Of all the dairy goat breeds out there, why would one specifically choose a Nigerian Dwarf? While all the other breeds are lovely, the Nigerian Dwarf holds a special place in my heart, and here's why: 1) They are small. They are everything to love about a goat, but fun-size! The ADGA height standard for this breed is for does to be no taller than 22.5" tall at the withers, and bucks no higher than 23.5" at the withers. Since they are small, they are easier to house/transport than a standard breed would be, and they are cheaper to feed. The Nigerian's short stature also makes them easier to handle, making them a great choice for kids. 2) Their milk is high in butterfat. Nigerian Dwarfs typically have the highest butterfat percentage of all dairy goat breeds. Higher Butterfat means creamier milk , and more product (ie cheese) you can get out of the milk. Most other dairy breeds trend at 3-4% Butterfat, the Nubian's average is around 5%, but Nigerians are usually between 5.5-10%! Nigerians are known for having one of the best tasting milks of all the dairy breeds, in that it is very mild, fresh, and creamy; not goaty. 3) They can come in any color/pattern (or combination), and are the only recognized dairy breed that can have blue eyes. This fact makes having/breeding them even more fun! 4) They give the "just right" amount of milk. Due to their size, Nigerian Dwarfs likely won't give as much milk pound for pound as a standard dairy goat will, but most families find the amount of milk they give is just right for their needs. Usually, one can expect 600-900 lbs per 305 day lactation from a good doe, and some heavy milkers do 1,000-2,000 lbs in the same span! 5) They can have big litters. Multiples are very common with Nigerian Dwarfs. Other breeds most often only have one or two kids per litter, but triplets, or quadruplets (or even quintuplets, sextuplets, and septuplets!) are not unheard of for Nigerian Dwarfs. 6) They can be bred year-round. Unlike most Standard dairy breeds, Nigerian Dwarfs come into heat all times of the year (not just fall) which means you have excellent flexibility when you would like to have kids. Also, kiddings can be staggered throughout the year so you always have a milk supply year-round if you wanted.
Do you offer support/advise after the sale?
Yes! Absolutely. I am always open to talk goat, or answer any questions after a sale, or even if you never have bought a goat from me at all.
If I want to own/raise goats, where do I start?
The best place to start (in any venture, really!) with goats is by doing research. Buy books and read all you can. Search online articles about goat topics (Registry and breeder websites are great places to find valuable information). Perhaps the best route is to talk directly to a breeder (or a few). Most breeders have owned goats for a while, and know quite a bit about them. To raise/keep goats, you only need a few basic supplies and a setup. Be sure they have a pen that is secure, and has enough space for them. T-posts with animal fencing (2"x4" square holes are the best size for goats) makes a good, simple pen. Make sure whatever gate you use is secure (in particular, the latch!). For shelter, a small shed with a goat-accessible door will often be all that is needed. Goats do need a place to get out of the elements (especially the rain, which they hate!). Many feed-supply stores will sell various feeders/waterers, just be sure to not use a hay net, as the goats can get strangled in it. Basic supplies will be feed (hay, and perhaps grain/pellets), hoof trimmers, goat minerals, collars (one per goat, dog collars work great.), leads, a first-aid kit ( can be bought as a kit, or collected separate; I keep blue cote, iodine, cayenne extract, EMT gel, and Fir Meadow herbal mixes on hand.), and a good pair of clippers ( to shave bucks for the summer, or goats for show, or clean up a does udder for more sanitary milking.). If you want to raise kids, then you will also need a disbudding iron, a castration device ( most breeders, myself included use the banding method), and a tattoo kit (to register kids). If you want to milk, then a milkstand will be a must. You can build one yourself, or buy them pre-made. I use an adjustable steel one, and I love it. You also will need a milk bucket, some jars to store the milk, and a milk filter kit (to strain out any impurities in the milk before storing it). Before milking, a doe's udder needs to be wiped off/cleaned, I use homemade wipes ( paper towels soaked in coconut oil and anti-bacterial essential oils). Everyone has their own methods, but I have used my wipes for years on my does, and I haven't had issues with it. If wanted, a pasteurizer will be an extra expense.
Realize that goats can be alot of responsibility. They can live for up to 15-20 years, so are going to stick around for awhile. These are not creatures you can just throw outside to the wild and forget about. They need lots of care and love to thrive. If you want to milk them, that's even more work. If the kids aren't nursing them, does will need to be milked by you at least once a day (every day). When raising goats (as with any livestock, and life in general), there are going to be good days, and bad days. Perseverance will be a virtue well-developed while raising goats. Should you choose to venture into goats, however, I think you'll be glad you did. Goats are amazing creatures, and have so much to offer!
