Most efficient milk animal? - Page 2

[forestrymom]

I have LaManchas, but my friends have Nubians who act just the same. The people I got my goats from had kids who LOVED playing with the kid goats, so they were handled a lot, and the friend I have who has Nubians doesn't have human kids, so her life is her goats. I will say that her Nubians are more stand-offish of people other than her, and my LaManchas don't seem to have this attribute. My goats love ALL people equally.

[PenelopeJune]

I still can't decide!!! We are moving onto the land next month (it's actually 3 acres, not 5. My mistake.) and we already have permission to have a cow, although I'm sure that would extend to goats, too. I can just see the pros and cons with both!

On cows, I think they are prettier. I want a Dexter, and I just think they look so sweet. I also like that breed because they are smaller, their milk makes a lot of cream, and they don't give AS much milk as a bigger dairy animal. But they are so expensive!!!

Goats: I like that they are cheaper, but I have never had goats milk and it eeks me out, for whatever reason. I don't like that I won't be able to get as much cream, because I really like making butter, and I want to try making cheese, and have cream for all the other things I want to do. I like that they are smaller and will be cheaper to feed overwinter. I like that they'll help clear some of the overgrown pasture.

So basically, I want a cow that costs as much as a goat.

Where is a good resource for finding a pregnant cow, particularly when I want a specific breed? (I'd be happy with a Jersey, too, but I really don't want a bigger cow than that.) I've looked on the Dexter website ( http://www.dextercattle.org/ ) and found links to farms relatively near mine, but even the heifer calves are around $800, and then we'd still have to breed her later. These farms all seem to be practically show-quality animals, which I don't care about so much, I just want a good milker!

[Tizzy]

Check on Kijiji or craigslist

http://belleville.kijiji.ca/c-pets-l...AdIdZ173039104

[kimmom]

We have 5 acres and we have a cow and goats. They are pregnant so come April we will have cow and goat milk
On the cow question... we bought a Dexter Jersey Cross last month, she is pregnant and due to have a calf in April. She was originally a 4H animal then was at a farm without kids so we are having to work to tame her up. In the past they have always used stanchions with her but I was hoping to milk her without but that may not happen. She LOVES me when I have a bucket of grain so we are taming her that way. Anyone have experience taming them? We bought her for $800 on Vancouver Island Canada where we live.
We also have two Nubian Boer Cross goats one of which is pregnant and due to kid in early April, the other is not quite a year old. They were $150 each and we bought them with the kids homeschool money.
The cow and goats are all in the field together and our small barn is split in two to give the cow a shelter and the goats safety at night. I think we may have to move the cow into another field which I am not thrilled about because she is a bit bossy with the goats and I am scared of her running at the kid , goat ones and ours
We drink cows milk mainly but love goats cheese and fresh goat milk. I agree that as long as their is no buck on the farm it doesn't have the STRONG taste

[weliveintheforest]

I think there is a big difference between goats milk that is one day old and several days old. I really like it for the first few days, but after that I can't drink it plain. If you can sell some of it to someone you would be able to keep up and have fresh stuff all the time.

[1jooj]

I am reading the book Goat Song. In it is an excerpt from the author's milk diary. He's milking two Nubians and bottle-feeding the kids (mom's milk, but they are rationing). He's making an impressive amount of cheese with the milk, and describes it as unlike anything he's ever eaten from a store.

[purplefrog]

What about sheep? Is there anyone here who milks sheep?