Goats
We keep Oberhasli does, which are a medium-sized dairy goat with pleasant temperaments. They are bright, observant, curious, and maintain family groupings within the herd their entire lives. They are brown bay (brown with black trim) without much color variation.
I have tasted goat's milk different times in different settings, and I can distinguish the flavor from other milk, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It depends on personal preferences. Some people can't taste a difference. The Oberhasli breed produces the mildest milk of all goat breeds. Their milk has a high percentage of milkfat and protein, making it ideal for cheese making, rich buttermilk, and ice cream.
If you aren't familiar with goats, males are bucks, females are does, and babies are kids (bucklings, doelings), and castrated males are wethers. Some people call them billy and nanny goats, but most goat lovers dislike those terms. We do not disbud or dehorn our goats. Young males not intended for breeding are castrated with a small band usually when 2-3 days old. Our does are all named after herbs and spices and referred to as our "spice girls" ... Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Paprika, Rosemary, etc.
Our does get to raise their kids until they are three to five months old and have very well-developed rumens and can remain healthy without milk. We feed our goats on pasture from spring through fall and also give them free-choice legume or legume-grass mix hay, non-GMO grain blend, and produce from our farm. They also have free access to fresh water, shade, shelter, minerals, and baking soda. We vaccinate and give injected selenium on a regular schedule. We deworm with dairy-approved anti-helminth when the parasite load is heavy, and offer forage that helps keep down parasite populations. Otherwise, our goats are not treated with hormones or antibiotics unless needed for illness or infection (rare).
Goats are usually available for sale summer into fall. Please contact us if you would like to be waitlisted for goats that are not currently listed for sale.
I have tasted goat's milk different times in different settings, and I can distinguish the flavor from other milk, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It depends on personal preferences. Some people can't taste a difference. The Oberhasli breed produces the mildest milk of all goat breeds. Their milk has a high percentage of milkfat and protein, making it ideal for cheese making, rich buttermilk, and ice cream.
If you aren't familiar with goats, males are bucks, females are does, and babies are kids (bucklings, doelings), and castrated males are wethers. Some people call them billy and nanny goats, but most goat lovers dislike those terms. We do not disbud or dehorn our goats. Young males not intended for breeding are castrated with a small band usually when 2-3 days old. Our does are all named after herbs and spices and referred to as our "spice girls" ... Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Paprika, Rosemary, etc.
Our does get to raise their kids until they are three to five months old and have very well-developed rumens and can remain healthy without milk. We feed our goats on pasture from spring through fall and also give them free-choice legume or legume-grass mix hay, non-GMO grain blend, and produce from our farm. They also have free access to fresh water, shade, shelter, minerals, and baking soda. We vaccinate and give injected selenium on a regular schedule. We deworm with dairy-approved anti-helminth when the parasite load is heavy, and offer forage that helps keep down parasite populations. Otherwise, our goats are not treated with hormones or antibiotics unless needed for illness or infection (rare).
Goats are usually available for sale summer into fall. Please contact us if you would like to be waitlisted for goats that are not currently listed for sale.