The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 12:10:09 pm

Title: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 12:10:09 pm
Would this type of cross be any good as a milk goat? Only because I have seen some for sale and wandered.. Not sure what breed I would like yet. Still learning :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: goosepimple on September 30, 2012, 01:39:24 pm
If you want something small and handle-able but milky, Jaykay milks Old English Goats - maybe she will be along to tell you....a wee sized GG may be good too though.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Hermit on September 30, 2012, 02:41:26 pm
I have a pygmy x golden guernsey, she has an udder like a football. She looks like a little GG . I would not know how she compares to a big milking goat but she definately has the equipment! I have not actually milked her yet as she has a couple of babies on her but she does look twice the size of her mum.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 02:58:41 pm
I have a pygmy x golden guernsey, she has an udder like a football. She looks like a little GG . I would not know how she compares to a big milking goat but she definately has the equipment! I have not actually milked her yet as she has a couple of babies on her but she does look twice the size of her

Thanks Hermit sounds like the size I would like.. Is her mom a pigmy?
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 02:59:41 pm
If you want something small and handle-able but milky, Jaykay milks Old English Goats - maybe she will be along to tell you....a wee sized GG may be good too though.


Thanks for that  :fc:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: jinglejoys on September 30, 2012, 05:24:19 pm
Hmm Pygmy X GG...just needs a bigger sized egg cup ;D
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 06:18:51 pm
Hmm Pygmy X GG...just needs a bigger sized egg cup ;D


Is that a no from you then JJ? ???
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: plumseverywhere on September 30, 2012, 09:10:59 pm
I think you'll find quite a few goat keepers who have goats for dairy reasons will be reluctant to entertain a pygmy or pygmy x Carl. Its not to say they'd definitely not be any good but what I think JJ is saying is, milking might be a)tricky and b)the pygmy isn't bred for its milk (although in this case the GG will quite likely have good lines!)

Before I bought the goats I have now, i was in a similar situation to yourself and doing as much research as possible to make the right choices. Our most local breeder was 'allthingsrural' and they have pygmies. I emailed them about buying a pgymy cross with a view to milking and they basically said although its not impossible, its unlikely to get success from them.

I'd say that if you are looking for a good milker but a small and easy to handle goat consider Old English or even Saanens or Toggenburgs THAT HAVE COME FROM A GOOD BREEDER!! Forget preloved (that's how I made a fatal mistake) with your first herd, a reputable breeder will set you in good standing. My Togg came from Fay Ogden in Warwickshire. I have the most beautiful, placid, well trained goat you can imagine in Puffin - she'd make a perfect 'starter goat' and I have no fears about her being near my children ever.  This is what I mean about them having good foundations from good breeders. Once you are established as a confident goat owner, other places like preloved aren't so dangerous as you'll know what to look for more.
Sure some goats on there are perfectly buyable but some can be a costly mistake (in all sorts of ways ) to a newbie - trust me, been there  :'(
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on September 30, 2012, 09:37:31 pm
It's a nitemare.. I would like a milk goat but not massive amounts. Doin my head in lol but no doubt I will get there in the end. Thank you for your patients "plums" must be doin yours in aswell ???
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: colliewoman on September 30, 2012, 09:47:21 pm
I agree with Plums!


I bought my goats from a random ad, and though they are healthy etc and I love them dearly it has taken over a year to get the flightiest one 'easy'.
I couldn't ask anyone else to milk her though! No disrespect to you but I suspect easy for me probably isn't going to be easy for you just yet.
Would I trust her around children? Nope never. Enid has a cracking set of horns and at child eye height. I believe she would never intentionally use them, but an accident could leave a child just as blind as a deliberate poke.


These were my first goats, but I have worked on 2 goat farms and learned through them how NOT to do it ( >:( >:( ). Go to a good breeder, do yourself the favour and then be able to enjoy goat keeping from the start :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Lesley Silvester on September 30, 2012, 10:14:04 pm
Carl, make that trip to Telford and meet my Sanaans.  Then, if you're not smitten (and if not, why not?  :-J ) visit other people with other breeds.  If you go for a pure bred, particularly if it's registered with the British Goat Society, you will pay more but if you only want to keep goats for the milk, a cross will be fine.  I bought my Sanaan x Boer from a lady who keeps dairy goats and sells the milk for cheese making, so she should be good for milk when old enough.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on October 01, 2012, 08:34:52 am
Carl, make that trip to Telford and meet my Sanaans.  Then, if you're not smitten (and if not, why not?  :-J ) visit other people with other breeds.  If you go for a pure bred, particularly if it's registered with the British Goat Society, you will pay more but if you only want to keep goats for the milk, a cross will be fine.  I bought my Sanaan x Boer from a lady who keeps dairy goats and sells the milk for cheese making, so she should be good for milk when old enough.



