# I need a goat mentor!



## rmh rider (May 12, 2011)

Ok, so I have three acres outside of Atlanta and our family tries to use the land to provide some of our food. We have had chickens for years, we grow a garden, raise rabbits, and have horses. I was browsing Craiglist (a dangerous place for me!) about a month ago and I came across an ad for a Nubian doe for $50...so I called because it would be nice to have a home milk supply too.

To make a long story short, we went to look and try goat's milk, and they offered us a Saanen/Boer cross 3 year old doe in milk. They had four does in milk, and couldn't use all they were getting. We loved the milk and we bought her, but we didn't expect to have one in milk now! My husband quickly threw together a milk stand and we converted a stall for her. Neither one of us had ever milked anything, so we youtubed it to learn how! 

I have lots of questions though, and I want to find a patient person to teach me more about them. Right now she is milking a little over a gallon a day (freshened with twins around 6 weeks ago), which is down from the nearly two gallons a day she started off at! We were not milking her dry because she was giving way too much for us to use, we have three gallons in the fridge now!

How hard is it to make cheese and soap? She wouldn't eat the dairy goat feed(for three days) that our feed store had..ADM...so we mixed it with a mare and foal feed which she loves! Is this ok? The nutrients, including copper are almost identical. How much should she eat a day? Right now she eats 6 cups 2x day, and she has gained weight since we have gotten her. Also, she had coastal bermuda and all the weeds and trees that the horses won't touch. What do you use to keep the flies off their ears? What do you use to worm them? Her tongue looks pale to me. When do I need to breed her back? Also, I have noticed that her milk once in the fridge for a few hours has a cream that builds on the sides of the mason jar, is that normal? Temp. in fridge is 40 degrees and milk is wonderful! Sorry for all the questions, but I want to make sure she is getting the care she deserves.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

rmh rider said:


> How hard is it to make cheese and soap? not really hard -- I sugest either getting a kit from like caprine supply or hoeggars supply for making cheese to get the hang of it - or buying a cheese making book - found all sorts of places on line. making soap is fairly easy too as long as you have the lye, that can be hard to locate.
> 
> She wouldn't eat the dairy goat feed(for three days) that our feed store had..ADM...so we mixed it with a mare and foal feed which she loves! Is this ok? The nutrients, including copper are almost identical. How much should she eat a day? Right now she eats 6 cups 2x day, and she has gained weight since we have gotten her.I would cut back that amount a bit -- beings she is gaining weight. try 4-5 cups per feeding and see if she maintains weight and milk production, if anythign goes down either in weight or milk production then up her feed a bit Also, she had coastal bermuda and all the weeds and trees that the horses won't touch.
> 
> ...


I also want to add that a buddy is very important - goats are herd animals and do better when their have another of their own kind


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## glenolam (Jul 20, 2010)

What Stacey Said!


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

The only thing I can think of to add to what Stacey said is that if you don't milk her out she may continue to make less milk until you aren't getting enough and she eventually dries up. You should empty her out even if you have to throw out milk. But you can give it to your chickens, and you can give it to your neighbors. It is better for her if you milk her out.

Good luck, hope you end up loving them as much as we all do.

Jan


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Yep both Stacey and Jan have great points! :thumbup:


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## Cornerstone Croft (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm new here but agree with everything that was posted! I've been milking my girls for almost a year and still have questions every once in a while! Since finding The Goat Spot I've found many answers, you all are great! How do you all deal with a doe that insists on lifting her left rear foot? My other girls are "angels" and my husband says sell her...thanks.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

CornerStone, you are probably better off starting a new post to get the answers you are looking for. 
Are you milking from the side or behind? She is only doing left foot?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

mine love to do the only left foot up == as long as they dotn put it down in the milk pail I could care less if the leg is up. But if they start stomping with it then they get a smack


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## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

Hi Rmh, congrats on your new girl! You should probably be warned though ~ goats are addicting! One turns into 2 or 3, then...oops! Lol...luckily I have a very patient hubby. We have purebred Nubians & those girls with those beautiful ears are irresistable!

