Nubian goats

[tigeresss]

All this talk about goats got me thinking...I plan on having some goats in the future(Thought I might as well start learning about them now) and I like the look of the Nubians. I've grown up around all sorts of goats but I really can't remember much about the Nubians, it's been to long. Anyway my question is does anyone have any? If so are they for meat? milk? both? just pets? or??????? What are the pros/cons of them? Any other info would be super!

 

[ForMyACDs]

We raise Nubians and we LOVE them!

We usually sell out of kids (and milkers when whe have any available) quickly. The boys out of first fresheners are weathered if not sold right away and raised for meat (tho' we didn't have any to raise for meat this year as every single one sold as a buck). ALL the kids are bottle raised on pasturized milk (CAE prevention) and we test yearly for CAE, CL, Johne's and Brucelosis

All our girls are put on milk test after freshening so we're earning milk stars on them and we have Linear Appraisals and HES done each year.

Pros:

- Nubian milk tends to be higher in butterfat (more fat to make butter and ice cream!)

- I've tasted milk from Saanens, Toggs, Alpines LaMachas and Nubians.......I think the Nubian milk tastes sweeter.

- LOOOONG ears to stroke.

- Weathered buck kids tend to be easier to sell because of the long-eared cute factor.

- Large, fast growing kids (nubians were originally bred as a meat breed)

Cons:

- Tend to be noisier than other breeds

- Even when breeding good udder genetics the results aren't always consistant.

- Don't tend to produce as much milk as some of the other breeds.

 

[Jacquee']

I used to raise milk goats and also had some Nubians.

What ForMyACDs said is true. They are a dairy breed (not a meat breed) with a higher milk fat than most goats, and I agree 100% that the milk is sweeter. In fact, if I ever had a dairy goat again it would be a Nubian. I also felt they had a very charming disposition. I think they bond to people really easily, and will "Mbaaaaa" at them when they see their person! It is also true that the production is not what you would get out of another breed of dairy goat. However if you had a cream seperator and wanted to make butter, a Nubian would be perfect.

I now have Boer goats, but would love to have another Nubian. Maybe some day!

 

[Bess Kelly]

I adored my Nubians...had some 4 star milkers, but didn't milk them -- oh, occasionally when they had kidded -- not on regular basis. Good milk! Lovely personalities, very people oriented.

AND they are nice crosses onto the Boers if you want to raise meat kids....both have drop ears, nubians have plenty of milk for those fast growers & it's rich.

Gotta say, however, the Boer moms are really better moms. Those Nubieans would let them nurse and when MOM was through, she'd walk away. If triplets, that 3rd one could be out of luck

But the Boers would stand for all of them! And the Boers had 4 teats, so more to latch onto.

Niboans hate rain......they'd run to the barn if they heard the weatherman say "showers coming", I swear!

 

[Ashley]

OUr dont mind rain and are very friendly. However they are the biggest escape artists we have. THey will get out in either the horse or zebra pen, run up to the barn door and beller until we seen them there. THen you just look at them and say "lets go" or "Come on" and they run in the barn and follow you back to there pen. And then you repeat the process.

 

[Shari]

I have own other goat breeds but not Nubians.

However, if you wanted to milk, I know the Nubian goats from Madison Farms on Bainbridge Island, WA are out standing. Also bought my Goat milk from those folks up there. Milk was outstanding, never any goat flavor at all, rich and wonderful to drink and bake with!! yumm......

Sister in law has a couple, and ya, they do like to talk, and loudy!