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Offline Brian D. Bray

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« Reply #20 on: June 05, 2006, 01:34:06 am »
New momma's (cows) can be skittish any kick the calf while it is trying to nurse.  I've had to wean a calf off of momma and onto a nippled pail or drinking from a bucket more than once.  Get some Milk replacer from your local farm supply and augment the rations.

You should be able to get goats milk in the dairy section of most grocery stores.  Ice Cream and Cheese--makes having a goat worth the slight aggrivation, but all in all I'll take a goat over a cow any day of the week. It is possible to handle 3 milk goats with less aggrivation than one milk cow.  

I use to milk cows twice a day while in High School Oh so many years ago.  Wait until you have to help the mother have the calf during a breach birth.  Clue: take off the watch before pushing the calf back in and turning it around.  Everythings much simpler with goats.  Their droppings are called smart pills--try one and find out why.
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Offline Hi-Tech

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« Reply #21 on: June 05, 2006, 01:52:45 am »
You now have my curiosity up....

Will goats and cows co-exist?
Do they winter on hay?
Are they hard on the pasture?
Are they hard to keep fenced?
How many goats per acre?
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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« Reply #22 on: June 06, 2006, 10:55:32 am »
I have 1 1/3 acre (about 1/2 in pasture) and run three goats, 1 billy and 2 nannies and then there's the kids until butcher time.  They thrive on weeds and brush--best natural land clearing device ever created.  Except that they take goat feed instead of cow feed (They will survive on cowfeed though) you feed them pretty much the same way.  And Yes goats and cows can co-exist.  Fencing is the only downside but if you're already using woven pasture fence you're set, otherwise use 3 strands of electric fence--1 above and below the one for the cows.  If you stake the goats on a 30 foot chain you need to move them to a new location about once a week.
And old table makes a handy milking stanchion--I roll my wheelchair under it just like at the dinner table and milk the goat--You could do it standing up.
They also keep the volunteer shots from the lilac, prune, and hazel trees under control
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Offline Hi-Tech

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« Reply #23 on: June 07, 2006, 01:16:42 am »
What kind or breed of goats do you recommend?
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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« Reply #24 on: June 08, 2006, 01:31:23 am »
Depends on what you want to use them for: Milk, meat, or dray (pulling and packing).  I prefer Nubians as they are usually easier to handle and not as noisy as others.  Saanen's are good milkers also.  I have a Nubian and a Nubian/Saanen cross both are gentle and milk well.
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Offline Hi-Tech

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« Reply #25 on: June 08, 2006, 01:37:41 am »
One last goat question. If I decided to give goats a try, could I just get a couple of nannys or do they need a billy and then a kid before they can be milked? I hate to start with a bunch of them only to find I don't like em... :wink:
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Offline pdmattox

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« Reply #26 on: June 08, 2006, 10:07:28 pm »
Quote
One last goat question. If I decided to give goats a try, could I just get a couple of nannys or do they need a billy and then a kid before they can be milked? I hate to start with a bunch of them only to find I don't like em...


I belive they have to become pregnant to get the milk flowing but not 100% sure.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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« Reply #27 on: June 08, 2006, 11:28:01 pm »
The answer is basic biology.  
No female animal (including humans) naturally gives milk without becoming pregnant and giving birth first.  True with cows, true with goats, etc.  It's not necessary to have a billy if you can get one on loan for stud service.  My younger brother and I both have nanies and share the billy.  Keeps him happy.  
Doe goats come in heat about every 2-3 weeks until bred.  then will start  coming in heat again within 2-3 months of giving birth or once the kid is weaned--and yes you can milk it while it is still nursing the kid, just leave half for it.  Milk for 10 months, stop until after the kid is born, and them begin milking again.  They are being milked at the time they'tr bred and until a month or 2 before giving birth.  2 Nannies can keep a family of 4 in milk, cheese, and ice cream pretty well and are a lot less trying than cows.  A billy can preform almost as well as a donkey when it comes to pulling (pull a grown man in a cart) but can only pack about 75 lbs on its back.
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Offline Summerbee

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« Reply #28 on: June 09, 2006, 10:16:21 am »
I have had Nubians and Nigerian Dwarves.  Both are good milk producers.  Nubians are more common, but the Nigerians are more of a pet quality, if you're not going to eat them.  The Nigerians are smaller, and give slightly less milk though.
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