# New to goats and would like to start with mini-nubians



## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

My husband and I farm, raise beef cattle, miniature Jersey and standard Jersey dairy cows, free range Rhode Island Red hens, and a large garden from which we sell produce to the community. We also raise and sell cash crops such as hay, corn, soybeans and oats. I have a pair of miniature Dachshunds that I breed and I have a pair of Corgis that I intend to breed in the future.

I have never owned goats and do not know the first thing about raising them but I have become fascinated with the mini-nubians. Does anyone have experience with them? Can you give me pros and cons of owning them? Any tips on fencing that will keep goats in? How much land per mini-nubian is required for grazing?

Any and all information you would like to share would be greatly appreciated!

Tammy

http://tcuppminiatures.wordpress.com/


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Hi Tammy,

I own and raise Mini-Nubians with my parent's. We wanted a medium sized goat that was easy to handle and easy to milk, we started out with the Nigerians, my sister and I were the only ones who could milk the Nigerians and the Nubians were too big for us then we fell in love with the Mini-Nubians! We love the Mini-Nubians since they're a nice size and are wonderful milkers. We only have 3 acres fenced off for our animals but we have 20 acres, we have 5 ft. horse fencing for our goats and we use a lot of cattle panels too, the Nigerians were our main escape artists though but some of our Mini-Nubians learned to open the gates by pulling the pins out though but we had to switch to other pins for those escape artists. If you have any other questions about the Mini-Nubians please feel free to e-mail me at: [email protected] 
There is another breeder of Mini-Nubians here on TGS though.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Amy...that is very nice of you... :hug: 
....I wish I could help, but I am in it full boer....LOL....


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank you so much, Amy! I would be starting of small (no pun intended) and I am wondering how many acres per adult mini is recommended for grazing? We have 50 acres here at our house (additional acreage at the other farm) but most of that is in hay. I have about five acres fenced off right now but have my Jerseys pastured on it. My plan was to take a portion just outside the shelter that I have available and fence it in. If I were to start with say three or four animals, how much area would you recommend that I fence?


I will check out your blog when I get the chance! Do you have a web site as well?

Approximately how much milk do you get from the mini-Nubians per day when you don't have a kid on them?


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I do not know if I welcomed you Tammy. ray: 

Good Luck.


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Tammy


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Hi Tammy,

We have various sizes of pastures here which some are bigger than others, we have some areas fenced off right out the back door of our barn, I'm not sure how big they are but they are pretty good sized areas too, actually we have areas fenced off all over our 3 acres for our goats but Mini-Nubians really don't need that big of area though since they are mostly browsers not grazers though, there is 5 adult Mini-Nubians in one area and when I put them out to pasture there are some that are in a group of 3 which works nicely since there isn't as much head butting going on, we got this from a State Vet. with our bucks that if you put them in a group of 3 or more there is less fighting going on but some there is only one goat in the pen though since they don't get along with the others.

We get 2 quarts which is from each teat, morning and evening so they're good milk producers!

Our website is: http://www.freewebs.com/pinepodfarm


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Welcome to TGS! You'll get lots of good info here. You have a very nice website btw.


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## redneck_acres (Oct 18, 2007)

Hi and welcome to The Goat Spot. My name is Briana. I used to raise mini Oberhaslis. I also have a mini dashund. My folks have 2 female mini dashunds. And then I have my old neutered male dashund to. Chloe is white with read, black, and grey markings and 2 blue eyes. Sassy(her mom) is a long-haired grey, black marked. And Sassy's mom is black and tan( her name is Dixie). A friend of mine in Oregon raises mini nubians, her name is Dannette Hackman. Her website is www.echohillsfarm.com . She has been in the minis for a long time. I got my first mini oberhasli from her. Eliya also raises mini nubians. She posts on here from time to time. I really liked my mini obers.


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

You all are great. You have given me some great information to get me started in my research! Thank you so much! I am sure I will have many more questions to come!!!!!!

Tammy


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

there is a mini nubian breeder in VA (two I think actually) will ask my friend for their websites.


