# Wanting to Start a Mini Nubian Herd in Oregon



## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

So I got my first Mini Nubian from a reputable breeder in 2010 when we very first bought our house (like literally same month lol)
I bred her to a nigerian buck pretty much since he was on my property for my nigerian girls, I figured, they should throw some cute babies, he is wide and has those blue eyes. She ended up having 2 very handsom blue eye'd bucklings. One had one airplaned ear one 2/3rd drop lol, the other 2/3rd drop wich I heard for a 1st gen that is pretty good. I love him! I went on the look for another Mini doe and realized most all of them are related to my Mini! So I found a buckling and his sister that were not related and I bought a really cute sweet Nubian doe that I have decided to attempt to start a new line of my own with =)
I dont know any goat people really to talk about how excited I am so I thought I would post here because no one else gets it. I am trying to jump in full boar, going to try setting up milk test and possibly some shows, not because I necessarily think I have "best of the breed" (although she is pretty darn good looking to me) But more so to learn.
So I started a website, FB page and have started all my paperwork to register with IDGR and MDGA, as well as ADGA & AGS for my Nigerians & nubian =)
Im hoping to jump in but also do things right and look for good stock to start... I think Im doing okay so far and cant wait for next spring to see what my planned breedings bring me!

I attached a couple of pictures 
one of my Mini nubian X Nigerian breeding, the blue eye'd 2/3rd drop ear boy
Rose - my mini Nubian
Trouble - my new mini buckling (paint color)
Chaos - his sister I plan on breeding to my 1st gen blue eye'd boy (hope there ears will be better next gen)
And mr T my blue eye'd nigerian who is good about adding width and those blue eyes so far


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You have a nice looking herd!

Welcome to TGS!


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I LOVE your buck's coloring! Gorgeous!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Very nice, and you know a blue eyed mini Nub buckling would be a great first pack goat for my grandson. Hmmm.


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

goathiker said:


> Very nice, and you know a blue eyed mini Nub buckling would be a great first pack goat for my grandson. Hmmm.


 hey hey! Let me know! 
I don't know much about pack goats (using them) but sounds like a great idea )


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

Just got the last of my tests in and everyone is CAE, CL and Johnes disease negative! Woop woop....figured as much but at least its on my own paperwork now


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The problem some breeders have with pack goat buyers is something to think about. 
We want our babies on a bottle but, still intact to be wethered later to maximize urethra growth. I like mine disbudded. We do not want registration papers, merely a ID paper filled out and you can put your farm name on him or not, your choice. Or I can do the same paper later with no farm name. 
We don't want to pay buck price for a wether and I've run into those who think we are going to buy the animal cheap and use it. I do have references though.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

LilQtBear said:


> Just got the last of my tests in and everyone is CAE, CL and Johnes disease negative! Woop woop....figured as much but at least its on my own paperwork now


 This is awesome, all my boys come from disease free farms


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

goathiker said:


> The problem some breeders have with pack goat buyers is something to think about.
> We want our babies on a bottle but, still intact to be wethered later to maximize urethra growth. I like mine disbudded. We do not want registration papers, merely a ID paper filled out and you can put your farm name on him or not, your choice. Or I can do the same paper later with no farm name.
> We don't want to pay buck price for a wether and I've run into those who think we are going to buy the animal cheap and use it. I do have references though.


ID paper? This I have not heard of. Same as registration papers? So you buy the baby as a bottle baby early? I've known people to sell bottle babies @ 3wks.
I only had my first kids this year. I sold my last mini nubian boy as a bottle baby but did castrate him @ 7wks. I wont have any mini Nubians again till next year anyway
but don't see a problem with that set up then again haven't done it before either. When do you castrate?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

LilQtBear said:


> ID paper? This I have not heard of. Same as registration papers?
> Nooo...more like the title to your car. Here's a link http://www.adga.org/index.php?optio...dentification&catid=63:registration&Itemid=86
> If you don't want your farm name on a wether's title it can be done with mine. Some farms like outstanding pack goats carrying their name, some don't. I would send you awesome pics to help you sell wethers.
> So you buy the baby as a bottle baby early? I've known people to sell bottle babies @ 3wks.
> ...


