I am having a hard time finding dairy goats in my area. I live in South MS and it seems everyone wants as much for a dairy goat as they do a small car. Are they really that hard to come by? Does anyone within a 100 mile radius have any milk goats they want to sell? Maybe I am not in the IN THE KNOW when it comes to these things.

-- Bear (Barelyknow@aol.com), January 13, 2002

Answers

I really hate to show all of you just how dumb I am but are you in Mississippi or Misouri? I am the one who barelyknows :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.

ROFL..... happens all the time. I am sure some of my mail has ended up in Missouri. Mississippi....... and I think Missouri is MI or is that Michigan?

-- Bear (Barelyknow@aol.com), January 14, 2002.

I got them confused too until we moved to AR. Missouri is MO, Mississippi is MS maybe?

Anyways, the reason you may be experiencing problems finding a dairy goat for a reasonable price is the recent thrust in the market. I was discussing the recent interest in goat milk cheese and talked with a gentleman in Michigan who is looking for dairy goats and wants to buy herds with commercial milk contracts. he explained to us that the reason goats are going up is due in part to the recent FMD issues in the United Kingdom and the demand for the cheeses here that were imprted. So many companies that make cheese are tryuing to get on the band wagon. How much of this is true or not i don't know.

I do know i see his ad and another ad from his competition from a man in Iowa who is also buying dairy goats. heck, the Amish in Iowa are forking out almost 400.00 a doe. Guess the market is taking a turn. But not everyone has figured it out yet so there are still goats to be had for reasonable prices.

Anyone hear of the same information we were told about the demand for cheese and dairy goats?

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Bernice, that would be good news if it were true. About 6 years ago we went through that here in Michigan. Supposedly a big goat cheese company was going to locate Mid-state and was going to contract for a big bunch of milk. Many of us really built up our herds in anticipation and it never happened. Suddenly you could hardly give a good doe away. MI = Michigan.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Goodness, I had two doelings out of a star milker, sired by the brother of a grand champion/best udder, etc. Couldn't give them away as milkers. Sold papered American Alpines, 8 mo old for $35 each, as meat goats. It broke my heart and made me seriously rethink my plans about paying for my own hobby by selling the offspring.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.

I'm having the same problem in Maryland. I just want two milkers (or due to fresen in the next month or so). Breed not imprtant but I'm partial to La Manchas and Nubians.

-- Gloria (mullinaxclan@webtv.net), January 14, 2002.

Dween Muse has Musemark Nubians, some of the same bloodlines I use, she also puts together inexpenisive milking machines. http://www2.netdoor.com/~pdmuse/

Carroll Pierce has Dogwood Hollow and some lovely Nubians http://dogwoodhollow.com./

Allen Cunningham is a dear friend of mine, nicer Nubians you would be hard pressed to find. acunningham@i-55.com

Carroll is also president of the goat club in his area, and Patricia Blankenship is pres. of the other 601-856-5347

Now you need to go about this right. Everyone who shows and raises purebred stock has kids whom are born that we are embarassed even came out of our nice does. I have one right now that was born in July, a very nice linebreeding that produced one beautiful doe kid I will be keeping, and one horrid narrow kid, whom couldn't have been born here, she must have snuck into the pen :) We all also have does who kid, whom have udders we can not show. Ask all of the folks you find, to put you on a list for non-showquality first fresheners, or pet doe kids born. The nice thing about this is that breedings that produce these problems for us, also have in the past produced wonderful show kids and milkers, so the genetics are going home with you! A doe who freshens with an udder I can't show could still win 4H shows, or shows where less than competetive stock comes to, they also make wonderful family milkers and brood does. Most of these farms also sell bucklings cheap that come out of these first time mothers, here they are 50$. You of course have to bottle and raise them, but you may be able to talk someone out of a first freshener whose udder is not good for them, and then foster on a buckling from another dam and sire. Good luck with this, and don't be discouraged! A breeder in my area of East Texas, had failed AI this year, none of her does took, she threw in her senior herdsire and bred everyone to him, late in the year, and she is not interested in the kids, papered purebred ADGA Nubians will be for sale for 50$ each, the day they kid. So there are always deals around, you just have to find them. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.

Thanks everyone...... and special thanks to Vicki..... you are so great. Admire your help on Countryside and your an asset to the goat 'family'. The search is on!!

-- Bear (Barelyknow@aol.com), January 14, 2002.

keep looking , goats are everywhere , as evidenced by our recent find :), we drive this road every week , my hubby drives it every day nearly , and i "thought" i saw goats there one time .... we dorve by last week, and yep , he has beautifull alpines , and all does , about 20 of them , he was flirting with the idea of getting out of goats , so he sold his buck kids , and herdsire .. well, now he is regretting it , so , we happen to have an extra buck ;) and are trading him for a few nice yearling open does... :)

goats are everywhere, and yes show breeders do have good deals once in a while :0, but your best bets are from decent folks who think much and carefully breed , and the paper thign is just a bonus ... my farm opinion...... :) as many old wisconsin farmerssay , you dont milk/eat papers :)

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), January 31, 2002.