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9:25 am
December 10, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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I am new here and was wondering if anyone has milk goats? And if you do, what kind? Do you have a favorite breed? A favorite goat?
I have 3 Lamancha does and 1 Nubian. Those are my favorite breeds so far. I like them both. I do milk them all. Right now the Lamancha does are dry. I am only milking Sandy, the Nubian, every other day now. (She is my baby. I've had her since she was just a few days old. She's 3 years old.) I only get a little over a pint.  I love goat milk. While my goats are dry I get fresh cow milk from a friend. But it's just not the same to me. I did have 7 does but sold 3 this year. I'd like to sell one more and just have 3 for us.
Ya'll have probably had a topic about goats. But I love talking goats. I like to go see what Suzanne's goats are up to. Clover is so cute.
Kris
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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10:29 am
December 10, 2009
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Suzanne McMinn
| | Sassafras Farm in Roane County, WV | |
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Hi, Kris!!! Well, you know I have Nigerian Dwarf milk goats. They don't produce like the larger size milk goats. If I can ever get Clover pregnant, I might have milk again!!!
There are several people here who have goats. Where is Gizmo? Oh Gizmo! She's really experienced so I hope she surfs by soon.
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10:31 am
December 10, 2009
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Flatlander
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Yes I have 7 milk goats, 3 la mancha's, nubian en the others are X mix (I think)
Right now I'm not milking, they all have been exposed to the billy in November, so as of the first week of April I keep my fingers crossed.
The billies are going to be sold right away..that is after a week or so.
Bottle babies are quite populair and if you bottlefeed them, nuter them, you have the best pets in the world.
The girls I might keep…depending on how many I get…I milk by hand so I can't have to many.
I make yoghurt, cheese, cottage cheese…never tried soap but will next spring if I have enough goats to milk.
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12:17 pm
December 10, 2009
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Heidi533
| | Hersey, Michigan | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 192 | |
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I have two Toggenburg goats. A doe and doeling. We are hoping the doe is bred. She just came home a couple days ago from visiting a nubian buck. The doeling is big enough now, so she will go visit the same buck shortly after New Years.
I love goat milk too. My daughter took both goats to the fair this past summer and our Toggenburg doe took Supreme Grand Champion Dairy Goat.
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Heidi-
http://henhousediaries.blogspot.com
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1:56 pm
December 10, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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Suzanne, I sure hope Clover does get pregnant. She'd have some really cute kids. I bet she's a mess. And I have heard Nigerians are really good milkers. Great for small places. I have never actually seen one "in person". Maybe one day.
I just bred all mine, too. I sold 3 bucks yesterday! I will keep 1 Lamancha and 1 Nubian. They are both going to a friend's in Tn. this next Monday to stay til I need them again. I have had enuf of the bucks. Last year from 6 does I got 11 bucks and just 2 does. I hope that changes next kidding.
I just made soap last week and used some of my frozen goat milk. I learned the first step to French milling but have not gotten the 2nd lesson. I will Monday. I found someone on the internet and followed her way. They all turned out good and are curing in the laundry room now. They will be Christmas gifts.
Heidi, one of my does, Sadie Mae Belle, is half Togg. She's just 2 1/2. She kidded this past spring with twin bucks. She has the most perfect udder and was so easy to milk. But her milk was just AWFUL! I read that Toggs were bred for cheese making and their milk was strong in flavor. I could not drink it til about the last few months. It finally got to where we could put it in with the rest of the milk and drink it. It really was nasty. So do yours have strong tasting milk? And had you ever heard that? I just gave all her milk to the dogs cats and chickens. They had no problem with it.
Kris
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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2:22 pm
December 10, 2009
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Flatlander
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What do you feed them? food is very important
If you feed onions to your chickens…the eggs wil get a bad taste.
If you have dairy cows..and they get into stinkweed…and you can trow out the milk.
If you feed stong flavors to your goats…it will get into the milk.
