Getting That Goat!

As a wife and mother of four children, I still see the effects of the recent recession in my life and the lives of many families around me. Never have I been more grateful for my five milking goats browsing around in my backyard paddock.

We bought our first six dairy goats four years ago, and since then it has annoyed and surprised me how bad media and false rumours have put off so many lifestyle farmers when it comes to owning a couple of dairy goats, for the purpose of being self sufficient. To start with, as an absolute goat enthusiast, I simply have to right some of these wrongs.

Goats are by nature inquisitive and will chew on or taste anything resembling a plant to determine if it is any good to eat, even if it happens to be the label on a tin can or a piece of cardboard. Whether they will consume it is totally another matter, because they are extremely fussy eaters and carefully pick what they would ingest. By nature, goats are browsers and not grazers like sheep and cattle which is why you'll find them feeding off woody shrubs and trees and all kinds of broad leafed greenery.

It has been said that goat's milk taste like the smell of a billy goat and that all goats stink. Although I may agree that a billy goat does stink, I disagree with the former statement. If your goats are handled correctly and your milking equipment is clean and hygienic, your milk will be beautifully sweet or sometimes slightly salty, but with no billy smell tainting it.

When it comes to handling my goats, I prefer to separate my does from my bucks during the milking season and only bring them together for matings, which I carefully control. Once the sire has done his deed with my doe, I then separate them again and will bring them together again a couple of times over the heat period of 2-3 days or as long as she will stand to be mounted. By keeping your bucks separated in this way from your milking does, you will not have tainted milk, even if a mating has taken place. Unhygienic milking conditions and equipment might be the culprit when it comes to milk tasting off,  therefore rinsing and cleaning your equipment with acid- and alkali-based chemicals regularly is an absolute must to keep bacteria at bay.

Goats are very easy to handle and they require fresh green feed, some clean, fresh hay, some grain-based meal or nuts, fresh water and shelter from harsh weather. They are inexpensive to keep although good fencing is a prerequisite. On the internet you can easily find a plan to build your own milking stand from leftover wood and use that to milk your does by hand or machine if you are fortunate to have one. There are some dairy shed builders and contractors who can build up a single- or twin milking machine for you from second hand parts at a very reasonable price.

When it comes to buying your own milking goat, I would definitely recommend to get at least a pair of two, because they are very social animals and get lonely and bored easily. This will also help greatly toward your milk supply when the time comes! For sale columns in national and local newspapers, goat societies or associations and auction websites are all helpful places for you to start looking for the perfect pair of milking goats, to supply your household with deliciously healthy milk and cheese for many years to come.

A milking doe is in her prime in her 3-4th lactation and can produce anything from 2.5 litres to 4 litres of milk per day at peak production stage, some even more. As a family of six people we consume about 3 litres of milk a day. At the cost of store bought milk at plus/minus $5-50 for 3 litres of standard milk, the milk your does provide can save you a whopping $165-00 in a 30 day month and that over a five month period will make you $825-00 richer!

Now if that is not exciting enough to inspire anyone with small acreage to buy their own goat, it gets even better when the health benefits of goat's milk are mentioned. Goat's milk is a great source of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin (Vit B2), protein and potassium. In comparison to cow's milk, it contains more Vit B6, Vit A, potassium, niacin, copper, iron and calcium to mention but a few.

When it comes to human chronic health conditions, goat's milk is full of surprises. It is naturally homogenized with fat globules being smaller in goat's milk than that in cow's milk and therefore the fat remains suspended in the solution without separating. Many people who are intolerant to cow's milk, can consume goat's milk without problems. The high percentage of small- and medium chain fatty acids have shown to lower cholesterol. Research shows that proteins known to cause allergic reactions in the presence of cow's milk, are mostly absent in the milk of goats. Another study shows that goat's milk contains anti-inflammatory compounds in the form of short-chain sugar molecules, which makes it easier to digest for people with intestinal problems. Goat's milk is also one of the highest sources of bio-organic sodium which studies have proven the lack of results in arthritis. It contains every essential amino acid, contains less fat than cow's milk, is a complete protein and is closer to human mothers milk than any other.

With all these benefits and facts, why not have your own two milking goats to supply your family with most of your dairy food needs. Soft cheeses such as ricotta, feta, mozzarella and fresh home made yoghurt are but a few of the delights you can enjoy with all the milk your does will supply. An asset for sure! Bon Appetit!