Wholesome Wednesdays: Goat's Milk

As most of my readers know, goats are high on my list of things to get into in the next 2-5 years. In preparation for goat keeping, i've been trying out as many different goat activities and chatting with other goat keepers as much as i can. I was very lucky to goat-sit a friend's two does and 4 kids this past weekend and learned a lot.
1. Milking takes a lot longer than you think it should
2. Don't assume you're done milking, keep massaging those udders to work it all out.
3. Udders hold a lot of milk!
4. Kids are really really loud and really really cute.
5. I like goats.

This little doeling was last to the bottle and definitely knew it was her turn.

Haha. Anyway, it was great fun to bottle feed the hungry kids, have them climb all over us and get the occasional nibble from the does. Milking was also fun, but i have some serious learning to do: we milked about half the amount they usually give due to our lack of experience. My technique is okay, but i'll have to work on it as i got some major finger cramps. Those little teets don't leave much room for extra fingers and i found myself milking all over myself as often as into the pale. Most of the milk our friend's does are giving go to the kids right now, but they're destined for some new homes soon, resulting in lots of milk on their hands. I dream of cheese, my husband dreams of milk with dinner and i've recently begun dreaming about fibers and spinning (bought my first spindle this weekend!) so we'll add one non-dairy goat to our herd eventually.

Goat's milk (or meat) isn't as popular in this country as in others (more goat's milk is drunk yearly than cow's milk worldwide!). I'm not sure why that is, other than the 'beef it's what's for dinner' brain washing we Americans are subjected to. Goat's milk is much more easily digested than cows, goats take up less space to keep and goats frequently throw multiple kids: great for increasing your flock quickly, selling the animal or meat to help pay for herd costs, or provide meat for your family's freezer as well as freshening your doe to keep your fridge stocked with milk. A family milk cow requires more space and hay and generally only throws on calf. The breed of goat we plan on raising (Kinders) has a very high dressing ratio (lots of meat harvestable within the total body weight of the animal) and gives lots of very high quality milk. Best of both worlds!

Seriously, could anything be cuter than this??

Goat's milk may be more digestible for some people. Goat's milk contains different proteins than cow's milk, though some are similar. So, depending on which protein you are allergic to, you may react more favorably to goat's milk. Some people complain that goat's milk tastes 'goaty.' I have experienced some goaty tasting milk, but more frequently goat's milk tastes just like (or better than) cow's milk and is whiter. The presence of a buck may taint the flavor of a doe's milk, and every breed and every individual goat will have its own unique flavor. If you're considering purchasing a doe for her milk, try to get a taste of it first to be sure you like it. If you're purchasing a doeling, ask to taste the mother's milk.

I can't wait to have some of these of my own, and will be very happy to know i have a step mama living a few hours away with years of goat experience. Freshened does means daily milking, and i for one need at least the occasional weekend out of town for a good camping trip.

Do you like goat's milk? Do you drink it often? If you have goats, what do you do with the excess milk you have once the kids are weaned?

This post is part of the Simple Lives Thursday blog hop.

Friday Fantasy: Goats

I think i'll start another weekly series, Friday Fantasies. With our eyes set to the next horizon, it seems fitting to mention some of the things we're dreaming about and scheming to set into motion. Goats have been on our wish list for many years now, and though our flock (herd?) will have to wait until A. land is procured B. chickens are re established and C. veggie gardens are good and going: i can still dream about the cute little fuzzy faces we're so looking forward to.

I plan on pursuing a breeding program of Kinder Goats, a cross between Nubians and Pigmies. That plan may change, but we're definitely set on the dwarf sized breeds.
Here are some links and resources i've found so far, along with some cute goat pictures for the heck of it.

Resources:

• Yellow Door Barn. Heidi's recent guest post was great, and she has tons more goaty info including new photos of her brand new kids!
• Kinder Goats. Lots of info on developing your Kinder flock.
• Living Fences. Not goat related specifically, but fascinating information on how to create living hedgerows.
• Baking Soda for Goats. The Prairie Homestead has some good tips.
• Render Lard. Baby goats mean unwanted billy kids which to me means butchering my own meat and rendering my own lard to use in cooking and soap making. This is a great tutorial from Spain in Iowa.
• Milking Schedules. A very recent post from the Prairie Homestead, this is sooo helpful.

And now it is time to blubber over the cuteness of goat kids:

One of Heidi's adorable kids

Ah, what we have to look forward to....

Sweet face

And here is a little Kinder.

I'm dreaming alright, and i can't wait for it to become a reality!   Happy Friday, y'all!

Nigerian Goats in Austin - Guest Post from Yellow Door Barn

I've had my eye on Heidi's blog since i found it, being a wanna-be goat keeper myself. I'm crossing my fingers her doe's have an easy kidding, and maybe i'll get to help out with the milking.

Thanks to the wonderful Miranda for inviting me over today. She has been like a neighbor to me: someone to borrow from, share with, and learn alongside.

We’ve kept Nigerian dwarf goats in our urban(ish) backyard for the last year and a half. I’m beginning to feel like we have most of the basics down. Our first kids to be born on the farm are due in the next couple of weeks!

If you’ve ever considered urban goat-keeping here are my recommendations for you:

-Hands on Experience

Visit a farm with goats. And then visit again. Visit so often that they start putting you to work. Visit so often that they start giving you the less than glamorous work. Learn how to milk on someone else’s goat with someone experienced watching. Be around for shots, hoof trimming and (everyone’s favorite) castration. Ask questions! Take notes! Books are good and necessary for goats, but there are just some things you have to learn by doing.



-Breeds for Needs

Thoroughly research breeds before even thinking about buying a goat. You don’t want to bring home a kid and then realize 6 months later when she’s fully grown that she’s going to be too big for you or your property to handle. Along with size, figure out why you want goats. Are they going to be pets? Would you train them to haul small loads? Are you going to milk?

I don’t think you have to buy pure-bred, registered goats to be successful. Just remember to be cautious and critical when you decide to buy..they are way too easy to fall in love with!



-Space

Take a good look at where you will keep your goats. You must keep at least 2 and most people have a hard time limiting themselves. We have half an acre and will never have more than 2 adults at a time; anymore than that would be detrimental to our soil and unhealthy for the animals.

Consider your fencing. If you’ve been around goat people, you’ve probably heard an escape story that made you think someone was telling a tall tale. They were not. Goats are very smart (see: Entertainment) and very greedy. They will defy gravity to get at a scrap of hay. Build a fence, first. Then by a goat. Never, ever, ever the other way around.



-Entertainment and Exercise

A bored goat is trouble with a tail. But it isn’t their fault! They just want to play! Goats need friends (definitely at least 1 other goat, though other species make great companions too) and fun. A bored goat is also going to be a fat goat. And fat goats can run into numerous health problems.

We decided to exercise/entertain our goats in the same way we do our dogs. They go for walks on leashes around the neighborhood. They are able to graze our front yard this way, as well as get some ‘fresh air’ and exercise. Our goats also have rotating pastures to keep them busy and ‘toys’ like rocks and dog houses to climb up and knock each other off of.

Well maintained goats are a joy. Their adventurousness, curiosity, and often outlandish personalities make them such fun! Oh! and don’t forget the delicious milk.