style="font-size:15px;"> If you want a goat to eat brush, then your choices are unlimited; you just have to figure out what size is best and how many you want. And if you know you want goats for just one purpose — milk, meat, or fiber — then the decision will be easier and you can just read about those kinds of goats. But what if you want a goat for milk and meat? Or fiber and milk? That might make the decision a little harder.
https://americangoatfederation.org/resources).
I give you some pointers below as I describe the three types of goats — dairy, meat, and fiber — and the breeds within those types.
Looking into Dairy Goats
If you want dairy goats, you have a variety of breeds and sizes to choose from. The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA), one of the United States’ two major dairy goat registries (organizations that keep official lists of goats within a specific breed, provide registration certificates, and compile pedigrees), recognizes eight different dairy goat breeds: Alpine, LaMancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen, Sable, and Toggenburg. The other registry, the American Goat Society (AGS), registers only purebreds and also recognizes the Pygmy as a dairy breed. (You can read more about registries and whether to buy registered or unregistered goats in Chapter 7.)
Neither of these registries recognizes the mini crossbreeds that have captured the hearts of urban goat owners, so two new registries have sprung up: The Miniature Goat Registry (TMGR) and the Miniature Dairy Goat Association (MDGA).
In addition, the Canadian Goat Society (CGS) registers purebred dairy goats, which also are accepted by the major dairy goat registries noted earlier.
Dairy goats provide milk, of course, and if you’re interested in a home supply of goat meat, your dairy goats can serve that purpose, too. Unfortunately, if you want fiber and milk, most dairy goats won’t work because their coats generally are too short, but fiber goats usually don’t produce a lot of milk.
In the upcoming sections, I give you an idea of what each of the standard dairy goats looks like and some of their traits. If you decide that you just have to have one of these breeds but can’t find it in your area, see Chapter 7, which tells you about sources for finding goats.
Standard dairy goat breeds
The standard breeds are a good choice if you want dairy goats that produce a lot of milk and you have the space: ADGA and AGS require that each of the breeds reaches a minimum, but not a maximum, height and weight. The minimum height for does ranges from 28 inches to 32 inches, depending on breed. The minimum buck heights are 30 to 34 inches.
The standard breeds produce an average of 5 to 8 pounds of milk each day for 10 months. This is the equivalent of approximately 2½ quarts to a gallon per day. Dairy goats’ milk production starts out lower, gradually increases throughout lactation, and then goes down again.
If you think you want standard dairy goats, deciding which one is for you depends mainly on size, the look and personality that strikes your fancy, and what is available to you. The upcoming sections tell you about the standard dairy goat breeds and some of the characteristics that define them.
Alpine
Alpines, also known as French Alpines, hail from the Alps. They are large goats that have erect ears and come in a variety of colors and patterns. They’re friendly and hardy, and the wethers (castrated males) are a favorite for use as pack animals. Many goat milk dairies have Alpines in their milking string because they consistently produce a lot of milk and often can be milked through without rebreeding. Figure 3-1 shows an Alpine goat.
FIGURE 3-1: An Alpine goat.
LaMancha
LaManchas look earless, but they actually have very small ears. The ears are of two types: gopher ears and elf ears. (Figure 3-2 shows a LaMancha with gopher ears.) Gopher ears are very small and rounded; elf ears are less than two inches long and turn up or down. People tend to either love or hate the looks of the LaMancha.
FIGURE 3-2: A LaMancha goat with gopher ears.
LaManchas descended from the Spanish Murciana and Spanish LaMancha goats brought to the United States from Mexico for meat and milk. They first got recognition as a separate breed in the early 1950s and are fast becoming a very popular breed. They come in a variety of colors and patterns and are very friendly. I have also found them quite curious, with an ability to get to food regardless of where you put it!
Nubian
Nubians (see Figure 3-3) are one of the most popular breeds. They have long, floppy ears and a rounded (Roman) nose, and they have been bred to be very large. Their milk has a high butterfat content, and they produce a lot of it — which makes them a good choice if you want to make cheese. Because of their large size, they make good meat goats, too.
Unfortunately, Nubians also are known for the loud, annoying cries that many of them make. The cries make them undesirable in some neighborhoods and on some farms.
FIGURE 3-3: A Nubian goat.
G-6-S GENE MUTATION: A PERSISTENT DEFECT IN NUBIANS
The G-6-S gene mutation was first discovered in 1987. Further investigation showed that about 25 percent of Nubians carry the gene, which results from a single mutation. It affects only Nubians and Nubian crosses. Carriers (N/G genotype) aren’t affected but can transmit the gene to 50 percent of their offspring. Carriers can make great pets, packers, and brush control goats.
Goats with the gene mutation lack the enzyme G-6-S, which causes a variety of symptoms that vary in severity. Failure to grow is the main sign. In some cases, a kid starts out smaller than normal and continues to grow slowly; in others a kid grows normally for three months or so and then stops growing. Other goats seem to grow to a normal size but are found to actually be small in comparison to other goats in that bloodline. Other signs include a lack of muscle mass, a “slab-sided” appearance or a “blocky” head. They seem to have compromised immune systems, experience reproductive problems and, in some cases, become deaf or blind. The longest a goat with G-6-S has been known to survive is less than four years. Death is usually caused by heart failure. Because goats with this defect can live long enough to breed, they continue to pass on the gene. Many Nubian breeders now test
