subject: Dwarf Dairy Goats -- Small Cost, Big Benefits [print this page] Dwarf Dairy Goats -- Small Cost, Big Benefits
The hardest times are yet to come. Preparing for these hard times could be the most important task you do for yourself and for your family. What happens if you become disconnected from the electric grid? Will you be able to have a steadily reliable source of food that can ensure the health of your family? There is nothing like the feeling of living self sufficiently. Why pay the high prices of today's economy when you can make or build it yourself? Grow your own garden, build a greenhouse, raise chickens for eggs and meat, and milk your own dairy goats.
When you consider embarking on the journey to raise your own dairy goats, you'll want to factor in a few things.
1. How much space do I have for these animals? 2. What type of natural feed do I have available? (pasture or wooded areas) 3. Do I have the funds available to support large goats?
Economically speaking, there is no better livestock animal out there than goats in regards to self-sufficient living. In regards to goats, there are no breed as economically sound as Purebred Nigerian Dwarf Goats.
Nigerian Dwarf Goats are fairly small, typically being around 21 inches high, and are very friendly. Blue-eyed goats are more common since it is a dominant gene within the species. The coloring of their hair is generally always varied (depending on the parents), with different frosting and spotting patterns sometimes mixed in. It has become increasingly popular to have them as pets since they are so gentle and easily trainable. Some say refer to them as a half-dog, half-goat livestock animal who it will be as much fun to interact with as it will be to farm with. Now, this isn't exactly important when you're considering a dairy goat, but if you have children then you'll understand the importance of having amiable livestock.
Now let's discuss milk production. Dwarf goats give a very surprising quantity of milk for their size. Production will range from around one to 8 pounds of milk daily, with an average of 2.5 pounds. Their milk has a higher butterfat content than milk from full-sized dairy goats, usually about 5% but going as high as 10% at the end of a lactation. This makes Nigerian Dwarf goats ideal for families, because their milk can be used for cheese and soap making.
A few facts about goat milk:
1. Goat milk is much easier to digest than cow milk due to smaller fat globules contained within. 2. Goat milk forms a softer curd which makes it easier to absorb. 3. Goat milk is naturally homogenized. 4. Goat milk does not have the protein that is the main cause of allergic reactions, blactoglobulin. 5. Goat milk has the same amount of protein, vitamin C and D as cow milk, but goat milk has more vitamin A, B, and riboflavin. There are a few similarities between larger breeds of goat and the smaller breeds. They both do well on grassy pasture or in thick woodland, flat-land or hills. Letting your goat have a variety of indigenous plants to graze on is essential, as these different plants will help your goat build up immunities to many different ailments. They also love to climb anything they can get their hoofs on. Setting up a type of platform for them to jump around on will result in some very happy goats. When making the final selection, you'll want to research as best you can the livestock you are preparing to purchase. If your animal costs too much to upkeep, then you'll end up selling what they produce in order to maintain your animal. Economically sound decisions have been, and will always be, the best route. Wild Country Sky http://www.wildcountrysky.com Source(s): http://www.survivalblog.com, http://www.wikipedia.org