Are Goats good for brush control?
Yes and no. It depends on the goat, and what needs clearing. Contrary to popular opinion, goats don't eat everything, and are actually somewhat picky. In most situations, a sheep may actually be a better "lawn mower". However, goats have been used to clear brush too, particularly the extensive (and prickly!) blackberry vines (which they love!) in the northwest. Goats have a knack for killing/eating trees too, but unfortunately leave you with the work of pulling out the stump. :) It has been said they also like eating poison ivy, but I haven't personally had the chance to see mine eat it.
How do reservations work?
My reservation list is a private list of people interested in buying a future kid from a planned mating. It is free to be on, but I ask that only those seriously interested in a kid ask to be listed. To keep thing organized, I take most reservations on kids from breeding pairs. That is, when a person asks to be on a waiting-list, they must specify which pairing they would like a kid from. If they contacted me first for that pairing, they are put down for first pick (after me of course). The next person to come along gets second pick, and so on. I usually limit reservations on a particular breeding to 4-6 people depending on how many I feel can be reasonably fulfilled soon. Buck kids are a special case. On some pairings, I will offer reservations for buck kids, but on others, I need to see the quality of the dam (often the case for first fresheners) before I decide to sell a buck from her. I am picky about my buck kids, as they will heavily influence a herd. So, I only offer the best as herd-sire prospects. For wethers (castrated buck kids), I keep a separate general waiting list. That is, I do not keep waiting-lists from specific pairings with them. As they are born, they will be offered to the first person in line. Once any kid is born ( buckling, doeling, or wether), the person they are offered to first (based on reservations) has one day to decide if they want him/her. If they do, then I require a deposit ($100 for registered/register-able kids; $30 for unregistered/pets) to hold until pick-up. Deposits are applied to the total balance, and can be paid via cash, check or pay-pal. If the person doesn't want the kid(s), then the kid will be offered to the next person in line. Upon pickup of kid(s), the remaining balance will be due in cash only (unless otherwise arranged.). Kids will not leave my possession until they are paid for in full.
Do you offer Shipping?
I meet most people for pick-up in my town nearby, mainly for biosecurity reasons for my farm. I personally don't offer long-distance shipping, but am willing to consider meeting within a few hours of driving distance for a small gas fee depending on the situation. Otherwise, I can recommend a good ground shipper I personally have used. All shipping arrangements must be made by the new owner of said kid(s) or goats.
Are you a clean-tested herd?
A clean-tested herd is typically one in which every animal has tested negative for CAE, CL, and Johnes. I personally haven't tested my herd yet, but have bought my goats directly from herds that are clean-tested, and unless bringing in a new animal, I keep a closed herd. I am extremely picky about who I let on my farm (animal or human), as many things are carried on shoes/tires/clothes/fur. Biosecurity on my farm is why I meet pretty much everybody in town for kid pick-up, to reduce the amount of people tracking in things constantly. Most of the time, when a goat leaves my premises, it is being sold, so will not bring anything back with it. My goats/kids are all different ages, and have never shown signs of any of these diseases. They are very healthy and vigorous animals. It is also worthy to note that some of the tests for these diseases can be inaccurate (giving false positives, or false negatives). Some types of tests are better than others.
Do you offer stud service?
As a general rule, no. As mentioned before, I am very strict about my farm's biosecurity to keep a healthy herd, so in most cases I will not offer stud service. The only situations I might consider it is only to a doe bought directly from me, or to another breeder I trust has the same standards I do in herd health.
Where do your goats live?
My goats live in a sturdy pen with free 24/7 access to shelter, and water. They are fed twice a day ( and does are milked once or twice a day). I clean their pen usually once every two months (or whenever needed). During the winter, I put shavings/straw down for bedding in the shelter so the goats have somewhere warm to lay at night. In their pens, there are several toys for them to play on, as well as dog cots that I find they enjoy lounging in. ( I actually really like the cots in their pens, as it gives them a comfortable spot to lay, and for my does, keeps their udders cleaner.)
What is DHI testing?
Simply put, DHI (Dairy Herd Improvement) testing is the process of accumulating an official dairy record of each doe's milk production in your herd. I send out milk weights/samples to my DHI lab each month. The lab determines my milk butterfat %, protein %, and SCC, and MUN. They then calculate how much milk my does are producing each month, and send me a report. Over time, my does will accumulate a milk production record. If these records meet or exceed my dairy goat registry's (in my case, AGS) requirements, then my does can earn a title known as a "milk star". I am excited to be participating in DHI testing with my herd, as I will gain so much valuable information about my does.
What do all those abbreviations/titles mean?
