We do not guarantee any milk production or show career on any animals sold. This article will explain why we chose Nigerian milk-goats, basics of care and breeding, and different ideas on how to turn goats into profits. Picking a buck is the same as picking does. All the action is in the udders. Contrary to popular belief, goat milk has the same affect on people with lactose intolerance as cow’s milk. Our family raises registered Nigerian Dwarf Goats with a focus on milk production and conformation. Cover the jars to bring into the house then STRAIN out any hair or other debris. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. My first milking station was made from a wooden pallet and a 2×4. Your email address will not be published. As an Amazon Associate, Homestead.org earns from qualifying purchases. You can also make soaps and lotions from goat milk. You will get more milk overall by milking twice each day than you would by only milking once each day. It can have a slight “earthy” smell depending on how well you clean the teats. Breeds to Consider. They are amazing milk producers, can be bred at any time of the year, are small, and easy to handle. To help with birthing you will need a “kit.”  The kit should include: iodine, latex gloves, towels, floss, and scissors. What would we do with a gallon of milk per day, every day? You will need a head hold, or a milking station. 5. In order to make babies you will need a buck. So it’s better to find a passive way to sell your products. But remember what you are selling isn’t a product. We've selected our goats for optimum dairy production. Nigerian Dwarf Goat Raising For Beginners. If you want meat goats then you would buy Boer’s, most likely. The Nigerian Dwarf, like the American Pygmy Goat, derives from these, but does not resemble the stocky West African Dwarf in conformation – it has been bred to have the appearance of a miniature dairy goat. That’s where most males are destined to end up. Goats are social animals; never try to keep just one goat. Even the most friendly goat isn’t all that interested in standing still for twenty minutes while you milk her. age at start of lactation milk lbs range b-fat % / lbs protein % / lbs ecm*lbs alpine 571 3y6m 2715 750-5720 3.3 / 89 2.9 / 78 2602 lamancha 409 3y5m 2298 830-4120 3.7 / 85 3.2 / 72 2371 nigerian dwarf 545 3y6m 795 […] Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats. ***Once goats leave the care of N GoatFarm we will at that point, not have any control over its wellbeing, health, or treatment, so after it leaves N GoatFarm, it is the responsibility of the buyer to keep the goats healthy and taken care of. Your Name. The scissors are used to cut the umbilical cord, if necessary (it has never been necessary for me). Having assistance can mean the difference between one live kid and three live kids. The Nigerian Dwarf goat milk benefit is that it is higher in butterfat (6-10 percent) and higher in protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds. of the fence –on the bottom- toward the out side on the ground, so no dogs or coyotes can dig through. Our homestead is currently populated by seven Nigerian milk-goats. Nigerian dwarfs are compact goats, but powerful milk producers. Use a clean jar and milk each side of the goat. If you buy a goat for milking, she should be pregnant, recently have given birth, or you will need a buck to impregnate her for future milk-production. 2. What does this look like? Log in. Between about 1930 and 1960 a variety of small goats of the West African Dwarf group of breeds were imported from Africa to the United States to be exhibited in zoos. Learn how your comment data is processed. You can make cheese out of goat milk. We also raise several breeds of rabbits for show and focus on breeding to the ARBA standard of perfection, we attend local shows and are currently working to constantly improve our herd. They are hardy, gregarious, friendly and can thrive in almost any climate. If your goal is maximum fluid milk production, and you prefer the taste and texture of skim milk, then you may view the Nigerian’s high butterfat as a disadvantage. I don’t think a homestead can be called complete without at least two goats on it. Don’t worry, it’s easy to spot. We are members of ADGA and currently participate in DHIR. ... Milking more often creates more milk production. A mature and well bred doe can produce a half gallon of milk a day. Generally, we will take the males to the local “sale barn” where they are auctioned off. What does that mean? Milking more often creates more milk production. You can do the math. Nigerian Dwarf milk has a cream content which is 3 times higher than that of any other goat breed. We made the mistake of only getting one goat to start. If the kid can’t find the teat in a reasonable amount of time, then help it. Having a buck in your herd is just like having a man anywhere else… it’s a bit more trouble but you need one to get certain chores done! Future plans include offering a variety of goat milk soaps and cheese for … 2. Because goats can provide milk, meat, and money, three essentials for self-sufficiency. Its production ranges from 0.5-4 kg of milk per day (one quart of milk weighs roughly 2 pounds), with an average doe producing about 2.5 pounds of milk per day. Of course they will!”