Goat or sheep for milking?

Discussion in 'Breeding, Raising, Feeding and Caring for Animals' started by heftzwecke, Aug 23, 2010.

  1. heftzwecke

    heftzwecke Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2010
    Messages:
    129
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    We have two sheep, but they are not milkers.
    On the long run we might swap them for goats.
    Our land is not really big enough for neither of them and we have to bring in feed.

    While I know that sheep eat leaves they might be happier with hay, which we would either have to mow ourselves and dry (we have a moist climate) and store. Grass does not grow here in winter it can get down to -5°C at night.

    Goats eat more, but they might like more of the environmental weeds (maybe cotoneaster?) and I imagine that if we would plant shrubs like tree lucerne we would harvest more per m2 than with grass.

    Goats give more milk and they might be easier to milk, but sheep milk has more fat and is better for cheese and cream(?) and butter(?).

    But the main thing is the feeding question. And where do you store all this hay??
     
  2. floot

    floot Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2010
    Messages:
    99
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    heftzwecke,

    Pity you haven't told us, climactically and regionally, where you are located and how much land you have. Anyway, I will have a go at it. I have only ever milked a sheep once so no real expertise there so I would probably eat the sheep and purchase a goat.

    Milking a goat is easy enough but before you go down this road there are a few things to consider.

    1. Any lactating animal has to be fed properly to be able to provide both you and it's offspring enough milk.
    2. We had a bush goat of indeterminate breeding which we used to get about 10l a week off with no real effort and consistency on our part.
    3. Goats need access to shelter - they are not as paddock hardy as sheep. It is cruel to leave a goat in a bare paddock. It doesnt seem to bother sheep.
    4. You have to have enough fridge space to be able to handle the milk and cool it as rapidly as possible. As well as some knowledge of how to sterilise your equipment properly.
    5. The advantage of a goat is that you can purchase weedy hay that is not really suitable for other stock or even as mulch, so it can be quite cheap.
    6. You have to like goats' milk. Goats will nibble on most things and eat a diverse range of plants - this can sometimes taint the milk and put people off the taste.
    7. If you are milking an animal to near its full production you can't go away for the weekend. Lactating animals need consistency it is for this reason we only took fairly small amounts off our goat so at any time the kid could handle the excess. Observation and practice is the key.

    Hope this helps and I also hope that this in no way puts you off.

    We had Gertie Goat for years and she was an extremely cheap productive family member that produced many, many litres of milk, a number of kids and countless hours of fun.

    Cheers,

    Mike
     
  3. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2007
    Messages:
    727
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Welcome back Mike .
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Crikey Mike, good to 'see' you! Still living on the 'beautiful country', I see? I was up your way on a 'study tour' mid last year. Pity I did not catch up with you, or maybe I did 'see' you, but we failed to 'connect'? Anyway, one of the locals made me feel very welcome - I was parked at the back of the supermarket under the shade of a big tree and working on my lap-top, when I was approached by a young man who proceeded to tell me that he was from 'up Arnhem way'. I responded with a 'knowing nod' (absolutely beautiful country up there). We chatted for a bit, as best we could. Bought a chicken, and sat on some 'short grass' and shared our meal. When it was time for my young friend to leave (he was traveling 'back to country' with his brothers), he gave me a big hug, an even bigger grin, and made me promise that I would visit him sometime. Let's hope I have the opportunity to get back up there soon. Cheers Mate, Marko.
     
  5. DJ-Studd

    DJ-Studd Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2007
    Messages:
    204
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    What rare breeds of goat are available in Australia?

    Cheers
     
  6. heftzwecke

    heftzwecke Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2010
    Messages:
    129
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    We don't actually have enough land for either goat or sheep, half acre and I'm gardening as well. At the moment, I feed the sheep lucerne and I cut environmental weeds thrice a day like privet or honeysuckle.
    My plan at the moment is first get proper fencing, then get hubby to build a goat shed + feed storage and give him a scythe. Meanwhile plant lots and lots of goat shrubs. In a year or so get the goat.
    I don't really like goats milk, I prefer cow in my coffee but the cheese is really the best what you can get. What is with butter, yogurt and cream?
     
  7. Tegs

    Tegs Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2009
    Messages:
    120
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Check out the book "Living the good life" by Linda Cockburn. It might help with some of the day to day realities of living in close quarters with a milking goat.

    Pat Coleby books are also a great source of information. She points out that sheep and goats are very different animals especially in the area of nutrition. Goats have a much higher requirement for roughage and certain minerals. They aren't as hardy in a paddock situation as opposed to where they are free to browse a large variety of forage.

    I have no personal experience with milking either sheep or goats but I have heard that sheep milk is superior for cheese making etc. because it is high in fat and naturally homogenised and that goats milk is unsuitable for making butter.
     
  8. heftzwecke

    heftzwecke Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2010
    Messages:
    129
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Our sheep are close to the house and as soon as you stick your head out they complain baa! I actually think I have overfed them a bit recently with all these baas. I tether them at the moment on a neighbouring patch, but they get nervous when they are not on our property and it is difficult to move them around they are difficult to convince and if you have two of them on a lead they are hard to hold as they are fairly big and their brain is fairly small and a do or a car makes them panic.
     

Share This Page

-->