MINI GOATS

[danville]

I was given a 4 yo nanny mini goat recently. I have had dairy/meat breed crosses for several years. She is quite the character. Walked into the goat barn and immediately took over. She is now the dominate goat in a herd of 18. I just don't know what to do with her. Is there any market for her kids if I breed her? I can breed her locally to a nigerian dwarf. Is this OK? What can I expect? I really don't need any more hay burners, but she is soooo CUTE. To breed or not to breed, that is the question.

[Deberosa]

Mini goats can be very popular - maybe there is a 4H market for them? I've been tempted to get one once in a while but they are really expensive so that might be a good sign...

[danville]

Granny Nanny is a purebred Pygmy. Not much of a market for "pets" in this rural farming area. I am putting the Boer billy in to breed the nannies this week and can't decide to take her for breeding to the Nigerian Dwarf or just seperate her. I have heard some folks milk Nigerians. Just wondering if this cross is marketable or will I only end up with few more mouths to feed. Anyone have experience with milking this cross?

[Deberosa]

I have heard that in cattle you don't want to breed a big bull to a smaller cow - like holstein to Jersey or dexter because the calf would be too big for the cow to birth. It might be the same with goats. I do know people who milk nigerian dwarf goats and get quite a bit of milk from them.

That's about all my knowledge of goats, sorry.

[bee_pipes]

Apparently folks do milk Nigerians. They are supposed to have the highest milk-fat content (sweetest) milk of all the breeds. Sounds like the yield is low and the teats are small.

Nigerian bucks are crossed with Nubians to make mini-nubians. They have all the advantages of Nubians - easily milked (when compared to Nigerians) but requiring less space, feed and producing smaller yields, but better than Nigerians.

Pygmy bucks are crossed with Nubians to make Kinders. They too are good milkers, having the same advantages as mini-nubians, but are better meat goats.

The smaller bucks are used, rather than does, so the doe will not have an over-sized kid.

I have found a forum with goat folks - good place to get questions answered:
http://www.thegoatspot.net/index.php

Good place to get questions answered, find buyers, etc. Best of luck to you.

Regards,
Pat

[BrendaSue]

I had bought a nigerian dwarf billy, and two does, this past weekend, I learned my billy could be to big, no you do not want to breed a small doe with a large billy....

I had one gorgeous girl, we were lucky because we didn't know that the feet must come first or under the head, this one delivered pretty good with me and my so coaxing her, our second tried to deliver yesterday evening, the mom didn't have it in her, she was in a state of panic...I also learned that if I had of known all the signs I would of known this, we lost that baby...by the time we realized that possibly there is a major problem and my so tried to fix it, it was too late for the baby....the vet we took her to today said could of been a number of reasons, the cord to short etc...but one thing she did mention, the billy must be smaller, specially in first time moms....

We actually here they are in high demand, people seem to believe they will mow their lawn, and are advertised as *great pets, lol I will always tell them, they do NOT want a billy, something that life has recently taught me...one of my girls is a people person, the one that lost her baby is not...

I was told that these were milkers, it would take awhile in my opinion to get enough for anything, guess if you had them in volume it would be different.

[Deberosa]

Sorry to hear about your baby. I went to a "goat people" pot luck today. Everyone seemed to have a different focus on the choice of goats. One has a registered dairy, others have Nigerians for show, some have boers for meat. THe hostess lost two babies a couple of weeks ago when it got so cold here. SHe is at least 80 and went out at 3 AM to check but by 7 when she got out there again the baby was was born but too chilled to survive. She was frustrated with that but didn't have the stamina to stay the night with goats anymore. I think she was doing great for her age for sure! Anyhow - all of them hated to part with their animals even though they raise them for meat or milk.

[BrendaSue]

There is so many to choose from, these were my first so I am partial......they are sweet, funny, even though I couldn't eat them, not sure I could eat any goat but that is besides the point....it will be ok, trial and error, just sorry it was on my does expense that I learned...but next time.....I went this evening and bought everything I could need I hope, I will be ready, the scary thing is I have donkeys and cows to know how and what to do....their lives depend on me...lol a wake up call if you are an animal person....I have lived through to many trail and problems with my rabbits, think hopefully have that one down...