I'm trying to get started in raising Nigerian dwarf dairy goats for milk and producing offspring for 4H.
Does anyone have any suggestions on who would be the best companion for a buckling ?
Should it be another buckling, a whether, or an older female goat who may get pregnant (but eventually she will have to be separated from him and then the buckling is alone again) ?
Your experience and wisdom is appreciated.
Thanks,
Lisa
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I live in a small town so it was a good couple hours drive to get some of our goats.
I don't think many around my general area are raising goats for milk production (none of them milked them for their own use - and this was 3 different breeders). And I'm pretty sure my husband wouldn't let me spend that kind of money on our first goats !
I was so happy to bottle feed one of my bucklings at 4 weeks old. He loves me to death. Some breeders are willing to let them go early (if they can get them trained to drink from a bottle) and some are not (they want the mother to raise them until they are weaned at 8 weeks).
Well, we all have goats for different reasons I guess. Some show, some milk, some breed for polled, or blue eyes.
You know I was wondering about those angora goats or cashmere goats ? One breeder had an angora goat (very soft kind of wavy fur) and a half-angora goat. I hear cashmere comes from goats too.
It sounds like it would be fun to raise goats for their fur and shave them just before it gets hot. And then spin the fur into yarn and dye it. I remember running into a lady at the county fair that spun something (wool ?) into yarn and dyed them the most beautiful colors. But a bit pricey for a quantity of yarn.
I'm not into raising goats for meat, like Boers. My friend is doing this. She also has Alpines and Nubians.
Well, we'll see how much milk these does yield. At least it will save us some money from having to buy milk at the store.
Most of the breeds, including nigerian dwarfs, sell good milk and breeding stock at a premium. I have seen some go over $1,000 for a good buck. I have paid anywhere from $250-$600 for nigis from good milk lines. Some have been worth it, some not as much. A doe kid should run between $250-$400 if she is out of good milk genetics, and a full grown doe generally isn't under $400 if she's not a cull or have a major defect for showing. Most people won't end up with the really nice ones at the start, so there are a lot available for less in many areas, but part of the price of some stock is the breeder's knowledge and consistent results from kids.
For instance, Rosasharn and Ceasers Villa are old names that have produced a lot of consistently good nigerian dwarfs, in form and milk production. It takes years and years to get to the point you can do that, and a lot of time and money is invested in the process, but when you buy these goats you know what you are getting. On top of that, reputable breeders have to cover bills for herd disease testing as well as the feed and housing, and don't forget many are on milk test and linear appraisal, both programs helping evaluate and confirm for the buyer that the animals are what the breeder says. These programs are not cheap, and you pay for them when you purchase the animals from breeders that take part in them. What this means for a buyer is a better likelihood of getting healthy, productive goats. The trick is choosing goats from breeders that have the higher prices for these reasons, and not the breeders who are trying to capitalize off of the breed just because good breeders have developed a good reputation over many years of hard work. There are a lot of people selling nigerian dwarfs for high prices when the goats are never part of any programs to back up production or form, nor do a lot of these people bother with reliable disease testing. There are also plenty of honest beginners selling lower because they are still learning the ropes. You can get good animals from beginners, but they won't have a consistency that a longer established herd will.
Hey, Janel ! How did you manage to get your baby goats at 2 days old ? Did you buy the mother with the babies ?
That's fun....Valentine's Day babies !
Last Christmas I got my favorite white goat. I'm still looking for a little white goat with a black nose someday. I hope the babies aren't too cute that I want to keep too many. I doubt my husband would let me. I'm already maxed out at the limit he set. Although, the number did change since the original limit....we'll see. I'm just looking for that polled registered doeling that can come from only 2 of the does, until next year, when I may breed the same ones again.
Talk to you later !
Hey, Janel ! Yeah, I guess that would make sense. We bought our 6 goats based on their looks. We're hoping to get some milk out of them for the boys to drink and if there is any extra, to make cheese and soap. They are primarily pets, with milk as a benefit. It's not like I'm opening a cheese factory or anything, like my friend is.
I guess I chose based on their aesthetic beauty since my husband set a limit quick on the # of goats I'm allowed to keep. I would never part with my original 6. Hoping to maybe keep a registered polled doeling if we get one.
I'm working on obtaining a pure polled registered buck or doe in the future. My friend has one doe that always throws polled babies when crossed with a disbudded buck, but she isn't registered.
Someone told me it takes 9 successive generations of all polled babies to be considered pure polled.
I guess we all have our goats for different reasons/purposes. Mine are such loving, entertaining, affectionate pets. I love them to death. And I think the rest of the family does too. We can't wait for our first baby goats for Christmas !
You've peaked my curiosity.......how much is she selling her Nigerian Dwarf Goats for ?
I checked out the site and found the For Sale page - one was listed for $350.
Yeah, that's a bit on the high side.
Normally $200 is on the high side (for double registered goats). Sometimes you can find some for $125 (I think that's what I paid for some).
I saw some online somewhere for $500 !!
Well, whatever the market is willing to pay, I guess.
It's small for now, but I'm hoping it will grow with time.
Yes, 3 goat forums, 3 chicken forums...way too much to keep up with well on top of running everything on the farm !
I'm transitioning my sons to get on the chicken forums. And haven't really made too many visits lately to the other forums.
Just not enough time in the day to do everything you want to.......need to prioritize for best time management.
Later,
Lisa
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