Goats
Lunaflora Miniature Dairy Goats
Liberty, SC
I will have both registered (MDGA & TMGR) and unregistered Mini Alpine and Mini Oberhasli kids this year, all from heavy milk and show lines on both sire and dam's side. All will be disbudded and vaccinated from a CL and CAE-free herd (last test July 2011). My herd is tested yearly and managed holistically as much as possible. We will be doing our first Linear Appraisal in May, and plan to milk test this season as well. Click here for breedings and prices.
Oberhalsi (sometimes also called Swiss Alpines) are the rarest of the standard dairy breed goats, and are slightly smaller and less vocal than other breeds. They are also what is known as a "standardized color breed," which means they all look very similar - a deep reddish bay color with specific black markings. They are known to be a hardy, healthy breed, and do well in climates from Maine to Arizona. They are reserved, gentle milkers, famously docile with people (although occasionally bossy with other goats). They are known for their sweet, high protein, high milk solids milk that is virtually indestinguishable from cow's milk when drunk fresh, but still has the unique qualities of goat's milk that make those cheeses so deliciously creamy. And they look like beautiful delicate little deer. ;)
Mini-Oberhasli (Oberhasli/Nigerian Dwarf) and Mini Alpine (Alpine/Nigerian Dwarf) are experimental dairy breeds that are smaller than standard breeds but larger than Nigerian Dwarfs, making them easy to handle (because they are small) and also easy to milk (because they are not too small). Some people report Minis producing 2/3 of the milk of a standard goat on only about 1/3 the feed, and others report the possibility of year-long production (Nigerians, unlike European breeds, are not seasonal breeders). Also, Nigerians give milk with a much higher butterfat content than the standard breeds (average around 8%, versus 3.5% for Alpines, 4% for cows milk), so they should add that trait to Mini offspring as well.
I believe Mini Oberhalsi & Alpines have the potential to be the perfect homestead/backyard milkers - quiet, docile, efficient milk producers who are hardy and small (but not so small that they are awkward to milk).
See the individual goats' pages here.