. Nigerian dwarf milk-goats are small, friendly, and cute. You can also subscribe without commenting. Don't subscribe The gloves and towels are there for obvious reasons. It’s a win-win scenario. One of the most common problems is Rear-First positioning; you will need to turn the kid around. This article is not designed to do so. Nigerian Dwarf goats really are the complete package. The Nigerian Dwarf, a miniature dairy goat breed, is widely recognized for its sweet, creamy goat milk. The white one was born first, which is why it’s cleaner. Otherwise, they will try to run away. In this case his junk is his scrotum. It was well-written, informative, and enjoyable! Occasionally, I will massage the udder to get more milk to drop. Her udders almost drag on the ground; they have actually been cut and scraped when she climbs over things. We breed our line of Nigerian Dwarf goats for LegenDAIRY milk production, strong conformation, and pleasant personality. They don’t produce as much milk per day as Nubians, but we don’t need more than one to two pints of milk per day anyway. For us, the process of milking takes about 20 minutes per session per goat, or 40 minutes per day per goat. One could go to people who have booths at local antique-shops and see if they have a shelf to rent, or would engage in some sort of profit-sharing arrangement. Won’t your hands feel softer because of it? A bad goat will take just as much feed and space as a good goat. It’s a trip!! In 2004, we attended our first goat shows, and our daughters became completely addicted — so much that they both wanted to have their very own goats. Look for healthy, clear eyes, good structure and plenty of junk in his trunk. Fresh smells better even though it is “farmy.”. So, if you need goats for milk production and excellence and volume is your goal, then you have to stock your herd with dairy breeds. In other words, paying an extra $100 up front is better than spending lots of food, medicine, and time on a goat that under-performs in the long run. Thanks for this article. What does goat milk taste like? Because when they start having kids, and you want/need to help the birth, they have to trust you. We showed our Nigerian dwarf goats from 2004 to 2008, and we were on DHI 305-day milk testing for 2006 to 2008. Nigerian Dwarf goats are known for their even tempers and gentle, playful personalities. That’s it! Replies to my comments Baby goats are just like any other type of baby, they are fun to watch! They are the most popular meat-goat. So consider the difference between goat milk and cow milk to be the same as the difference between fresh-picked green beans from the garden and a can of green beans. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Nigerian Dwarf Dairy 2450 Pond Town Rd., Brunson, SC 29911 (803) 942-2606 terri@jandjcarolinakidz.com No matter how you do it, no homestead is complete without a couple of goats, even if they are just for taking cute photos. Anything other than that requires intervention to re-position the kid. Why do we have a goat with bad udders? Craigslist.org will do the trick. You don’t need to buy one. The idea of selling these things at the flea market may seem like a good idea, but flea markets cost money and will eat up your entire weekend. Many homesteaders actually prefer the milk of Nigerian dwarfs when making organic goat soap or cheese to sell. Worst-case scenario is that they stay long enough to make even more babies! The exact process for milking is as follows: 1. Welcome to Willow Pond Farm Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats! Nigerian Dwarf goats - Sunny Meadow . All of our ND goats are disease-free and dual-registered with ADGA and AGS. high goat fence or higher with 4in. Clean the kid’s nose and mouth to make sure it is breathing, but otherwise leave it alone. Taste of Nigerian dwarf goats milk. The iodine is there to treat the umbilical wound on the kid and keep it from getting infected. Later I built an entire goat “tractor” with a milking station and a yard to hold the goats about to be milked. Alpine, American LaMancha, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Saanen, Sable, and Toggenburg are the primary dairy breeds available in the US. Subscribe to Get Post in E-mail. Nigerian Dwarf Goat Milk Tastes Better. Do not try to pull on the after-birth or do anything more than is absolutely necessary to help the birthing process. If you have a milk allergy (like I do), then goat milk will not cause gastric distress. Some people also shave or trim the udders to keep hair from getting into the milk. Your Email I agree to receive this newsletter and know that I can easily unsubscribe at any time. Put goat in milking station (with some feed). Nigerian Dwarf milk has approximately 6 – 10% butterfat, as opposed to approximately 2 – 6% for other breeds. Their small size and manageability make them an ideal choice for our little homestead. Learn More → They exist, and people may claim that they are just as good or even better. Feed them by hand often. Making babies is what makes milk. It is possible to keep a goat in milk for months. 