Greetings and Salutations,

I live on the very age of a smallish college town, and have received permission from the city, due to "grandfathering" in livestock, to keep anything in my barn that the neighbors don't complain about. (45 feet from barn to only near neighbor). Is there a goat that is tolerent of captivity (small preferred, but not neccessary) and is a decent milk goat? I've milked goats before, but they were not very quiet (nubian). Although I have 3 acres in "town" any "livestock" type animals must be kept in the barn, and QUIET! I've managed to block off the sounds from my very quiet Black Australorp chickens, but is a goat even possible?

-- Marty Puckett (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), June 28, 2000

Answers

Marty, my return to goating after raising Toggs for years came with a requirement of "a quiet goat" too. Toggs weren't too bad in themselves, but I've found that a couple breeds that weren't too popular when I was raising goats in the 70s, Oberhasli and LaMancha, are touted as very quiet and mannerly. Of the two, I chose Oberhasli after some research. So far, except for birthing, hungry kids, and the occasional greeting when I walk into the barn, things have been as advertised---very quiet and mild mannered. As a matter of fact, they are super quiet! I just get amazed at how active they can be and not make a grunt! They almost remind me of mutes! When they do call, it is at a low volume (not the kids tho, I'm not sure when they learn to be quiet!!). Not sure about Nigerian dwarfs or pygmies...they fill the "smallish" need for you.

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), June 28, 2000.

If you had Nubians, you had the "noisy" breed. The smallest of the dairy breeds are probably LaManchas (very small ears, close to the head). I have Saanens and LaManchas now and have had Nubians, Toggenbergs, and Alpines in the past. Most of my animals holler when I am approaching the barn and quiet down as soon as they are fed.

Almost any goat breeder will tell you to get two animals as they are social animals and need company (it will probably also cut down on the noise). Good luck - I hope you enjoy your goats as much as I do.

Marci Waterman

-- Marci Waterman (hwater1933@AOL.com), June 28, 2000.

I have heard from several sources that LaMancha goats are the most gentle and quiet of the dairy breeds. I have Nubians and love them, although they can get "noisy" when they want food or need to be milked.

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), June 28, 2000.

It has to stay in the barn all the time? It can't go out on the acreage at all? That sounds pretty restrictive.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), June 28, 2000.

Talk to your neighbors and ask them if they mind you having a goat.I talked to mine before we got our two and the neighbors have been great.Friends of ours who also live in our town also are able to keep theres to because they talked to the neighbors.some other people i know tried to sneak theres in and animal control was called on them,i think people were afraid they were going to eat them.explain it will be a pet and people feel better.

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), June 28, 2000.

A Lamancha. You could easily companion her with any other animal, even hens can be their friends. Visit lots of places that have nice clean, disbudded animals. Talk with the breeder, and though yes most goats do better in a herd situation, all of us at times have does who just don't do well in the herd. Having a local breeder with LaMancha's to help you is great, especially when you need to breed her. Two goats are best since you can then stagger milking them for true year round milk. Good luck with your purchase, look alot before you purchase and be smart. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 28, 2000.

I agree with the LaMancha. Ours is very sweet and gentle. She does not like to be alone, though,so getting 2 is a good choice. Renee'

-- Renee' Madden (RM6PACK@aol.com), June 30, 2000.

What does everyone think of Kinders for this purpose?

-- S.Riley (msmenagerie@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.

Kinders, if I was going to go miniture I would go Nigerian. A recognized breed, trying right now to gain acceptance to ADGA and an up and coming breed. Try not to get into anything that is really just a cross breed. A smaller goat with small teats, that still can have the gentic potential to carry large kids, depending on who you breed her to, and that spells trouble. I just hate to see folks getting into "speciality" animals no matter what the class of livestock, there is really very limited resale in a goat that nobody has ever herd of. For their quietness, smaller size (usually) extended lactations (very common for LaMancha's to milk for years without freshening again) ease of kidding, ability to keep a nice amount of flesh with just forage and minerals and they are just so easy going! Nigerian Dwarfs babies have this high pitched squeak cry! We have a large show that shares the arena in Sept. here in Texas and they will give you a headache in no time! Course few breeders have that many in a metal barn, echoing off the walls! and though most of my customers who want family milkers are steered towards the LaMancha's, you either hate them or love them. And Nubains is where the money is. The LaMancha/Boer cross is very popular here in Texas though. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 04, 2000.

Marty, I sold 3 Kinder does into a situation that needed quiet goats. Actually 4 of them were'tested' in the situation and one failed the requirements. The other three were with their elderly owner, producing their littls hearts out, for 7 years until he had to give up his little acreage and move to town. His problem was with a picky neighbor who put his double-wide mobile home right up against the property line where the little barn had been built. Those three Kinders were able to remain because they didn't annoy the neighbor.

Kinders are a mid-sized, not miniature goat, and though they are a newer breed, they are well established in the US, and they are also in Canada and Brazil. Vicki, when you say 'really just a crossbreed' are you aware that the same can be said about the Nubian and the LaMancha? They have just been around longer. Kinders are remarkable for their ease of kidding, as well as multiple births (live births even up to sextuplets) and impressive production.

Kinders have variations in teat size just as any other breed. The trick is to make the right choices when breeding so that small teats and small orifices are bred out. After 14 years of selection, I seldom have does with poor teats any more.

As for resale, that will depend upon the area and the marketing. Properly promoted, Kinders sell very well because of sweet and compliant personalities, nice size for handling (and feeding), and impressive production for their body size, and exceptional milk quality (you want great table milk -- try Kinder!). Please don't put them down before getting to know them -- you'll miss a great little goat!

I do agree that total confinement in a barn woudn't be good for any goat - at least a small paddock for outdoor exercise would be necessary for good health. You can teach your Kinders to walk on a lead as nicely as any pet dog. :-) Pat/Zederkamm Farm

-- Pat Showalter (kinderzed@aol.com), July 08, 2000.

Nubians are not small, but ours are not noisy. You can't make a general statement against Nubians when there are those who have bred a quiet, mellow temperment into theirs. We have has both quiet and noisy Nubians. I wasn't aware that this was something that was hereditary and could be bred in/out. We have only had goats a few years and since I can't stand listening to yelling the few of ours that did were sold and I have acquired more with the temperment qualities (and also show and milking ability) that I like.

-- Leslie Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), February 05, 2001.

Hi Leslie, we only have one American bloodline that is a real screamer, though all the girls are noisey when in heat. Have you ever had a LaMancha? Until my daughter got into LaMancha's in 1990, I had no idea just how noisy my Nubians really were. Silent heats, and truly if you are hearing noise in the LaMancha barn, you had better get out their, something is wrong. Even with my intercom some of the LaMancha's could kid out completely, the only thing wakeing me was the tinest of squeak from the babies. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 05, 2001.