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Author Topic: Oooooh  (Read 6125 times)

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Oooooh
« on: October 04, 2009, 10:37:40 am »
Goats has its own area!  Many Thanks Dan!


Beth

little blue

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2009, 09:36:46 pm »
Yipee, goats rule!
Little Blue

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2009, 11:10:11 pm »
Oh, thank goodness its new!!  I have been posting in "other" and having just seen the goat section, thought I must just have missed it before.
Much better to have their own section!

little blue

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2009, 08:18:50 pm »
(I asked Dan if we could have a goat section, in the 'any improvements' thread.  Cheers Dan!)
Its about time the old goat had some recognition - its a 'proper' smallholders animal IMHO, gives you milk, keeps the brambles down, gives you exercise when they get stubborn!
Little Blue

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2009, 08:30:10 pm »
OK, question from a total and utter numpty as far as goats are concerned.  Do you have to keep putting a nanny in kid to keep getting milk?  I would like a goat and I love goats milk but I wouldn't have a clue what to do with any kids.  Maybe I'll just get milk from Beth's girls.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

little blue

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2009, 08:38:44 pm »
Some will 'milk through' ie give milk for more than one kidding, its often in the genetics.
They come into season in the autumn to kid in the spring. 
We got ours in may, and are leaving her un-mated just to see how long she goes for, she was from a commercial dairy and mated at under a year, so she really needs a rest and to bulk out before kidding again.  The kid is filling out nicely, but I dont want to mate her as young, so we may have to go without goats milk for a while next year.
If you've the time and patience, I'd recommend goats as having your 'own' milk is fantastic, but think it through!
Little Blue

ballingall

  • Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2009, 10:04:11 pm »
It depends on the goat how long it will milk for. We have a line that will milk for 3 years without being kidded still giving about 3 litres a day. Obviously to begin with in the first year they give 6 litres a day, then that drops to about 4 a day for the second year, and finally down to about 3 litres. They would probably milk on even longer if you wanted as well. The swiss breeds (with straight upright ears) tend to be better for this, Anglo-Nubian's and Golden Guernseys can "run through" but, they tend to only do that once, so they would milk for about 18months without a break.

You can also get maiden milkers, ones that milk without ever having had babies, but they don't give as much milk as they would if they kidded.

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2009, 10:19:56 pm »
I have had a British Alpine that milked through a second year without kidding again.  Also had a couple of goats who never got in kid, but milked every summer.  Not as much as if they had kidded, but a good amount.

I did have problems before with finding billies in my area, but now I have two, I should not have a problem.

Two of the goats will probably kid round about Christmas, which is not ideal in our area, April is the earliest I would like, due to the adverse weather we can have, but as they came in kid, there is not much I can do about it.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2009, 11:35:25 pm »
Guess not such a numpty question after all, then ::)  If I did have a goat I guess a 'maiden milker' would suit me then as there's only me to supply, although I am sure my friends would all start liking goats milk once they knew about it.  Needs some thinking about though.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

chickenfeed

  • Guest
Re: Oooooh
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2009, 11:10:19 am »
 :) no not such a numpty question but not all goatlings go on to be maiden milkers its just luck. if you get the right dairy line you should get milk for 2 - 3 years after a kidding most breeders will run a goat through to rest at some point in the goats life. you could always let a goat kid then sell any females and eat any males born goat meat is becoming more known about these days and tastes good, you could even tan your own goat skin rug.

 

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