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## eliya (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi Tammy, Welcome to The Goat Spot! I know we've 'met' already (your on my yahoo list), but thought I'd say 'hi' again :wave: 

I'm not real good with pasture sizes... I've never measured mine! Starting with 4-5 animals, I'd say an acre would be a nice area, but you wouldn't need it that large. If you plan for it to be their only source of food, you'll need a lot more than you will if you feed hay as well. If you supplement with hay, you just need enough for them to get exercise and some browse - they LOVE trees, brush etc way more than grass.

You also asked about production. This depends a lot on the individual as well as how they are fed. My does are on pasture/browse with alfalfa/grass/clover hay. They get grain while they are being milked so they don't get a ton of concentrates. My does vary from 3 lbs a day for a small first freshener to 10 lbs for my largest doe at her peak. They average about 5-6 lbs a day.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Welcome Tammy! Glad you found the members that do raise mini nubes! I have 3 1/2 acres but have "security" pens for my goaties......rest of the time while I am home they have free range browsing....I do have an electric fence pasture for my does that is approximately 150ft square so they can browse while I'm at work...but most times they can be found laying on my back porch! Oh and a loaded shotgun is handy for "intruders" LOL


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Thanks to everyone! 

I have met some wonderful people both on this forum and on the GreenGables Yahoo group including Eliya! Everyone has been so helpful. Through the Yahoo group I was able to find some lovely folks raising mini-nubians within driving distance! In fact, one lady has invited me to her place to visit and I can't wait to find a time that I can do that. She is about two hours from me. 

My next question is about breeding. What are your opinions on line breeding? I originally saw a picture of a mini-nubian on Craigslist and that is what started me searching for more information. This individual suggested buying a a buckling and a doeling that have different dams but the same sire. She said that some folks line breed in this manner. This just did not sound right to me and I wanted to get opinions on this from others. I passed on those particular animals because I wanted to learn more about the breed before just jumping in.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

line breeding is ok if you know what you are doing. Half sibling line breeding is actually how a friend of mine likes to do linebreeding. I prefer goats to be unrelated as possible.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Wow, how  - I completely missed this thread - 

WELCOME!!!!!!!!! :wave: from Idaho!!!


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

:wave: Hello Kelebek!

My dear husband has decided since he can't win anyway, he might as well join me in the planning stage for getting goats! :clap: 

I am interested to know how many of you hand milk your goats or if you use a milking machine. I have a Surge milker for my cows and I am wondering if I could use that to milk goats?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I dot know about the milk machine others can help with that. I hand milk

Great job on the hubby front! :applaud:


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

We hand-milk or use the Udderly Hand Milking Machine, for the trouble does.  I think if you were to have more than 10 does, that a milking machine would be best but if you have just a few, then hand milking is fun and actually goes quite fast!


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

I hand milk too, we have gotten Mini-Nubians from Danette Hackman in Oregon too! We have done line breeding here before, son to mother though which we got really nice kids out of that breeding but we won't do line breeding again though.


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Decision time and I would love your help! 

What started me on this quest to find more information about the mini-Nubians was an add in my local Craigslist for bucklings and a Doe and doeling for sale. The Doe is 1st generation and the kids are second generation. The kids are half siblings. She offered me a package deal but I thought it was a bit high and I didn't know enough to make an educated decision. I completely backed off and began doing some research. She contacted me today and seems eager to sell. My dilema is that they are not registered but she says they can be registered. I also am not sure about the whole line breeding scenario with these particular animals. The Doe is larger framed and weighs about 70 pounds. The kids are smaller framed and cute as can be. 

If you were me would you..............

1) Consider buying all three for breeding?
2) Consider just the buckling and look for other females?
3) Consider just the doeling?
4) Consider Doe and doeling?
5) Not consider them at all but look for stock that is already registered from established breeders. 

I considered having the buckling whethered but he is so cute, I hate to do that! I also considered just buying the buckling and looking for a nice Nubian to breed to him and start from there. 

I don't feel comfortable posting someone else's pictures here for consideration otherwise I would love to see what you all think about them. 

And what do you think are fair prices for these animals if they are not registered?


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I would start with the doe and doeling.

I don't know much about Mini-Nubian prices but in our area, registered Miniature Nubians sell for about $250 for does and doelings, I have also seen them priced up to $300. But that's our area and Mini-Nubians are not really a "hot item" around here, just yet anyways. 

