# Please tell me all about Alpines?



## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

I'm getting one, a four year old bottle fed doe, who has nice udders and supposedly is a good milker, giving a gallon a day if milked twice and is trained to stand on a stanchion (sp?).
She is an attractive and friendly animal. She just looks right to me, if you know what I mean. But I'm mostly used to looking at the springboks at the zoo where I went to school.
I will post pics of her when I get her here, and I trust her seller. He says that of his three goats only she doesn't ever need a farrier. THat says to me that she has good leg conformation. He is selling her because she is very vocal and needy.
She is big. Much taller than Pan's dam (who is also alpine). Supposedly she was registered but the deputy who owns her never bothered to get her papers and now her former owner's number is out of service.
Supposedly she was bred in Colorado. Her owner is going to give me all of her former owner's info so I can try to track her down.
I want a sweet milking doe who likes me. I think Mindy will like me.
But I want to know more about this lovely alpine breed of goat.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

Have you tasted her milk to check that you like it's flavor? milk flavor varies greatly between individuals...
M.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

No I have not. I want to make soap. I love goatsmilk soap!


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

ah never mind then!
lol
M.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

I actually don't like milk. I will drink goatsmilk if I'm feeling queasy, but that's all LOL


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

I on the otherhand would only drink milk if for some reason I wanted to feel queasy...lol for some reason I can't stomach that taste... love the smell... but blegh!
M.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

LMAO. I hadn't drunk milk in years before the other day.
I take painkillers for a badly broken and worse fixed leg. THey make me queasy at best. i puked three times on the way and back seeing Mindy (alpine doe). Her owner told me that raw goatsmilk would fix me right up.
Sure enough just one cup did the trick! I had puked a whole bottle of Pepto Bismal. But raw goatsmilk had me feeling good enough to even eat a small dinner afterwards.
I'm a believer!


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## LoneStarChic (Jan 19, 2012)

Alpines are my breed.... Have been since I was a lil kid, though I dabble in other breeds occasionally. I've never owned an Alpine who milked less than a gallon a day, & all of mine have held level, long lactations, and a few who I didn't need to breed, I have milked 18-24 months straight with no issues. 

Alpines tend to have worse feet than some breeds..... Prone to splay toes, weak pasterns, but many breeders have been working hard to correct this.

Alpines have an unfair reputation for being "mean" (kind of like everyone lumps all Toggs together for bad tasting milk), but I haven't find them to be mean, though in a mixed herd, my herd queen has always been an Alpine.

Plus, I think they are the most graceful, pretty goats out there, but then again I'm a bit biased 

Enjoy your new doe!


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## LoneStarChic (Jan 19, 2012)

Oh, and we keep them for milk & it is FABULOUS!  Have converted many supossed goat milk haters after just one sip  Not as much cream as a Nubian, but I get enough I can easily skim it for coffee & such without waiting days.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Thank you LSChic!
I think that I will love Mindy very much. She will be beautiful with a little more weight on her.
I appreciate your observations and I want to hear more, but my sweet little half alpine buckling just did something I need to post a question about, and perhaps move up his wethering date over!


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

I also love Alpines. I think they are an amazing breed; I love their color and their temperament and their milk production!

My star milker can produce a gallon and a half a day by herself WHILE nursing twins. She's an excellent mom, never had any trouble with her. My alpines have always been much smarter than my NDs too, pretty ingenious sometimes. They are loyal and sweet and if you work with them they are willing to work with you. Their hooves do seem to grow faster, but as long as you clip them every now and then (once a month or so) they stay in perfect check. They are also on the larger size generally. I think in height they are second only to Saneens. 

The only issue I have is with one of my Alpines; she doesn't like small children. I don't know why. But if I don't stand by her when they are around, she'll try to butt or bite them. Could just be her individual personality though, she's the only one I've ever had trouble with.

I've used goats milk to make cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cajeta, and soap. All with great ease and a lot of fun!!