I will be coming to see you soon MGM and Plums also visiting Little blue to get was much info before I take the plunge thank you x
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: plumseverywhere on October 01, 2012, 08:47:55 am
And I also agree with MGM that a cross breed can be perfect! Savannah my maiden is saanenX and her milk is amazing yet she's quite small and easy to handle. I think the point I was trying to make about 'breeders' was to buy from someone who's experienced with breeding goats, not neccessarily pure breeds (does that make sense?) someone who can give you advise, after care tips, a healthy well bred and raised goat etc etc.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Anke on October 01, 2012, 09:13:03 am
Cross-bred goats can be registered with the British Goat Scoeity and in the show world are compeing on equal terms with the pure breds. Honestly even a "pure" British Toggenburg has some other breed in her, as that's how they were developed (from the pure Toggs), and you can take a BT, cross breed her to another breed and then breed back to BT for a few generations and you move back into "Pure" BT territory... all quite confusing.
If you want a milker that a) gives you reasonable amounts of milk, and b) is easy enough to handle for a beginner and/or chldren, then any crossbreed from Swiss-type stock would be ok - if coming from a reputable breeder and registered with the BGS (or pedigrees of the parent stock available). Maybe not too much British Alpine in her though - (British) Saanen and (British) Toggenburg Xes would be my ideal choice.
An older goat that has done it all a few times is also best to start with.
Golden Guernseys are very nice and placid milkers, with annual yields anywhere between 500 and 1200kgs per year, but they are a) rare and difficult to get hold of for pure-bred and registered stock, and b) quite expensive as they have become more popular thanks to certain TV personalities... It also seems there is a bit of a trend of leaving them in the "naural" state, i.e. with a good set of horns. Long-coated GG's require weekly brushing (preferably all year round). BUT they do have the "wow" factor if you take them out to a show :D
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: chickenfeed on October 01, 2012, 10:17:58 am
dont forget the east of england autumn show 14th oct they have had quite a good entry for goats so pleanty of chatty breeders and breeds to help you alnong yor way.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: goosepimple on October 01, 2012, 10:31:16 am
or why not try a rare breeds farm park (they usually have other breeds too besides rare ones) and they are likely to be well handled goaties.  At the Carlisle auction recently Walby Farm Park (carlisle area) were selling Alpine goats.  Watch out for non rare breed parks though, our first were from a 'family park' and they were very nervous and were climbing the walls, a nightmare to catch and deal with, after 2 years of trying with them we sold them to a different 'family park'.  We do like goats though and bought some registered pygmy goats as fun really, but now looking for something a bit more 'serious', due to get some Bagot rare breeds any day now but won't get much milk from them, just like them.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: jinglejoys on October 01, 2012, 12:04:46 pm
Think they still have those two female billy kids for sale on preloved....hate to think what the milk would taste like! ;D
   Have you tried http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/index.html (http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/index.html) ? There are usually some nice goats on there even if for some reason people don't put up photo's
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: plumseverywhere on October 01, 2012, 12:07:27 pm
Think they still have those two female billy kids for sale on preloved....hate to think what the milk would taste like! ;D
   Have you tried http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/index.html (http://www.ukgoats.co.uk/index.html) ? There are usually some nice goats on there even if for some reason people don't put up photo's

 :roflanim:  oh that's made me feel sick too actually  ;D  Hmmmmmm - whole new line of soap for me though...not!!
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Hermit on October 01, 2012, 01:16:14 pm
when I was talking to a tourist about making soap I was actually asked if the soap was made from the billys milk and cheese from the naanies milk!!!!!!! ??? She was a professional woman as well so not too daft.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Anke on October 01, 2012, 03:57:15 pm
when I was talking to a tourist about making soap I was actually asked if the soap was made from the billys milk and cheese from the naanies milk!!!!!!! ??? She was a professional woman as well so not too daft.
:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: plumseverywhere on October 01, 2012, 04:17:53 pm
I just found a cross breed milker on preloved (GGXTogg) looks lovely!! and they can sell you a little friend to go with her. 3L a day on twice daily's.   I'm almost tempted!!  But no....we have enough animals now, we have enough animals now, we have enough animals now.....(If I keep saying it to myself I might believe it  ;) )
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on October 01, 2012, 04:28:32 pm
I just found a cross breed milker on preloved (GGXTogg) looks lovely!! and they can sell you a little friend to go with her. 3L a day on twice daily's.   I'm almost tempted!!  But no....we have enough animals now, we have enough animals now, we have enough animals now.....(If I keep saying it to myself I might believe it  ;) )
[/quote