I would pay up to $150 for an unregistered doe. Probably no more than that. Do these kids and doe have nice dairy qualities and good conformation? Is the dam a good milker with a nice udder? If not, I would look elsewhere and find some better quality. . . it will save you money in the long run.


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Here is the info I was given from the breeder:

*The mom has a really easy, nice udder. I get about 3 1/2 cups milking her (yes, by hand) once a day with her baby still nursing. She was hand-fed and is a real friendly goat. She is first-generation and big (c.70 lbs) for a mini. Her doe is finer-boned.
The bucklings have the same father as the little doeling but are not related to the doe. Some people do line-breed, some don't. If you want the 2 girls and a buck, I'd go 550 for the trio.*

I had a knowledgeable person look at the photos and she said their ears were ok but not great but they had blue eyes which was a good selling point.


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

Line-breeding can be a good thing. . . but for someone newer I'd just recommend getting totally different bloodlines and starting from there. It's what I'd do. . . I did a little line-breeding and got some really nice kids but it's just too much of a gamble.

Her prices are a little more on the spendy side for unregistered goats. But I don't know the market in your area. . .


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

Here's a couple websites I just found in or around Virginia. I didn't get a chance to look at the sites, but hopefully it helps. 

http://www.selvagewhisperingpines.com/

http://www.springsrun.com/ (They have nice Nigerians, so am guessing their Mini-Nubians would be of good quality)


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank you! I actuall have spoken to the breeder at the first link and she has been very helpful. She is about two hours away from me and I have plans to visit her farm someday soon. 

I was thinking that this individual from Craigslist might really give me a good deal, but sometimes good deals are not all they are cracked up to be. I think I would do best to hold off and get quality registered stock. Thanks for helping me focus on what it is I am looking for and not get side-tracked by a cute face! :wink:


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

You are very much welcome! 

It can be difficult to pass up on those cute faces but you'll probably be happier in the long run.


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Hi Tammy,

When we first got into Mini-Nubians, we bred one of our friend's purebred Nubian doe's to our Nigerian buck with blue eyes and we got the doeling out of the breeding and we used another 75% Nubian experimental with the same Nigerian buck but they're different lines, we try to breed each doe to a different buck from totally different lines though and that aren't related except one breeding we bred a son to his Mom but that was only a one time thing though. I agree with Olivia about getting just the doe and doeling and breeding it to a buck that has totally different lines than the does.


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## critterhavenfarm (Feb 19, 2009)

We had mini nubians for about 2 years but then opted to sell our mini herd and focus on our ND's after the price of feed and hay skyrocketed last year. 

My ONLY problem with them was the kids seemed to be harder to bottle train than the ND's. I mean, the ND's would take to it no problem. I had to pry open the mouths of the miniN's or cup their mouth around the nipple.

Hubby said they were stupid when trying to take it. I said they weren't stupid...just "artificial nipple challenged" :slapfloor: 

But they were so cute with those floppy ears who cared! :wink: 

Susan


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

Susan,
I'm the one that have trained the Mini-Nubians to take to the bottle though, I did what you had to do with your Mini-Nubians but the ones that were taken away from the beginning had no problems taken it though. We opted out of the ND's and went for the Mini-Nubians.


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

I appreciate so much all of you sharing with me! It's great to get information from those who have experience!


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

I have not been on this forum in a while and thought I would stop by and tell you all that I have found two adorable, miniature Nubian doelings that will be coming home to live with me as soon as they are weaned. I am so excited. They are beautiful little girls and the breeder has been so helpful and kind. They are from Green Gables stock! I have learned so much since making my initial post on this forum! I have so very, very much more to learn! Here are pictures of S'Mores and Moonbeam:

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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

oh my what adorable additions! great choices :leap:


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

They're lovely Tammy, congrats, if you have anymore questions once they're home please feel free to e-mail me at: [email protected].


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## Tammy (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank you, Amy. Even though I am new to "the world of goats", I am finding that goat lovers are some of the kindest people around!


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## Amy Goatress (Oct 2, 2008)

You're welcome and I agree, I have a lady that I e-mail back and forth and help her like with her goat issues, we sold some goats to her awhile back when she was still in Ohio now she's in Alabama and I'm like her "goat mentor" and she said I'm the only one that can answer some of her questions since she's kind of new in the goat world too.


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