[lizzypeg]

im looking into getting a milking goat..ideally and AN or Sannen x type....I really like look of AN's though personally.
I know how to keep goats, trim feet, vaccinate, worm etc...
but never owned a milking goat as have sheep and pygmy wethers at present...
What things will I need to know about and has anyone any tips on the best first milking goat breed.

[Lesley Silvester]

In my totally unbiased opinion  you won't do better than Sanaans. TBH I don't know that much about ANs but Sanaans are known for their gentle, placid natures. Togs are pretty good as well. The AN does tend to have a higher butter fat content to the milk.

Your best bet is to visit a few people with the breeds that you are considering and watch the goats being handled and ask lots of questions. I don't know where you are, but I'm always up for visitors.

[fiestyredhead331]

I love my Saanen too (even when she is being a diva!) but you'd better start exercising those hand/arm muscles for the milking. My Saanen has mahoosive teats which can tricky to milk if like me you have small hands but I do love that quiet spell in the morning doing the milking while she eats breakfast and we chat then again before she goes into bed for the night (apart from tonight when we got eaten alive with midgies!)
 

[plumseverywhere]

I have saanen and toggenburgs. My togg's aunt was my first milker and I found her great to gain experience. The saanen gives a greater yield here though.

what will you do for a companion for your goat? Will you have two nannies so you can alternate mating/kidding?

[lizzypeg]

my friend i share the land with is considering getting a nanny too,,if she doesn't id get a 2nd one as company.
iv also seen alpine x ones who I like the look of.

[Anke]

First you need to think about what you want to do with probably about a gallon of milk per day per goat, once any kids are weaned.... also do you just want milk or do you want breed pedigree goats (and register them). Buying a registered, and preferably milk-recorded goat (or her offspring) is really the only guarantee you have for a decent milk supply. If you want to make good cheese a good butterfat content is a must, AN's are probably more reliably good at producing fats of above 5% - they are also very noisy and they are big/chunky goats.
 
As to breed everyone has a favourite breed, and would champion it above all others...but most goatkeepers I know have at least two breeds, if not more...
 
I think the goat world is the only one that allows the registration/showing of crosses on an equal footing to pure-bred animals, so don't disregard them, especially if they come from good parents.
 
Also look into horned vs disbudded, decide which one to keep and stick to it. If you buy registered stock they will almost certainly be disbudded. Make sure you know what males are available within the distance you would be prepared to travel (at less than a day's notice) - I travel about 300miles round-trip to get some of mine mated, but I try to line-breed. You will need a livestock trailer or a van to transport your girls.
 
Also find a "goat-friendly" and "goat-knowledgable" vet before you get your goats, if not get a good goat veterinary book straight away too.
 
The BGS website has info on all the breeds, and there will be some at an agricultural show near you - talk to goatkeepers there. We are very talkative about our darlings!

[Lesley Silvester]

iv also seen alpine x ones who I like the look of.

Alpines do look nice, I agree but, to quote a local BA breeder who has over 20 goats, they are 'challenging'. The have a distinct houdini temperment, ie fences are made to be got over, under or through. Assuming you intend using any males kids for meat, they are not the best as they are inclined to be quite rangy. My male kid was half BA half Sanaan but he had the BA build so not so meaty (still tasted good though). Not sure what the yield is like. I've only ever milked one and she didn't produce a huge amount but she was very, very young.

[shygirl]

have you considered golden guernseys? we had a beautiful friendly gg. easy to handle.

[lizzypeg]

my friend really wants a gg...id use boy goats for meat/pets. and sell girls as pets/breeders.
I just want to find our all I can before I take the plunge

[Anke]

have you considered golden guernseys? we had a beautiful friendly gg. easy to handle.

Depends on how much milk you need, GG's will rarely give you more than 2 to 3 ltrs of milk per day - often not enough to rear twins very well.... but really nice goats, easier to keep in a non-grazing situation. Also more expensive to buy if you are looking at pedigree.

[plumseverywhere]

If pedigree not too important to you and you want milk rather than need bloodlines etc, our saanen cross is a great example of a budget priced goat that has paid for herself over and over again!  She is a maiden milker which is perfect for us as it means I dont' have to breed each year (not easy with 4 young children and disabled mum etc) so Savannah just comes back into milk each spring and I dry her off each xmas! 9 pints a day = enough to make plenty of soap to run a small (ish!) business, keep the family in milk/cheese/yogurt/ice cream and even the dog and cat    She came from a strong line of milkers, if you can find one like that then they are worth their weight in gold, truly!