# Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluate)



## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

We just got into raising boer goats for meat, but I REALLY want a dairy goat for fresh milk and maybe cheese, ice cream, fudge, and the joy of being self-sufficient. I just found a fb registered nubian who is a ff, bottle raised and gentle. I figured the nubian would go well bred to our boer buck with the same floppy ears and the size.
I'm going to see her tomorrow and have no idea what I'm looking for or should be looking for in a dairy goat. There are also others to choose from there. Should I have them show me how they milk her so I can see how easily she handles? Would it be rude for me to ask to milk her myself to see if I will be able to with her teat structure? (I did recently milk our boer doe after kidding to freeze colostrum and did better than I thought I would, but wouldn't want the daily rodeo). She is current on worming and CD-T, so just what I should be looking for dairy-wise.
She is currently producing 1/2 gallon/day with the heat, but in cooler weather they all produce about a gallon from what I was told. Even 1/2 gallon is good enough for me.
Also, she is registed 100% with the ADGA, so would it be possible to register and sell her offspring (doelings) as 50%? I may retain a doeling for milk as well, but am not wanting to raise nubians or have a whole dairy farm, just enough for our family's use. 
They are also willing to sell a milking stand to me! :leap: Any suggestions on what else I need besides a stainless steel pail, filters, and 1/2 gallon mason jars? I am so excited that we will be getting fresh milk as soon as tomorrow evening! I can just about taste it already. :laugh:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

well you want to make sure she is sound in feet in legs and no visible signs of abscesses or skin issues. make sure her eyes are bright and no running poo.

As to asking if you can milk her -- of course, I know I wouldnt mind a buyer asking this before purchasing. Its helpful for everyone. But know that she may not like yoru milking style so still may jump and dance a bit till she gets use to you. I would ask to try her milk this way you can taste it and be sure you will like her milk. Each goat is different believe me! I have had quite a few milkers and some just were not used for milk for the family.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

I would ask to see her dam if they own her, or find out what her dam's milking history is.

Also, I'd ask how long she has been freshened - if she is a FF giving a 1/2 gallon a day I'd want to know when she kidded and what her lactation curve looked like so far.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

Yes keep in mind that she does not know you & may or may not be coopertive with you milking her. 
I would sure ask to taste her milk you betcha!
Like Stacey already mentioned, no abcesses skin issues, bright eyes no runs.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

Thank you! Maybe it would be a better idea to see if I can watch them milk her, because I am still just awful and don't even have a style yet.  I never thought about tasting the milk because I assumed it was all the same, so that is very helpful! I will definitely do that, and ask to see her dam. She said all of the does freshened in March and April, so I will ask specifically when tomorrow. My girls are already getting excited, too, and want to know if they can learn to milk her.
I am very thankful for all of the milking/milk handling tips I have found here and plan to use quite a few of them.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

We bought our milker, though not the one I had planned to buy. The one we got is a 3-yr-old, extremely sweet, and a very easy milker. She had larger teats and the breeder said for a beginner she was the easiest to milk. She was right! Tonight was my first official milking besides the colostrum and I got 3 cups! Okay, so maybe that's not alot (and I don't have a scale to weight), but I'm so happy! Her milk tastes SOOO good. I've been missing out for a long time. This poor girl tolerated me trying to figure it out and never danced, swayed, kicked, or even budged on the milking stand. She only called out to signal she was done with grain so I had to do a refill.
She is 100% but not registered, which makes no difference to me since she will be bred each year to a boer buck. She looks very healthy, nice clean and shiny coat, nice weight for a nubian, very tall and nice build (so far as I can tell), pink eyelids, active and alert. She's been fed a 10% sweet feed and alfalfa pellets, and I think she'll produce more with pasture and 16% sweet feed. Even though she's 3, she was a ff this year (March) and was a bottle baby herself. I will post pics tomorrow and you guys let me know what you think. 
I'm so happy with the breeder who sold her. She took the time to even show me how to milk, and told me how to use sterile equipment and how to pasteurize if we want to (I don't think we will). She was born and bred right there on that farm, and all of the goats were so healthy and well taken care of. That's so nice to see! :thumb:


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

Congrats on your new doe! She sounds lovely.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

Congrats!!! Can't wait to see her!


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat*

Congratulations and good luck with the milking


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

Thanks everybody! I'm getting better with the milking and don't look so ridiculous. I sit behind her on the milking stand and use both hands. The drawback is she likes to swish my face with her tail. :laugh: 
Here are pics. I now realize I should have taken udder pics BEFORE I milked her. :doh: Can take more tomorrow before I milk her, but I see from the photo that I didn't do so well on the right side. Trimmed her feet and gave her by best wack at an udder buzz.  That poor girl. Anyway, here she is! I thought her coloring would blend in well with the boers.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

She's very pretty.. i love that red chestnut color on critters <3

she's got very good length of body on her, and she's leggy  she seems a bit posty in the rear, but that may just be the pictures

her udder looks like it fills out nicely too, even though the pics have it milked out.. I think you got a nice girl

and best part, she'll breed really well with your boers


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

Thank you. :hi5: I see what you are talking about with her legs! And it's not the pictures, you are right. They look just the same in all the pictures I took of her and when I just peeked out, they still look the same way. And some nice paint boer/nubian babies would be nice.


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## pennylullabelle (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

She's pretty! I'm jealous! I've been considering adding 1 full size doe for extra milk. Congrats  It's fantastic that you found such a knowledgeable breeder to work with. I try to be "that" breeder for the people who come visit me.

I bet your Nubi/Boer babies will be just awesome! I think you could get away with keeping a daughter for more milk too ;D


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

Very pretty girl!! Her empty udder looks to have some really good capacity...and I'm betting that with a higher % feed as well as the alfalfa pellets she'll increase her yield as well.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

Thank you guys! The absolute best part is my kids all huddling around to watch the milking process and then begging for milk once it's nice and chilled. Priceless.  (That, and my neighbor pulling up as I was milking this morning, looking for their escape artist pony. She said, "Uh, wow!") :laugh:


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

Just wondering why you sit behind her to milk? I always sit on the side of the stand since it is easier on my back. I think the does would have a hissy if I sat behind them. Of course mine are different lengths so I'd have a hard time reaching the shorter ones.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

I'm not really sure why I sit behind her. :shrug: I started the first day sitting beside her and it just seemed awkward trying to milk both sides at once. The milking stand is really long so that there's about 2 feet extra behind her and it just seemed easier that way? I have tendonitis in one wrist right now and the angle of milking "forward" towards the bucket instead of kinda sideways seemed less painful (plus saw it on a youtube video) :laugh: . Tomorrow I will try again sitting beside her. My kids always keep her company at her head, giving her cookies with her grain.  
She's still a consistent 1/2 gallon a day and the breeder, wow. She is wonderful! She called this morning to check in and see how her girl was doing and everything. Truly one who cares for her animals and I am so impressed. It's a breath of fresh air! We may be going back to purchase a LGD from her this weekend.
Here she is pre-milking this morning.


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

*Re: Please help in buying a dairy goat (pics, please evaluat*

I have back problems so I sit with one leg stretched out on the stand and practically under the goat so I don't have to reach so far.


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