built in handles if I need to grab them for something or tie them to something. But then I've never been gored so far over the years of weekend goat rustling so I might think that.

Oops getting too long.

Hope this helps, I've been around them for years, but it is new living out here and handling day to day stuff with them. They are entertaining though, and they do have their personalities.

Take care,
Superhoney

Offline doak

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2008, 08:23:13 pm »
Speaking of fried green tomatoes, I live about 25 miles from where the movie was filmed. ;) :)doak

Offline dpence

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Re: milk goat
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2008, 08:36:08 pm »
Nigerian Dwarf goats are said to be very good as far as milk production.  My wife and I have two registered nannies that we are having bred soon.  They are just a year old and very gentle and inexpensive to raise.

David