Dairy Goat Breed

If you love milk and dairy, keeping goats on your homestead can provide you and your family the self-sufficiency you desire.

Although dairy goats provide less milk than cows, they’re a lot cheaper and require much less space, feed and grazing area than their bovine counterparts. Goats are the better choice for a small or urban homestead. They’re easy to handle, even for a woman or a child. And because of their friendly demeanor and sweet, intelligent personalities, they can bring a lot of fun, mirth and affection into the family farm.

There are more than 200 different species of goats, each with varying sizes, colors, temperaments and benefit to humans. A dairy goat is one that produces far more milk than necessary in nursing her young.

Seven of the most common dairy breeds in the United States are the Alpine, Anglo-Nubian, La Mancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Oberhasli, Saanen and Toggenburg.

The Alpine, Oberhasli, Saanen and Toggenburg are the shaggier breeds, originating from Europe.  Anglo-Nubians, La Manchas and Nigerian Dwarves are dessert or tropical species which are best suited for warmer climates. When choosing dairy goats, you’ll have to consider a few things:

• Whether you want them for milk production alone or also for meat and fiber. Also, whether you want them for fun and companionship as pets.
• What you plan to do with the milk: drinking it, or making cheese, butter, ice cream and yogurt, or soap and lotions.
• Your local climate.
• How much space, time, money and effort you’re willing to invest in caring for them.

This Book Clearly Illustrates What An Easy And Rewarding Experience Raising Goats Can

Remember that each doe will produce her own amount and quality of milk. Some can put out more than a gallon a day, while others will yield only half as much — or even less. It depends on several factors, not solely on breed: her health, how long she’s been lactating, her age, milking stock or line, and diet. Even the taste of her milk will vary, based on what she eats. Some lesser-known milkers produce far more than the more popular ones, while others that are not recognized for high butterfat content end up producing richer, creamier milk. There is far more variation among nanny goats of the same breed than there is between one breed and another.

But most does will produce substantial amounts of milk, often more than a gallon per day. A healthy nanny lactates 9 to 10 months a year, with milk production peaking at 8 weeks after she kids and continuing for about 3 months. Lactation then begins to decline until it’s down to about just a quart a day. Two months before the next kidding, the milk dries up.

1. Alpine

Alpines, or French Alpines, are medium-sized hardy goats that originated in the French Alps.  They have dish faces, erect ears and range from white to gray or brown and black colors. If you have a large family, these girls can meet your need as they’re known to be steady, reliable milkers. According to CountrysideMag.com, the Alpine averages the highest annual milk output of any breed, producing about 2,000 pounds per year. It has, however, the lowest levels of fat among all kinds of milk – including cow’s and human’s. Protein in Alpine milk is high, and compared to the popular Saanen goat milk, it is higher in all nutritional aspects except for fat – which makes it a much healthier choice.

Alpines are friendly, adaptable and useful around the farm. In Europe, neutered males (wethers) are often used as pack animals.

2. Anglo-Nubians

Nubians are a large, graceful breed that were developed in Britain with mixes from the Middle East and North Africa. They have long floppy ears (which make them adorable as kids — they almost look like puppies) and high Roman noses. They come in many colors, often black or bay. Because of their heritage, they can tolerate very hot climates and have a longer breeding period than others.