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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Oct 30 2008 at 7:50pm | IP Logged
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I have searched the web high and low, trying to figure out how much hay 2 dairy goats will go through in a year (trying to estimate costs before we make the investment) and I cannot find a decent answer to this question.
And if you do have goats and would like share any other useful information, I am all ears.  This year chickens was our science. Next year I am hoping it will be dairy goats! 
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crusermom
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How much pasture do you have? We had about 8 to 10 goats give or take and we fed them a flake in the morning and one at night. We had tons of lush pasture too though. Our goats were kind of fat. We also fed them goat chow - about a cup per goat twice a day. The goats were usually pregnant or lactating too.
Hope this helps!
mary
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Mary
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Bookswithtea
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I'm hoping to create 3 pasture zones, each just under 1/4 acre. I think that's all I can weasel out of the area and still leave the kids room to play. Unfortunately, there is a ton of land in front of our house that is wasted and my neighbors treat their acreage as oversized yards so pasture in the front yard would not work here. 
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nissag
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We have two Oberhasli wethers. We are on a very small patch here and feed them about 12-15 bales of hay/year. They are supplemented with lots of fresh cut browse and grain.
We're planning to move to our own farm - hopefully around Christmas. There are 15-20 open acres and our Obie milkers will be pastured year round, supplemented when needed with hay. We're planning 4 milkers to start - giving 8 gal/day.
What breed do you have?
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LLMom
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We use to have dairy goats. I sure miss them! Like others sais, it depends on how much good grazing land you have. Have you checked out hay prices to see if it is within your budget? Even if I wanted to do it again, I couldn't right now because in the south where I live (I don't know how it is everwhere else)we are experiencing severe droughts and hay prices are ridiculously high. we are talking $9-$10 a square bale and $100 for a round bale last time I checked.
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Bookswithtea
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Nissa, are you where its cold in the winter? We should be able to offer decent pasture in the better weather, but in the winter, we may have to depend on hay alone. Prices right now are around $3 a bale, I think, down from last year's $4 a bale. I don't have them yet.
I want Saannen (sp?) kids this spring and will hopefully get them pg by the fall of 09? I chose Saannens because they are good milkers and have a very sweet disposition. My friend has them and they are even nice to my 3 yr old. I don't want any Billy's, though. Only 2 milkers and I guess we'll sell the kids. I'm not into the meat goat thing.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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nissag
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Yep, it can get pretty cold up here in New England. We usually pay between 3.50 and $4/bale. Hay was plain old unavailable for most of the summer this year.
Saanen are very nice, I understand. I have friends that used to keep them. Bucks are difficult to keep, but wethers are really nice - especially if you have land to clear.
They'll eat bark from cut browse or from trees if they are allowed to. Make sure they have access to browse - it's better for them than grasses.
Blessings,
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Bookswithtea
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I am going to see a goat soon! My friend has a Saanen she is currently trying to breed (along with her other milking does). I am so excited! Her name is Velma. She is 3 and this will be her second pregnancy. I'm thinking we will have to find her a buddy, and wouldn't Daphne be a perfect name (you know, like in Scooby Doo???).
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Does anyone have dairy goats?