What do you feed them? even if they go from hay to grass…you will taste it in the milk
She might be the only one who likes a surtain type of plant, might be worth to look into her food.
When I'm milking, they only get hay, grass and dairygoat ration.
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2:44 pm
December 10, 2009
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BuckeyeGirl
| | N.E. Ohio | |
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If tomatoes are a fruit, then isn’t ketchup technically a
smoothie?
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4:24 pm
December 10, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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I never had bad tasting eggs. And she is the only one that jumps over the fence and into the pasture next to us. I always wondered about that. I have seen chicken parts out there after they fertilize from the chicken houses. I use electric fence but there's one spot that has field fence. I put barbed wire on top of that but she still jumps over. So it could be something out there.
And when I am milking them they get a 16% all grain plus hay. Now they are just on grass and hay. All the other does had great milk.
No cookies here. Sorry girls. Gotta keep those girlish figures! They aren't really into treats.
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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5:33 pm
December 10, 2009
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Flatlander
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you know that could be it…she might find something there she really really likes..and what gives her milk "a taste"
What if you use her milk strictly for soap?…add some of Cindy's jingle bell aroma in there
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5:44 pm
December 10, 2009
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Gizmo
| | KY | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 183 | |
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If you keep a buck/wether in with your milkers, their milk will taste bad too.
Feeding clover or alfalfa will also improve the flavor of the milk. Don't forget to cool the milk RIGHT AWAY.
We have 7 Lamanchas, 1 Lamancha/Togg Cross, 4 Nubians, 5 Saanens and 1 Sable. Obviously, my favorites are the Lamanchas.  We drink their milk, feed the babies (we bottle feed the babies), make cheese, butter and soap. 
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Life is an adventure – Enjoy the ride!!!
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6:56 pm
December 10, 2009
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Flatlander
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Yes but than ALL the milk would taste bad…and Kriss said only one had that "problem"
That's why I think it is in something she eats…
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9:32 pm
December 10, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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Yep, it is just Sadie that had the bad milk. It did get better though. So I'm really not sure. I hope she just gets better with age. If it's still bad next spring when she kids again then I will just use her milk for other things.
2 years ago I raised 2 bottle calves on the goat milk. We just had the steer butchered a few months ago. The heifer is still with us. She is fat and sassy.
I bottle raised kids the first year I had goats. Not any more for me! That was way too much for me to handle then. I let the does raise the kids now. There is one that if she has a doeling I might bottle raise it.
Oh, that was a possibility about the bucklings being in with the does. But even then, it was only Sadie's milk. The others all had buck kids, too. And theirs was all good. So it is probably something she likes to eat that the others don't.
I do cool the milk fast. I have a fridge right in the milk room. I keep a tub of cold water in it and put the buckets in it while I finish cleaning up. By then it's ice cold. So it helps to keep a fridge in the milk room.
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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9:06 am
December 11, 2009
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Gizmo
| | KY | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 183 | |
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Flatlander said:
Yes but than ALL the milk would taste bad…and Kriss said only one had that "problem"
That's why I think it is in something she eats…
Not necessarily for all of the girls, but I think you're right. If her milk is being handled properly, then it must be something she's eating – that the others are not.
Good luck Kris, and let us know how she's doing.
I give our pigs goat milk, and they love it. The meat is delicious too, with a nice sweet taste and great texture. We're sending three to the butcher in a week or so, and two of our steers to the butcher next month.  I can't wait.
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Life is an adventure – Enjoy the ride!!!
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10:16 am
December 11, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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Gizmo, I had 4 pigs last year and they got alot of the milk, too. They would fight over it. My steer is really good. We had rib steaks last night. I marinate them in olive oil with crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. It's so good. He was grass-fed so marinating helps alot. But this way, ya don't need steak sauce!
I heard you have goats, too. What kind do you have? Are you still milking? I am just milking one and I got a good pint this morning!