First, lets start with typical terms/acronyms common in the general goat world: Buck ( An intact male goat used for breeding.) Doe (A female goat.) Kid ( A baby goat. If one wants to get gender-specific, a doeling is a baby female goat, and a buckling is a baby male goat.) FF (First Freshener; A doe who has come into milk for the first time.) SCC (Somatic Cell Count. Simply put, a count of anything in the milk that is not milk, and gives you a general feel for the health of a doe's udder. Most often, this refers specifically to white blood cells, which are one of the body's main defenses. A high SCC indicates the body may be fighting an infection in the udder, commonly known as mastitis. With goats, it can be tricky to set a standard of what is normal or not; but is rather subjective to each goat. If a goat were to suddenly spike SCC levels way above normal for her trend, I would be concerned I may be dealing with a problem, and treat her for it.) MUN (Milk Urea Nitrogen. Basically a measure of protein your doe is excreting through her milk (and thus how much protein you are spending money on, but your goats are wasting anyway). Any protein an animal eats that it's body doesn't need will be excreted and therefore wasted. Like with SCC, goats are not easy to assign set standards of what is good or bad with MUN, but according to most reports, 30-37 is deemed fine.) CAE, CL, and Johnes (Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis; Caseous lymphadenitis; and Johnes, respectively. All are commonly known goat diseases, but thankfully, due to testing and biosecurity efforts, are seemingly no longer as prominent as they used to probably be.) BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds; A wonderful feed supplement for goats. Will help increase Butterfat levels, and provide lots of fat, vitamins, and nutrients to goats.) Now, here are what performance programs/titles are with regards to what you will find on a pedigree: DHI (Dairy Herd Improvement, a performance program many herds participate in to breed better dairy goats.) LA (Linear Appraisal; an ADGA performance program. It is basically a conformation grading/scoring system for goats.) CL (Classification; an AGS performance program. It is similar to LA, but works differently.) *M, or *D ( A milk production title listed after a doe's registered name. Either basically mean the same thing , just *M is for ADGA, and *D is for AGS. Both indicate that a doe milked enough to meet/exceed her age group's standards set by the registry for a "milk star". Often, you will see a number in front, ie, 2*M; that refers to how many does in that maternal line have earned a milk star.) * S, or *B ( A title inherited by bucks usually at birth on merits of their parents. *S is AGS, *B is ADGA's version. In order to receive this title, a buck's dam must have a milk star, and his sire must be a *S, or *B. Alternately, a buck's dam must be a star doe, and a buck's sire's dam must be a star doe too.) +S, or +B ( A title earned by bucks based on merits of their offspring. +S is AGS, +B is ADGA's version. There are several ways to earn this title, but the most common way is for a buck's three daughters from three different dams to earn their own milk stars. If so, he gets his + award. Bucks can add another + to that title, making it ++S, or ++B, if they have both sons and daughters who earn awards.) CH, and GCH ( Champion, and Grand Champion. These are show ring titles, the only difference is grand champion refers to a doe who not only is titled a champion, but also has her milk star.) SG (Superior Genetics. A genetic award given only by ADGA. It is a permanent title, and basically means that at one point during an goat's life, based on production records and LA scores, that animal ranked within the top 15% of the breed, and had a PTI 2:1 or PTI 1:2 value of or greater than zero.) Elite ( Elite. Another genetic award given by ADGA, that identifies the best of the breed in terms of production. It is a temporary title, meaning the animal must re-earn its place on the Elite list each time it is calculated in August and December. The elite title is closely linked to an animal's PTA$. For does, based on performance records, they must rank within the top 5% of the breed; bucks need to be in the top 15%.) PTI (Predicted Transmitting Index. A genetic score that consists of two numbers. The first number weights milk to type; the second number weights type to milk. It is based on performance records, and could be described as how genetically "influential" an animal may be. A score in the negatives is implying a below average animal, a score of zero is no change, and therefore average, and positive values are above average. ) PTA (Predicted Transmitting Ability. Another genetic calculation, basically, how well a goat's offspring are expected to produce. A PTA of 30M, 2BF, 1PT and .30T means they expect this animal's offspring to milk 30 lbs on average, 2 lbs Butterfat on average, and 1 lb protein on average higher than other goat's offspring from other animals in the database. The .30 T refers to type in the same way.) PTA$ ( Predicted Transmitting Ability Dollars. An economic calculation, basically determining how much profit or loss this animal and its offspring would bring in a commercial dairy.) ETA (Estimated Transmitting Ability. A pre-cursor to a PTI calculation, given as an estimate of an animal's future PTI based off of its parent's PTI scores.)