 The ID certificate and tattoos to match makes it easier to cross state lines and check points when hiking in another state is all. The only thing you would have to trust is that I would castrate him. I would want one in 2 years when my grandson is 4. By then, we should know each other a bit


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Here is my grandson now, learning to hike with goats. Bean was a rescue. He came to me from a muddy little yard with a dirty pile of hay in the middle to eat and sleep on. I did pay for him to get him out of the situation. He has repaid me a hundred and twenty seven times over. He came to me as an 70 pound yearling. Today he is a 210 pound 3 year old. 
http://www.thegoatspot.net/video/my-grandson-hiking-17.html


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

And as far as using them goes, there's serious and fun. My camera man can't do serious trips anymore after his accident a few years ago, so, all I really have are fun videos right now. Jeter is 11 in this video and Bean is a tiny year and and a half. I made this to show how steady the boys should be. 
http://www.thegoatspot.net/video/working-goat-6.html


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

Gosh! I never got the notification about your last 2 posts awesome video's! I want to take my goats to the beach now haha! Were there other goats there? I have never seen a pack goat in person. Makes me want to look into that though so I can advertise my wethers as such. 
My herd as grown this spring, both my nigis and my mini's... 
Please do keep me in mind for when you are ready sounds like a great thing for the mini wethers ...unless most people want huge breeds usually
anyway, sorry I missed your posts


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goathiker said:


> Here is my grandson now, learning to hike with goats. Bean was a rescue. He came to me from a muddy little yard with a dirty pile of hay in the middle to eat and sleep on. I did pay for him to get him out of the situation. He has repaid me a hundred and twenty seven times over. He came to me as an 70 pound yearling. Today he is a 210 pound 3 year old.
> http://www.thegoatspot.net/video/my-grandson-hiking-17.html


Hi Goathiker

First off you have done amazing things with your herd!! Wow! So cool

I have an almost 3 year old nephew that would love to ride one of my oberhasli wethers. They are very friendly indeed, but they are a year old. Is that to old to start to train them? If not where would I start? They lead pretty well already, I noticed though that you have halters , I just have the collars, would you recommend halters?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

This thread keeps getting lost. Yes, your boys are old enough to train. Halters depends on the goat actually. I've found that the very best working goats are also snots and need halters. Your nephew may out grow the goats before they are old enough to carry a lot of weight though. Just like horses I don't load them heavy until they are 3. You might check out a travois though. You and your nephew could have a lot of fun with that without overloading your young animals.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goathiker said:


> This thread keeps getting lost. Yes, your boys are old enough to train. Halters depends on the goat actually. I've found that the very best working goats are also snots and need halters. Your nephew may out grow the goats before they are old enough to carry a lot of weight though. Just like horses I don't load them heavy until they are 3. You might check out a travois though. You and your nephew could have a lot of fun with that without overloading your young animals.


Thanks!! I think I'll try the travois, he'll like that They are snots already so I think I'll get halters and start working with them


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

*Update On my Mini Herd.*

Alright - so since I posted this originally I have done a lot and learned SOOOO much. I Purchased a beautiful PB nubian doe with really good breed character, great milk lines and her conformation is not too shabby - she has a greatly attached udder but would like to see more production - Also in the process of purchasing one more PB nubian from a well known breeder near me with some awesome milk/show lines. I Kept the blue eye'd buckling out of my 3rd Gen and he is looking amazing - breed character not there (he is a 1st 75%ND / 25% N) but has so much else I love about him, Still have trouble and he is shaping up nicely - his sister, my 3rd gen, and one more 2nd gen - I have lower generations for now but plan to work on breed character as well as milk before I start jumping up the generation ladder =) I do want to get a 3rd or 4th Gen buck for my very well bred 3rd Gen doe probably next spring I hope. Anyway - I have learned a lot - I feel I am on the right path with my ideas for my herd... cant wait till next breeding season =)
I have also started DHIA testing as well as tried out my first MDGA show this year - Trouble got RGCH at just 3Months old it was super exciting.
I uploaded updated pics of everyone I have! the spotted doe is my PB nubian I plan to use for new lines =) LOVE her Will be breeding to Ol' Blue eye's aka Franky (the blue eye'd 1st gen buckling - poor breed character -straight almost dished face and airplane ears) super super, oober excited.
the bottle baby pic is also a new 2nd Gen mini Nubian


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Awe!!! Great looking little herd


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

They are beautiful! I am breeding my Nubian Doe to my Nigerian buck this yr as I would like mini Nubian also I have not seem any mini Nubians in my area at all and I love both breeds!


