Purchasing goats for milk?

Question

I am a mom of seven children, and I am struggling terribly to provide food, milk, etc with the rising cost of gas. We've cut lots of corners (the kids don't play any sports or extra stuff right now). But I wondered about getting a couple of goats for milk. Could anyone recommend the do's and don't? I am not having much luck with google, as I keep finding breeders and I need some shared experience and/or knowledge without trying to be "sold" on the idea. I live in a semi-rural area and have looked up on our city/county website for phone numbers, etc but cannot locate any information. Can anyone help point me in the right direction and possibly share some knowledge about goats for this purpose? Thanks!

Answer 1

The FIRST thing I recommend is read ALL you can about keeping dairy goats. The Cooperative Extension has an excellent, inexpensive, publication called "Breeding, Feeding, and Management".

Goats are a permanent, long time committment, and are not to be taken on as pets.

With proper care and breeding, one GOOD goat can produce 1-2 gallons of milk a day, and meat in the form of kids.  But you should never have only one.

I bred and showed them for 20 years and had problems.  Fortunately, I had knowledge, friends, and excellent veterinarians who helped my solve all of them.

Please, for your, and the kids, sake, do LOTS of homework.  Visit people who have them.  Get names from the vet. They will steer you to the people who know what they are doing.

If you want, save my email and contact me.  

I also was a 4-H dairy goat judge, and on the MDHIA Dairy Goat Herd Board.

Answer 2

When you do your research, just make sure that the feed and caring for the goats doesn't cost more than just buying milk.

http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/goats....

http://www.goodbyecitylife.com/barn/goat...

I hope you are able to work things out for your family.  Good luck!

Answer 3

ill give you two or three milk goats if you can get in touch with me i live in Kentucky