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Hello From Tennessee

Posted by Donna Hughes on June 12, 2011 at 11:57am in Introductions

I am in the process of acquiring Nigerian Dwarf goats.  I am starting with two registered junior does, and plan to get a buck from a friend who is from registered stock, but not registered.  My husband thinks that perhaps we should just get a registered buck as well, but I am not interested in showing, so I am still considering that.  Perhaps I will do both, in order to have a buck to breed any does that I decide to keep from the original stock.  I am home virtually 24/7, and both kids are in college, so I need something to occupy my time.

 

I used to breed and raise quarter horses, and I loved the babies, but I can no longer physically manage the foals and teach them their manners.  I really don't want a cow to think about milking, or the fully sized goats either.  Everything that I have read about Nigerian Dwarf goat leads me to think that these will be the best option for me. 

 

So here is to the beginning of another adventure!!

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  • Donna Hughes June 13, 2011 at 12:07pm
    Jackie, We are in the northeast corner of TN, about 15-20 miles from both North Carolina and Virginia.  Clarksville is between Nashville and the Kentucky state line, isn't it?  I sure hope your enjoy your farm and especially your goats.

    Jackie K said:
    Welcome Donna! Where are you in TN? We bought a farm near Clarksville and will be moving in about 2 weeks. I purchased 3 registered does and 2 reg. bucklings...their breeder is boarding them for me until we get set up in TN. I have bred a few horses in the past and loved to spoil pregnant mares. I am very careful of my back now, though and don't really care to ride. We still have my husband's old horse and his pony companion. Might try out a TN Walker when we get there, just to see how I like the gaits. But right now I am more focused on and excited about my goats!
  • Donna Hughes June 13, 2011 at 11:05am
    Thanks for all of the feedback regarding registration.  At the rate my husband is going with getting the inside of the barn finished, I could be another decade getting my first goats.....LOL. I think the unregistered buck is going to be a non-issue anyway since my friend's daughter is pitching a fit about me taking it, even though he is going to end up on property where they do not yet live and his risk of being the victim of a predator is relatively high.  Oh well, that's a teenager for ya.....they know everything.....  I am looking forward to getting to know folks here and learning from you.  I ordered the books about goat health care and raising goats (especially the dummies part) from Cheryl Smith, and I look forward to learning everything I can about these little critters.  Thanks again.
  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle June 12, 2011 at 10:25pm
    Welcome to the group. I agree with what Kare and Rachel said about registered stock. If a reputable breeder has a substandard doe or buck, they will sell them without papers because they don't want their herd name on them. So it's just tough to find decent goats that are unregistered. Most people are not going to sell quality stock for 1/3 to 1/6 the price if they can sell them with papers. And the sale barn is where people get rid of goats with diseases that are asymptomatic in the early stages, so someone else could have innocently picked up a cheap goat at the sale barn not knowing that they have CAE, and they take her home, breed her, and start selling kids with CAE.
  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres June 12, 2011 at 9:36pm

    What I was TRYING to say...

    Is that you can get goats that aren't registered (and might be perfectly good milkers) for less, but it's more of a gamble for you.

    OR

    You can pay more up front, know what you're getting, and not have to keep as many does for milking. That = less cost to keep, and less work to milk. (because you're only milking say, 2 does instead of 4 to get the same amount of milk)

    Plus with a registered buck, if you got one, IMO it should be one that comes from good milking lines so that he holds up his end of the breeding equation.

  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres June 12, 2011 at 9:31pm

    WELCOME!!! Good to have you here!!

     

    My two cents on registration:

    Do it. BECAUSE... even if YOU don't plan to register your goats, if you sell to anyone that wants to, it makes things much easier for them. Also, from what I've read on line, even if you're only using your goats for your own personal use, if you are breeding to build a herd FOR milking, then you'll want to have a buck worth his 1/2 of the breeding equation. IMO buying a registered buck is a good investment in assuring that your herd will have good milking lines to pass down. Which in the long run, even though you pay to register means you can keep 1 excellent milking doe and get good milk supply, or you can have 2 mediocre milking does for twice the amount to keep. Hope that made sense. lol

  • Julia Johnson June 12, 2011 at 5:22pm
    We got Nigerian goats after our kids left the nest now we have four legged kids welcome
  • Jackie K June 12, 2011 at 3:24pm
    Welcome Donna! Where are you in TN? We bought a farm near Clarksville and will be moving in about 2 weeks. I purchased 3 registered does and 2 reg. bucklings...their breeder is boarding them for me until we get set up in TN. I have bred a few horses in the past and loved to spoil pregnant mares. I am very careful of my back now, though and don't really care to ride. We still have my husband's old horse and his pony companion. Might try out a TN Walker when we get there, just to see how I like the gaits. But right now I am more focused on and excited about my goats!
  • Janel Rickey June 12, 2011 at 3:12pm
    Welcome to the group.  My husband and I are also new to ND's and we are in love.  They are so awesome and sweet!! I'm excited for you...
  • Kare June 12, 2011 at 12:01pm

    Very exciting, Donna! =)  These little guys are very easy to handle and oh, so sweet! (most of the time!)  As far as registering your animals, if you are thinking about selling the babies, you will be able to sell them for quite a bit more if the parents are registered.  It costs the same to keep them whether they are registered or not...  If sales are not an issue, and you aren't showing, I don't see any need to have them registered.

    Welcome to our group!

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