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Dairy goat

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Dairy goats are personable, hardy, and a very rewarding animal. A female goat is called a Doe. A male goat is called a Buck. If the male goat is castrated it is called a wether. Goats milk is the most consumed milk in the world.

Breeds

There are 6 major breeds of dairy goats:

Nubian goats in their pasture.

In addition there are several minor breeds of dairy goats:

Feeding

Dairy goats need a good supply of roughage. Alfalfa hay is the most used choice for basic nutrition. Kids and bucks need a balanced grain ration and milkers should be fed a standard dairy grain ration. Kids are milk fed until two to three months of age, but should be consuming forage such as pasture grass or hay by two weeks of age and grain within four. All dairy goats should have loose minerals in a container that they can lick whenever they want. Fresh, clean water is also important. Dairy goats are very particular about the cleanliness of their food. There are naturally curious and may investigate newly found items, but they quickly refuse anything that is dirty or distasteful.

Housing

Dairy goats adapt well in all climates. They do not need elaborate housing, but do require clean, dry, well ventilated, draft free shelter. They need at least 15 square feet (1 m2) of bedded area for each goat. The pasture area should be a minimum of 25 square feet (2 m2) of space per animal, well-drained and properly fenced. Dairy goats have a strong herd instinct and prefer the companionship of at least one other goat.Dairy goats grouth faster.

Bucks should be kept in separate quarters away from milking does.

Goat milk

More people drink the milk of goats than any other single animal in the world.[1] Does are milked by hand or machine.

Goat milk can successfully replace cow milk in diets of those who are allergic to cow milk.[1] However, like cow milk, goat milk has lactose, (sugar) and may cause gastrointestinal problems for individuals with lactose intolerance.[1] It also contains Casein, the Protein in all Mammal's milk. So,it is NOT suitable for those who are allergic to Casein.

Many dairy goats, in their prime, average 6 to 8 pounds of milk daily (roughly 3 to 4 quarts) during a ten-month lactation, giving more soon after freshening and gradually dropping in production toward the end of their lactation. The milk generally averages 3.5 percent butterfat. A doe may be expected to reach her heaviest production during her third or fourth lactation.[2]

Sources

  1. ^ a b c The World's Healthiest Foods. "Milk, goat."
  2. ^ American Dairy Goat Assocation
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