This post is the first in a series where I will share why we decided to go with the breeds and species we currently have on our homestead. I hope you'll enjoy learning more about our goats, and stay tuned for more about all the other animals we have on our little farm!
You may be wondering why we chose the mini nubian goat as the breed for our milking goats. As you may already know, we are completely new to goat ownership. Because I am the primary caregiver/milker, I wanted something that would be small enough for me and the kids to feel comfortable around and handle unassisted. Some of the standard goat breeds can get quite large! We were also looking for something that wouldn't need massive acreage to supplement with browse in the spring and summer. Additionally, we wanted a goat breed that could produce enough milk for our family of five. We aren't huge plain milk drinkers as three of us have issues digesting cow's milk, but we do have a love affair with milk products. The kiddos' favorite is chocolate milk, of course! While Ian and I prefer cheeses. The whole family enjoys ice cream, yogurt, custards, and more!
We ultimately landed on the mini nubian breed because they combine some of the best features of the two standard breeds of which they are a mixture. Nubians, the larger of the two breeds, are known for their milk capacity, higher butter fat, Roman noses, and long, pendulous ears! You can see the specific characteristics in the below image from the ADGA website which governs the breed standards in the US.
From the Nigerian Dwarf breed, mini nubians get their smaller size, higher butterfat than the standard Nubian, and some stunning coat patterns features like moonspots! For more great information on the coat patterns of Nigerian Dwarf goats, see the website Nigerian Dwarf Colors run by KW Farms.
There are a ton more miniature breeds. The standards for which are governed by two different organizations, Miniature Dairy Goats Association (MDGA) and The Miniature Goat Registry (TMGR). The larger and more established organization is MDGA, but there are some reasons why we, and other breeders like us, choose TMGR additionally or even instead of MDGA.
We are members of both MDGA and TMGR, and most of our goats carry dual registry. However, two of them, Cali and Maui, were not recognized by MDGA even though they come from documented lineage and they're both beautiful representatives of the breed standards. I'll cover their story in another blog post as I want to include some tips from our experience for those who might be interested in getting into registered mini nubians.
Thanks for hanging out with us, and we hope to see you again soon!