Although I am still a newbie on the goatspot, and I don't expect everyone to agree with me, I would like to respectfully add my 2-cents worth. I do agree with having a fecal done if you are concerned about worms. However, there are some wonderful herbal wormers out there. In 3 years, my girls have never had a chemical wormer & have never had a problem with worms. I don't ever have to worry about what I'm subjecting my animal to, or what we are ingesting.

That cream that rises to the top of the milk: Nubian milk has A LOT of cream. If you skim off the excess, put it in a freezer-safe container & freeze until you have a decent little stash. You can make the best butter ever!

You should milk her out completely, and if you get into making cheese, you'll wish you had MORE milk. Some cheeses are pretty easy once you get the hang of it. The easiest for me is feta. Mozz. can be tricky, but once you get the hang of it, it's fun! 

Good luck with your new endeavor!


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## PznIvyFarm (Jul 25, 2010)

I think you can freeze the milk too,(esp for soap, i am sure i saw that people freeze it, i plan to make some this summer) I make pudding alot, cheese, dump it into anything i can. The kids say they don't think they like goat milk just to drink, but i make their cocoa with it every morning and no one has noticed.

I found a great cheese making site, avoids the problem with buying a kit. He has other recipes too. I made the soft cheese, and the hard cheese. The blue cheese was a dismal failure. I cut it open after 6 months, had a great bloom on the outside but the inside was grey.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/cheese.html

He has directions for a cheese press also. Instead of a chunk of pvc (which was really expensive) i found a tupperware dish that was the right size and drilled holes in the bottom. Later added holes on the sides too. I made a follower out of a piece of pine that i cut to the right size. I may have to break down and order the cheese wax b/c the last two batches that i kept for several months were almost impossible to cut into. But the cheese itself tastes like a parmesan or romano after you age it awhile.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Welcome to the wonderful world of goats and to TGS. :wave: 
If you end up like us you will soon have a herd. Just for starters you may consider a wether as a companion. Especially if there is a lot of bawling. 
We just started cheesemaking and are having quite a ball. But be advised; they call it an art for a reason. There has been a lot of hit and miss and a few dismal failures. But, all in all we are having fun.
I too make a lot of pudding and it turns out wonderful. I make two quarts of yogurt every week or so. If you are getting enough cream to scrape off you are lucky. We wanted lots of cream and finally found a cream seperator we could afford. We have made butter, whipped cream and ice cream. All were very good.You have stated that this goat gives tasty milk. The better the milk, the better the products.
Good luck.


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## rmh rider (May 12, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies. Her eyelids look ok, so I guess she doesn't need to be wormed at the moment. I am now milking her all the way out and we are getting around a gallon and a half a day. The chickens and barn cat love me too! 

We didn't get two goats hoping that she would bond with the horses, but neither one seems interested in the other. She doesn't cry all day any more, she seem content with the cat and the chickens around. I will probably keep a doe if she has one this spring for company. 

I have started spooning the cream off the top to save for butter, I can't wait to make that! I there a better way to get the cream out without an expensive separator? Also, did anyone buy a yogurt maker, and how would you make it without one? I am concerned about making cheese and yogurt with unpasteurized milk because of the bacteria that might grow. Is it safe for a beginner to do?

I will tell you this goat is a trip! When she doesn't want to be lead somewhere she will just lay down! Good thing I have some horse experience, because moving an 130 lb goat isn't easy! I got my lead rope with the popper on the end then tap, tap, tapped until she decided to get up. She is good natured, but definitely has an opinion on everything. She loves me but dislikes my husband even though he is nice to her and milks her in the evening.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I found a yogurt maker at a thrift store. I really like it because I just put the jars in it and cover them with a tea cozy. By evening it is ready for the fridge and by morning it is ready to eat. But there are lots of suggestions including putting it in the oven with the light on, wrapped in towels ovenight and *cooking* it in a thermos. I used the oven when I was at my daughter's and it worked okay.
We are militant raw milk drinkers. If your goat is healthy and you take care milking; there is little to worry about. One can always pasturize if you are worried. The longer I work with raw milk the more comfortable I feel with it. Be forwarned: if anyone gets sick and you go to the doctor he will automatically blame the raw milk.
There are good resources available online to explain the benefits and explain how it is *self cleaning*. 
Sounds like your girl is a real doll. I have four like that.


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