Raising Goats: How to raise goats for milk ?

In the beginning of our farm , we had to think about how to profit from our goats . but we didn’t think that goat milk is the best choice for us and it will be the best for you to.

we often associate goats milk with taste and unpleasant smell but this is not real , goat milk is tasty and very good for people who suffer from diabetic , also the cost of raising goats is very low In comparison with raising cows.

milk is cost $4.50 per gallon at the supermarket and milk breeds can produce often 5 gallons its somthink very profitable even if you dont want to sell milk you will benifit from its delicious taste .

I know you are excited to get a goat and try its milk , but wait you need to know some importent things that will help you to get the best goat milk .

1-choosing a breed

The mistake that we did in raising goats is that we choosed a random breed
there are hundreds of goat breeds but only a handful are commonly used for dairy goats.
I advice you , choose one of those breeds :

Alpine, American LaMancha, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Saanen, Sable, and Toggenburg , specialy Alpines, Saanens, Oberhalsis, and Toggenburgs are from Swiss origin and adapts well to the harsh climates .They also produce from 3 to 5 gallons every day .

2- Breeding Age

GOATS can be ready to breed in the age of 8-12 month , the doe must be 140 pounds and the doeling must be 110 pounds at lest to be considered fit for breeding.
Goats can be bred as long as they are in good health and has a good raising consitions.

3- FENCES OR NO FENCES

if you have a larg pasture you dont need to get a fences , As long as they does not feel locked up you will have no problem ,but when you are raising goats in a small yard you will need the fences for sure .

Goats are animals that love to wander around and explore they wouldn’t like if they were trapped in a small courtyard. They will definitely try to escape, so be careful.

let’s move to what should you feed your goats for producing milk ,and how to keep it healthy .

To produce good milk, goats need a different diet than other goats that produce meat ,you will need to give them a free choice of getting Hay , untel they are not fat , they can eat Hay whenever they want .

Hay is very rich of calsume and they need it to produce a high quality milk.
Mineral Supplementation, like alfalfa , if your goats dont have the access to the Hay and legumes you can give them some supplements .

There are a supplements and vetamins that you can bought on the market if your goats dont has appetite to eat or they lose weight.

Grain

Tust me if goats can speak they will told you that they love grains , they will be very happy if you give theme just 2 pounds of grain each day , specialy in the moment of milking.

Milking Supplies

The fisrt think that you need to have is a free place wher you can milk your goats.
In my presence, I divided a part of the goat shed for milking, a small place for one goat and a table to put milk in.

If you dont know how to milk a goat you can buy a milking machine but its very expancive, i recomande you to see this article wher i explained the easy and simple way to milk a goat.

You will also need a stainless steel bucket, gloves, and glass bottles to put the milk in.
Towels and soap are also essential to clean the goat udder from dirt and dung.
Finally, a milk stand is a must. It elevates goats to a height more comfortable for you to work at.

Health care

In order to get a good goat’s milk you need to ensure goat health care.
Goats may get sick a year during the birth period because of their immunity status during this period and in the winter season when the temperature is low and the climate is fluctuating.

Goats will need to visit the vet at least twice a year to ensure that they do not suffer from any disease such as anemia and tuberculosis.
You will also need to provide some equipment, such as betadine and ovulation, in a condition where your goats are injured.

And the most important thing is vaccination, it is the means that protects your goats from disease, and it is very necessary.

Those are the importent things that you must know before raising goats for milk
If you have a question feel free to ask it , i am always here to answer .