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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12:45 pm
December 11, 2009
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Flatlander
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I gave my chickens and turkeys, the wey…mixed with chop, they loved it and that way I didn't have to trow out anything
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10:20 pm
December 11, 2009
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Heidi533
| | Hersey, Michigan | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 192 | |
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outbackfarm said:
Heidi, one of my does, Sadie Mae Belle, is half Togg. She's just 2 1/2. She kidded this past spring with twin bucks. She has the most perfect udder and was so easy to milk. But her milk was just AWFUL! I read that Toggs were bred for cheese making and their milk was strong in flavor. I could not drink it til about the last few months. It finally got to where we could put it in with the rest of the milk and drink it. It really was nasty. So do yours have strong tasting milk? And had you ever heard that? I just gave all her milk to the dogs cats and chickens. They had no problem with it.
Kris
Hi Kris,
Yes, I have heard this about Togg milk before. Many people do not like it. The only Togg milk I have had is from my doe, and her milk is very good. The lady I bought her from never liked any other Toggs milk, so I think that mine is so good is just a fluke. I'm hoping that her daughter has similar milk. If not, I will just use hers for soap or cheese rather than drinking. We are breeding them with a nubian, so I also have the option of keeping any doelings we have born. Usually Togg/nubian crosses have pretty good milk. But we will see. I really like my Toggs for their personality.
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Heidi-
http://henhousediaries.blogspot.com
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8:12 pm
December 12, 2009
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outbackfarm
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| Banty | posts 10 | |
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Heidi, I would love to see a picture of a Togg-Nubian cross. I bet they are cute. But which way would those ears go? I have a Nubian buck but I never even thought to breed her with him. She has elf ears, though. She's half Lamancha. Both her bucks had gopher ears.
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Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference
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6:55 pm
December 13, 2009
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Gizmo
| | KY | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 183 | |
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outbackfarm said:
Gizmo, I had 4 pigs last year and they got alot of the milk, too. They would fight over it. My steer is really good. We had rib steaks last night. I marinate them in olive oil with crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. It's so good. He was grass-fed so marinating helps alot. But this way, ya don't need steak sauce!
I heard you have goats, too. What kind do you have? Are you still milking? I am just milking one and I got a good pint this morning!
I will definitely try your marinade….it sounds delicious.
The pigs get everything…..excess milk, whey and any cheese in the refrigerator longer than a week. They fight over it too. I make sure I'm on the OUTSIDE of the pen, when they get these "treats". 
Yes, we do have milkers. Everyone is dry right now….we should start kidding in a couple weeks. I'm using up the milk from last year….hoping it's gone before kidding starts! The first to kid will be the Sable, then the Saanens and Nubians. Right after them will be the Boers and Lamanchas. I do have one Lamancha/Togg cross. She is marked like a Togg, with elf Lamancha ears. I bred her to my Lamancha buck….I can't wait to see the kids.
Heidi – I am VERY interested to hear how your cheese turns out. Usually if the milk is "off", then the cheese will be too. I'm hoping you will tell me differently!!!
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Life is an adventure – Enjoy the ride!!!
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3:56 pm
September 20, 2010
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velward
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| Banty | posts 3 | |
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I have 34 goats, Lamanchas and MiniManchas. I usually breed 10 goats every year for milk and showing. Last year I started making hard cheese. MMMMM Every once in a while, one of my girls will get into something that affects the smell and flavor of the milk. They have a 2 acre pasture but have eliminated most of the weeds over the years. I feed sweet feed ( horse) with Calf Manna and BOSS. I treat with bananas, apples, grapes, pears etc… Sorry…no cookies. LOL
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6:14 pm
September 20, 2010
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twiggityNDgoats
| | Spencer, WV | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 101 | |
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We have 9 Nigerians (5 does, 3 bucks and a wether) and hoping for lots of milk and babies in late winter/early spring.
Shelley
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Hehe, sorry, couldn't resist! That's all very true as many mothers know… about the milk anyway, not such common knowledge when it comes to hen's eggs, though no less true! 
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