# Advantages to milking a Boer/Nubian?



## GoatJoy (Aug 9, 2010)

I've read recently that commercial goat diaries keep Nubian/Boer crosses so that they can produce milk year round. I was wondering if anyone knew how much milk a Nubian/Boer would produce? And do they have babies twice a year? What percentage boer/nubian would you need to have a doe that milked pretty well AND freshened twice a year? LOL sorry for all the questions...I was just really wanting milk year round :drool: 

Thanks!


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I would think that if you had only one doe, you could bred her twice a year ...but you would not be getting milk from her all year as she will need to be dried off before she kids.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Since nubians and boers are generally seasonal breeders it would be hard to stagger their kiddings, but even if you were to get two kiddings a year it's generally not recommended because it takes a lot out of the doe and can cause her to lose condition from being pregnant and then nursing kids without having a break in between. Sometimes for commercial dairies they manipulate the goats hormones to get them to come into season at "off season" times. I personally don't really think it would be a good idea, but that's just my opinion of course and I don't have any experience with it.  

I don't know how much milk a boer/nubian would produce, but you would want to have the nubian side be a good milk producer with good capacity since a boer isn't bred for milk, you will lose some of that "dairyness" if you cross the two breeds. It's kind of a neat dual purpose "breed" though. :thumb:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I just started milking a pair of 50% does. One has an orifice that points backwards, kind of a pain for hitting the bucket. Have no clue as to how long lactation will be; maybe half as long as purebred Nubian? :roll:


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## NubianLover (Sep 19, 2010)

Boer/Nubians are very popular in my area. I am actually thinking about buying a couple of nice boers and crossing them with my nubians. Will see, though, as I really enjoy my nubians.


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## GoatJoy (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the input guys! I think I may get a boer and cross her with one of my nubian bucks. I saw a nubian/boer mix and I fell in love! I may just do it for that reason :ROFL:


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## Jimily (Feb 4, 2010)

Hello all,
Our first dairy doe was a Boer/Nubian cross (a red triplet bottle baby) and she milks along side our second goat (a blond triplet bottle baby) which is a Toggenberg/Nubian mix and that 'Nutogg' goat gives twice the milk of any other milker in the herd. The Nubian/Boer cross (for us) milks a little less than our other purebred Nubians, and sometimes more but just as long last year. For scale our Nutogg is feeding 4 of our bottle babies at the moment as well as three of her own kids, and the pures are having problems keeping up with their singles. 

Heh, yes the Boer teats are crazy sometimes, the newborns just love the ones pointing out sideways that are easier to find. I will swear that one of the Boers here has a teat that branches off so many times it looks like a chicken head! On the dairy side we were very lucky that both of our crosses only had two well formed teats (pointed at the ground!), and this year their kids only have two too. Whew!

Take care,
Jimily


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

"Nutogg" what a great name!

One of the 50% girls has a spur on one teat but it does not interfere with milking at all. :wink: 
Matter of fact I just started those two a week ago, FF still hops a little but is getting better.
The 2nd frshner had never been milked either but is a champ on the stand.


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