Dairy Goat Question?

Question

I have been learning as much as I can about dairy goats, in preparation for purchasing two goats this spring, for milk. I am doing this to help feed my seven children, as we fight poverty yet we do not qualify for government assistantce. I cannot seem to find the answer to this question: Do you have to have a male/female pair to allow the female to give birth (ensuring milk)? Or can you buy two females, who have already produce milk? So many articles on the web that I am reading assume I know this answer because I can't seem to find it within any writings. Thank you!

Answer 1

You do not have to keep a male at all. I have been looking into the same thing, trying to find ways to avoid keeping a smelly billy goat on my property!  

One very possible option is to get into some kind of breeding contract with the people who sell you the two nannies.  You keep the females, but allow the original breeders to pair them with a billy of their choice, and they would get the kid once it is born, unless you wish to keep it, or buy at a discount or something.  Or you could get a free breeding, but sell the kid back to them.  

If this is not possible, you can simply pay a stud fee to have your nanny goats bred to a male each season.  This is very common, and only leaves you the question of what to do with all the babies!

Answer 2

From what I know, as long as the goat has had at least one "kid" the goat has had the ability to make milk for the rest of it's life.

Answer 3

You will have to have a pair cause once the little one is weaned, mama starts drying up unless she has another kid soon after weaning. If you buy 2 females, they need to already be bred and expeting soon, but you will need a bill if you want to keep produceing.  Also keeping a goat involves expenses, worming, vet vists if one gets sick, good fenceing (goats can be good escape artist), suitable housing (just a small lean to will do cause goats don't like to get wet) and if they run out of grazing (goats can eat an area of grass in just a few days), they will need feed. Plus a good dairy goat can cost hundreds of dollars.  So in the long run you might not save as much as you think.