If you are thinking about getting some milking goats, you are not alone. Each year, more and more people are choosing to have a few goats around for milk production for their families. Goats are very intelligent and friendly creatures who can be not only good milk producers but also fun and entertaining to have around. They weigh much less than milk cows, so are easier to care for and move around.
There are six breeds of milking goats that are recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association. These are the American LaMancha, Alpine, Saanen, Nubian, Toggenburg, and the Oberhasi. The Saanen, Alpine and Toggenburg are all considered to be Swiss breeds, having their origins in the French and Swiss Alps. If you don't know what kind of goat to start out with, you can get information on each breed from its breed association. It is a good idea to visit a few goat farms which raise some different breeds as well.
Alpine, LaMancha and Nubian are the most popular of the various goat breeds in the United States. They are all considered to be medium to large in size. Alpines are bred in almost every color and color combination: black, red buff, gray, fawn and brown. Most are from the French Alps.
The LaMancha, on the other hand, was bred in the United States. They are known for their very short and sometimes almost non-existent ears. Two-inch ears are known as "elf ears," while one-inch are called "gopher ears." In order to register a male LaMancha, the gopher ears must be present. In the females, it doesn't matter what type of ears she has. Nubians are probably the most popular of the milking goats around the world. They are large, with long ears. They are excellent milkers, and their percentage of milk fat is very high.
Saanens, Toggenburgs, and Oberhasis are all good selections but relatively scarce in the U.S. compared to other breeds. If you are going to develop a herd for milk production, you will need to decide which of the milking goats will provide the most advantages. For instance, if you wanted to sell milk commercially you might choose breeds that give higher quantity, while if you wanted to make cheese or other milk products, you would want quality milk with a higher fat content. Much to many people's surprise, goat's milk tastes just the same as cow's milk.
Some herds of milking goats produce as much as 3,000 pounds of milk per day. Just like cows, goats need to be milked every day. Most dry out for a couple months in the winter before they have kids in the spring. A visit to a commercial goat farm can be very helpful if you wish to produce milk to sell and not just for family use. Most goat owners are happy to answer any questions you may have.
