[plumseverywhere]

totally agree with Katie - I think it tastes like a billy goat smells and it makes me Barf!!  my poor kids have to drink it (human kids that is!!) as they are cows milk intolerant. when we had our lovely toggenburg milker, her milk didn't taste at all yuk (it was obviously not skimmed so I did get a bit wider round the hips mind you!)
we always had people wanting goats milk for puppies, kittens etc and obviously I use it in soap - find a local soap maker near you and you'll be their best friend forever!!

as for naughty goats, mine were really naughty when we first got them. they were like human children in that they pushed the boundaries, much better noe - no escaping!!

[divanp75]

Trouble is, goat's milk from a shop can tate pretty disgusting and make everyone think they don't like it. Better if you could get some from another smallholder to try.

totally agreed,  goats milk from tescos etc is crap 

[jinglejoys]

Parturisation doesn't only destroy tthe "bad" bacteria!

[little blue]

If you plan out the housing / penning etc well in advance, you should reduce the opportunity for "Naughty" escapes.
our pen is metre high wooden pallets topped by another metre of stock wire.  we cant risk them geting out, they'd be on the road (we are in a town) and touch wood they have only ever got out a couple of times, by sneaking through the gate when I've had my hands full.

Its worth being nosey at oher people's set-ups & deciding what would suit you best.

[Anke]

We don't like the shop bought stuff either.... and the cheeses I made last summer never once tasted goaty, only when I left them too long and they became abit coloured...as in mouldy.

[ballingall]

Hello Buffy,

Apologies for not replying sooner though I have been reading the thread. It is possible to work full time and keep milking goats. You just need to plan well!

It takes time morning and evening to deal with the goats, so you need to set that aside. You also need to consider things like your feeding/hay/straw. Where will you get it from- and when are they open? If they are only open Mon-Fri 9-5 will you be able to get there when they are open? Or maybe it is open a saturday morning- great, but then you need to make sure you have free time on a saturday morning to go along. Your weekends will be taken up with the things you don't have time to do during the week- feet trimming, mucking out, worming, routine repairs etc.

You also need to plan what to do with kids. When your goat kids, while you leave any kids she has on her to suckle? If you decide to hand rear them so they are tamer, and so that you can get all the milk and dole it out, then you have to decide how you are going feed the kids. You might not be there in order to give them a bottle in the middle of the day. There are things you do to get round that, automatic drinkers etc, but you need to consider that.

For leaving them all day, I would, in the late spring, summer and early autumn want to have them outside if possible- but with access to a shed big enough for however many you have. And you would be best to keep a hay rack in there with hay in it, in case it rains during the day then they can just stay in the shed. You need to make sure feed and hay etc is stored SECURELY where they can't get to it while you are out.

It is more than possible to keep them and work full time, but it is a commitment. I will need to do it myself in the future- I am fortunate just now in that I live with my mum, who is retired, so she does things like gives them hay in the middle of the day, bottle feeds kids etc. But one day she won't be able to do that any more. There is no way I would be able to keep as many as we do now. I do know people who don't just keep goats, but keep a biggish herd of goats, which they show, virtually every weekend. I think as they are both couples, and both partners have an equal interest in the animals, it does work.

If you do decide to go ahead, let us know how you get on- and provide pictures!


Beth