is the seller of that a woman called sally g ?? i went to have a look at a trailer she was selling but too small...would you say she was a breeder to buy off? she has the gg pigmy crosses aswell that i have seen and also turkeys for xmas lol
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Anke on October 01, 2012, 06:34:28 pm
Carl - if you can buy disbudded/polled goat(s). Just lots of them advertised on either Preloved or Ukgoats still have their horns...
It will just make your life so much easier!
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Carl f k on October 01, 2012, 08:03:14 pm
Carl - if you can buy disbudded/polled goat(s). Just lots of them advertised on either Preloved or Ukgoats still have their horns...
It will just make your life so much easier!



Thanks Anke..taking all the help I can to help me on my journey :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Bumblebear on October 01, 2012, 08:37:00 pm
If you want a milker that a) gives you reasonable amounts of milk, and b) is easy enough to handle for a beginner and/or chldren, then any crossbreed from Swiss-type stock would be ok - if coming from a reputable breeder and registered with the BGS (or pedigrees of the parent stock available). Maybe not too much British Alpine in her though -

What should I know about British alpine that the breeder didn't tell me........I have 2 and find them delightful, do they have another reputation altogether......?   :thinking:
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: ballingall on October 01, 2012, 09:35:51 pm
If you want a milker that a) gives you reasonable amounts of milk, and b) is easy enough to handle for a beginner and/or chldren, then any crossbreed from Swiss-type stock would be ok - if coming from a reputable breeder and registered with the BGS (or pedigrees of the parent stock available). Maybe not too much British Alpine in her though -

What should I know about British alpine that the breeder didn't tell me........I have 2 and find them delightful, do they have another reputation altogether......?   :thinking:


I would just describe British Alpines as a bit more "challenging" for someone who is new to goats that's all. They are probably the most active breed, it's very hard to breed a very good BA. I would also say they are very standoffish- they aren't as friendly and affectionate to us people as some of the other breeds. Though in all honesty, you can get standoffish goats in all breeds, so maybe that's just my impression of them...  :innocent:  My one was standoffish!


Beth
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 01, 2012, 09:45:23 pm
British alpines also have strong Houdini instincts.  They love to escape.  My Curry is a Sanaan xBA and when he was younger I had to block up the tiniest of holes or he would be trying to crawl through.
 
Anke, If I had my pure Sanaans mated with a BS, would the resulting kids be BSs?  I'm hoping to find another pure Sanaan near me but it's not easy.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Anke on October 01, 2012, 09:58:41 pm

Anke, If I had my pure Sanaans mated with a BS, would the resulting kids be BSs?  I'm hoping to find another pure Sanaan near me but it's not easy.
I think so. Beth will correct me if I am wrong.
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: jinglejoys on October 01, 2012, 10:30:13 pm
Really depends on the breeding of the BA doesn't it? :)  You can't seem to get the shorter deeper type anymore which tended to be steadier.Nowadays they tend to be leggier and more inclined to jump which I think belies the AN that was often added.Then again you don't find the shorter stockier BS either.Its worth a search though
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Bumblebear on October 02, 2012, 07:32:47 pm
I'm glad I didn't read all this before I got them!  :-J  SO FAR We have had no Houdini incidents and they are as friendly as - in fact it was their calmness and friendliness that sold them to us; they were the only ones that came over to see us at the Agri Show we were at.  But then again there are always breed anomolies.  I really wanted a GG but were told they can be "fragile".  Although, having said all that I have just got back from the milk shed with NO milk (in my bucket that it is! But it is all over the shed floor) and a very skittish nanny...maybe it's the wind.....
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: ballingall on October 02, 2012, 07:37:28 pm
British alpines also have strong Houdini instincts.  They love to escape.  My Curry is a Sanaan xBA and when he was younger I had to block up the tiniest of holes or he would be trying to crawl through.
 
Anke, If I had my pure Sanaans mated with a BS, would the resulting kids be BSs?  I'm hoping to find another pure Sanaan near me but it's not easy.


Yes, they would be BS kids.


Beth
Title: Re: Pigmy x golden guernsey
Post by: Lesley Silvester on October 02, 2012, 09:04:51 pm
Thanks, Beth and Anke.