When we moved onto our property we already knew we’d have 1. A garden 2. Chickens and 3. Goats. To us these were a MUST have to live sustainably. So you may ask why goats? Well, goats milk is actually the number one consumed milk in the world. That may become a shock to you if you live in the US like we do. If you go to the grocery store and buy goats milk it will often taste well… “goaty” gross!!
So Melanie, WHY would you want to get goats then? Well, the more i’ve come to learn about the US and our foods the more I began questioning everything we’ve been groomed to know and understand. So, what I did was buy goat milk from a local farmer and gave it another try. We were all SHOCKED about the taste difference. Here’s the thing about goats milk. If you leave it in the refrigerator for longer than 7 days it may develop a more “goaty” taste, also if you put a goat in milk with a buck then it’s likely your milk may taste “goaty” as well. Also, you need to try other goats milk as they don’t all contain the same about of butterfat content. Nigerians are known for their highest butterfat percentage and Nubians running behind them. So what’s the difference right? Well, there’s a pretty big difference. A Nigerian goat won’t produce merely the amount of milk that a Nubian goat will produce. While every goat is different, like us humans, it’s been shown on average a Nubian goat will produce a half gallon of milk a day. I haven’t had Nigerians but we’ve had Nigerian Dwarfs and my Nigerian Dwarf goat produced 16 ounces of milk a day, which is merely half of what a Nubian produces. Another type of goat we have is an Alpine/Kiko "Oreo". Alpines are wonderful milk producers and kikos are known to have the best worm resistance. This is why we chose Oreo. Oreo is the heaviest producer here on the farm.
We work really hard to source organic orchard grass and feed organic alfalfa pellets on the milking stand all while having free minerals and baking soda if and when it's needed. Our family believes if we really are going through all the work to rid ourselves of the garbage we're being fed at the grocery store then why feed our animals the chemically sprayed hay? You are what you eat right? This of course makes it very difficult to source and is costly.
So aside from milk which makes all kinds of cheeses and goat soaps, goats make the most loveable pets. Goats are often considered the “dog” of the farm. They’re adorable, loveable, and make the silliest noises. Quite the entertainment group.
So Melanie, WHY would you want to get goats then? Well, the more i’ve come to learn about the US and our foods the more I began questioning everything we’ve been groomed to know and understand. So, what I did was buy goat milk from a local farmer and gave it another try. We were all SHOCKED about the taste difference. Here’s the thing about goats milk. If you leave it in the refrigerator for longer than 7 days it may develop a more “goaty” taste, also if you put a goat in milk with a buck then it’s likely your milk may taste “goaty” as well. Also, you need to try other goats milk as they don’t all contain the same about of butterfat content. Nigerians are known for their highest butterfat percentage and Nubians running behind them. So what’s the difference right? Well, there’s a pretty big difference. A Nigerian goat won’t produce merely the amount of milk that a Nubian goat will produce. While every goat is different, like us humans, it’s been shown on average a Nubian goat will produce a half gallon of milk a day. I haven’t had Nigerians but we’ve had Nigerian Dwarfs and my Nigerian Dwarf goat produced 16 ounces of milk a day, which is merely half of what a Nubian produces. Another type of goat we have is an Alpine/Kiko "Oreo". Alpines are wonderful milk producers and kikos are known to have the best worm resistance. This is why we chose Oreo. Oreo is the heaviest producer here on the farm.
We work really hard to source organic orchard grass and feed organic alfalfa pellets on the milking stand all while having free minerals and baking soda if and when it's needed. Our family believes if we really are going through all the work to rid ourselves of the garbage we're being fed at the grocery store then why feed our animals the chemically sprayed hay? You are what you eat right? This of course makes it very difficult to source and is costly.
So aside from milk which makes all kinds of cheeses and goat soaps, goats make the most loveable pets. Goats are often considered the “dog” of the farm. They’re adorable, loveable, and make the silliest noises. Quite the entertainment group.
Registered Nigerian Dwarf
The most desired goat is the Nigerian Dwarf goat. These miniature sized goats require less space on the farm making way for more to keep. They’re also the most playful and energetic bunch which is why they are the most desired. And don’t forget they have the highest butterfat content which by my taste, means it’s creamier. Denver - Buck - NFS Moonshine - Buck - NFS Dottie - Doe - NFS Due 2/8/24 Adele - Doe - For Sale Annie - Doe - NFS |
Nubians & Mini Nubians
Our Nubian Jupiter gave birth to Baily in June 2023. Baily is a Mini-Nubian since her father is a Nigerian Dwarf. We wanted a Mini- Nubian to get the butterfat content from the Nigerian Dwarf side and the sizeable utter from the Nubian side, the best of both worlds. Jupiter - Nubian Doe Baily - Mini Nubian 6/9/23 - NFS |
Alpine/Kiko mix
Lastly, there’s Oreo she’s a Alpine/Kiko mix who we purchased from a well known dairy farm outside of Raleigh, NC. Alpines are well known in the dairy goat world but not Kiko. So why Kiko? Kikos have been the last domesticated goat, which means they have the highest worm resistance. Since worms are the number 1 killer in goats, breeding them for resistance is the right and responsible thing to do. Oreo is an excellent mother to her two daughters who are part Nigerian Dwarf and Alpine/Kiko. By far Oreo has the largest utter, is the hardiest goat, and has a sweet personality. She will also be the first at the buffet. Oreo - Doe - NFS Alpine/Kiko/Nigerian Dwarf Brittney - Doe - 5/29/23 - For sale Bristol - Doe - 5/29/23 -NFS |