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

I have nigerians as well =) love them all.. haha - Lots of nigerian breeders around me.. tons really haha - only a few quality ones .... But mini nubian breeder I have found is 3hrs away (6hr round trip)



goatgirl16 said:


> They are beautiful! I am breeding my Nubian Doe to my Nigerian buck this yr as I would like mini Nubian also I have not seem any mini Nubians in my area at all and I love both breeds!


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

LilQtBear said:


> I have nigerians as well =) love them all.. haha - Lots of nigerian breeders around me.. tons really haha - only a few quality ones .... But mini nubian breeder I have found is 3hrs away (6hr round trip)


Yes there has been a huge increase in the Nigerians in my area but I have not found any mini Nubians at all


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## DanielsDairyGoats (Jul 21, 2013)

Your mini nub buckling is a handsome dude! My best goat breeding friends have mini Nubians, not sure if any of them are on here but their site is goodgoats.net and also on facebook, just in case you want to pick their brains a little at some point 

I'm kinda doing the same thing as you, but with mini alpines. I lucked out with my F1 doeling who came from the #1 Nigerian breeder in this area, she didn't have an alpine buck worthy of her does so she used her Nigerian boys. I asked about them on the day the only unclaimed doeling was born.
Then we got a standard alpine doeling who comes from some really good lines. And a 75% Nigerian buckling that I plan to use on standards for higher % offspring on the alpine side.
Next year we will get some more standard girls... and maybe another mini buckling.

I look forward to hearing more about your venture!


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

*Now have a website*

Alright! So since the time I first posted this posting to now I have Learned SO SO SO much and have done so much with my small herd - went from 4 to about 15; now on DHIA testing, have attended a couple of shows. Now I have a website - still a work in progress as I learn more things and look over my goats and such but its a start -
www.Tippsyhills.com So please check it out and if you have any suggestions let me know!
I have done a lot this year - feel that i have gotten my feet wet - more like soaked haha.... Just attended our local county fair and there are lots of people looking to get into minis in town - will be hitting the county fair close by next week this time more prepared with business cards. now to come up with a logo. =)


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

Wow that's great!!! What is the testing that you are doing?


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

goatgirl16 said:


> Wow that's great!!! What is the testing that you are doing?


The DHIA? I go through Washington DHIA witch is Dairy Herd Improvement Association. I weigh and send in my milk from my goats once a month they test it for fat% Protien% as well as Scc count (Somatic cell count) Anyway it is a good indicator of how much each doe produces and how much fat is in it and that is good for cheese making and such.


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## goatgirl16 (Nov 21, 2012)

Thank you


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## DanielsDairyGoats (Jul 21, 2013)

How exciting! I'm going to check out your site now


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

Love your site

Also love the goats but isnt that always a given


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## LilQtBear (Jun 25, 2012)

I am so horrible about getting notifications to actually get on here and check back haha! Thank you to those who checked out my website! It is always a work in progress but almost getting there - hopefully It will be fully updated as breeding season commences! I now have 2 pure bred nubians from great lines to start a couple different mini nubian lines - my newest girl (who oddly has the same name as my daughter) will be bred to a polled buck in hopes for some polled mini's - he is from good milking background and has daughters who prove it so in combination with the nubian girl who's dam peaked at almost 2 gallons I am hoping for some excellent kids here - then my other girl I got earlier this season will be bred to my blue eye'd boy who just got grand champion Jr mini nubian buck on the MDGA virtual show - they have a chance of having moon spotted blue eye'd babies - but thats just the plus - they should be a great combination for milk production as well as udder attachment! oh and conformation should be great! I am super excited about all my breedings but my new lines im most anticipating!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Nice website, am sending you a PM. My back fence neighbor will be wanting 2 miniature wethers for pets and brush control. 

You want to hear something weird about names...My new doe has the same name as my daughter as well and my baby buck's name is Dexter. I didn't name either.


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