Congrats on your new Alpine


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## thegoatgirl (Nov 27, 2011)

OMG, I LOVE Alpines!!!!!             They are SOOOOO sweet, and their milk is JUST like cow's milk!


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks guys!


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I have 2 "bottle baby" Alpines, so far, so good. One is very nice and respectful, Lucy is just a lovely doe. I bred her to my NDG buck for June kids. The other one is a "spoiled little princess", she's Daddy's girl for sure. He taught her to "shake", for a scratch on the neck. However, now she's using it to get attention! I had to yell at Hubby, "don't let her jump up on you", "why...she's just playing"! But, she almost knocked me down, I'm not a big as he is. So, back to "school" for Sophie. Other then that she's very sweet.


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

I also like Alpines.

I like their variety of colors and no Alpine is ever the same.
I have goats that are pure chamoisee and Cou Clair in color.
Should be getting some Sundgue kids soon.
My favorite colors are chamoisee and Sundgue (if I am spelling it right).

I like alpines also for their larger bodies. I have some that are reaallly long and tall and one that is extra chunky and I can feed less feed and she holds her weight.
She is said to get around 1.5 gallons. I am buying another alpine which is currently milking 1.5 gallons with a buckling on her 24/7. I get her in May and by then she will be producing her usual at 2 gallons a day.
An amazing doe with some interesting colors and personality.
So they give LOTS of milk and I really like the taste as well. Buying a goat that milks 2 gallons a day is like buying 2 "normal" goats and so I can feed 3-4 heavy producers for about the same as feeding 3-4 1 gallon a day milkers and get a lot more milk.

They *can* be hard to handle at times. I have one that is about 175 pound on the tape, could actually be 200 pounds.
She doesn't know she is stepping on your toe a times, which hurts. If you get caught in the the middle of a scuffle (goats being too playful) I have almost gotten knocked over.

I think they are very smart and trainable. My goats can be shaved/trimmed with no grain and even milked with no grain they are so well trained. Of course mine have been trimmed for shows since a few months old so are very tame.
I have one Alpine girl that wasn't in any shows and my 7 yr old sister leash trained her and to come when called.

They are really hairy at a side note. I shaved off a bucket of hair of Macy as she will be kidding soon.
The hair is like 2.5 inches long. Not a problem at all, actually good in the winter.


I am sure you will enjoy your alpine girl. I am really enjoying mine.

I have found some alpines to be mean, but only from some bloodlines.
One came from a heard in PA and she is a meanie. She dislocated another goats hip just for the fun of it.
I got a more bossy goat to keep her in line. the more bossy goat doesn't ram at the other goats but just turns her head to show authority. I find they don't fight at all with other alpines but pick on Boer goats.


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## DavyHollow (Jul 14, 2011)

OH! I also wanted to add my Alpines get along pretty well with other breeds. My herd Queen and oldest ND bicker like sisters, but are always very sweet and considerate of each other. At the same time, the NDs daughter (another ND) is like my Queens goddaughter. Lissa (the Alpine) will just stand there patiently while little Rosie (the ND) head butts her, even goes up on her hind legs sometimes, and Lissa is very gentle with her, just adds enough resistance for it to be fun. She can be a bit cruel to babies who aren't hers, but thats usually only for the first week or so after her kid(s) are born.

I definitely agree with the hair thing. I swear my girls look like sheep dogs by spring time. But it makes them very weather hardy. They are also very strong, and have pulled me off balance before, but usually its be trying to give me a kiss on the lips or leaning against me to be scratched. LOVE the breed though, can't praise them enough


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## catchmeaway (Jan 23, 2011)

I just got a mini-alpine and was wondering about personality of Alpines. This looks like they are all over the charts with temperament. The lady I got her from has the friendliest mixed herd and I was hoping mine would be friendly as well. Thanks for the thread. :whatgoat:


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