1. Goats produce about 2% of the world’s total annual milk supply. Generally, you will let the kids nurse until weaning at about eight weeks, then you will start milking after that. We chose milk goats, but we didn’t choose Nubians. dhir breed averages – 2019 lactations does 275-305 days in milk n= avg. Tag: Nigerian Dwarf Goat Milk Production. Nigerian Dwarf Goats 201: Getting Started, Nigerian Dwarf Goats 101: Background & Basics, http://www.livescience.com/52540-goat-facts.html, http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/bramblestone-farm-2012-kidding-schedule/, http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/choosing-nigerian-dwarf-does-hand-or-machine-milking/, http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/product/nigerian-dwarf-goats-101-background-basics/, http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Goat-Hobble.html. The Nigerian dwarf goats can serve dual purpose – pets and milk production. IMPORTANT:  If you are going to have baby goats, then it’s very useful to make your goats very FRIENDLY and TRUSTING of humans. A great way to have fun while making profit is to make new baby goats. Nigerian dwarf milk goats are powerhouses when it comes to mini-milk production. A goat that consistently has triplets can make a thousand dollars more in profits (over her lifetime) than a goat that only has twins. They will be following mom around within hours of birth, and by day two they will seem like they’ve aged a month. You will need to buy at least two goats, otherwise the solo goat may not eat and will make constant noise. The gray goat is a great mother and a wonderful goat, but she has bad udder development. (Privacy Policy) *. The fat stays in the milk, making the milk taste richer than cow milk. The difference between making goat cheese and goat milk soap is the FDA. Suffice it to say, a kid should come out with it’s front feet and face emerging AT THE SAME TIME. However, we have ten acres of pasture. There are lots of rules about making and selling cheese or milk products, but no real rules about selling soap. Our carefully crafted recipe was formulated with a focus on fatty acid profiles, the best and most scientific way to calculate what desirable properties a soap will possess. Goat milk has smaller fat particles, so it’s harder to separate into cream and milk. I consent to Homestead.org collecting and storing the data I submit in this form. If you just want to make great goats of the same breed then make sure you get goats that look like good examples of the breed. But it generally results in more dead kids and possibly even a dead doe. Goats also play an important role in the farm ecosystem, as they prefer to eat brush and many weeds that other grazing animals avoid. The Economics of Being a Cheap-o: How to Retire Without a Huge Pension and Enjoy It. It may seem obvious, but not everyone knows that in order to milk a goat she first must have recently had a baby. If I just buy 2 nigerian dwarf does is it usually easy to find someone to breed with their buck and does it cost much? Bramblestone Farm Nigerian Dwarf Goats Earn Milk Production Stars! Goats can be eaten, milked, or sold (to be eaten or milked). I recommend against getting any sort of cross-bred goats. Generally you will want to milk your goats twice each day. A milking stand really just needs two pieces of wood with notches cut out to go around the goat’s neck and hold her head in place. Online places like Etsy may work as well. Required fields are marked *. The kids in the picture were just born minutes before. It helps if you include a feed bucket where the goat can eat a little while you are milking her. If you are doing this on dirt, or rocks, or in your backyard, time means feed. We participate in ADGA Linear Appraisals, milk tests (DHIR) and local shows. Otherwise she would stand at the fence and cry. I’m a big fan of goat milk because it doesn’t affect me like cow milk does. Each year, we do either a 305-day milk production test or a one-day milk production test to see if the Bramblestone Farm Nigerian Dwarf does (that don’t yet have milking star designations) can earn their milking stars with the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) and the American Goat Society (AGS). When choosing goats, you first need to decide between meat or milk goats. Be careful to not let the goat kick over, or put her dirty foot in, the milk receptacle. Goat milk naturally has small, well-emulsified fat globules, which means the cream remains suspended in the milk, instead of rising to the top, as in raw cow milk; therefore, it does not need to be homogenized. A corner unsure where to go time, but powerful milk producers who have been selected have... To remember that cow milk a buck milking in order to milk a goat bad. 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Milk goats are social animals ; never try to keep a goat who has diarrhea, isn ’ t,... From their mother: 1 energetic, or otherwise makes you uncertain in this will! Strain out any hair or other debris a head hold, or sold ( to be bred, otherwise! Lots of rules about selling soap of a doe is not good either! Earthy ” smell depending on how well you clean the teats and bottom udders. On genetics, how many times the goat … Nigerian Dwarf milk has a cream content is! You clean the kid and three live kids nigerian dwarf goat milk production for maximum productivity treat the umbilical cord, necessary. T energetic, or in your backyard, time means feed since a goat first! Not guarantee any milk production depends on genetics, how many times the goat eat! Amount of time, but otherwise leave it alone from their mother and Enjoy it to this! Or sold ( to be milked milk supply occasionally, I will massage udder. 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