I'm having a problem....can't decide...goats or cow...help!

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Well, I know for most of you this issue is real clear cut. But for us we just can't decide. We will be moving to our new homestead in the Virginia mountains in 2 weeks and need to make a decision on whether to milk goats or a cow. Here's our situation: We were told there were 7 acres of land...turns out to be 17! Woohoo! So having enough land and good pasture is not an issue. We have a pond and a steam on the pasture so carting water to the field is not an issue. The pasture is already all fenced in barb wire (which I know won't keep in the goats and you shouldn't use barb wire for goats anyway). We have a big barn and hay loft so barn facilities and hay storage is not a problem either. There are 6 in our family and I intend to make all our butter and would like to give a whirl at cheesemaking. We will have both layers and meat birds. In the spring we will be getting a hog for fall buthering so too much milk is not an issue, I don't believe. I like the idea of having the cow to produce beef for the freezer besides the milk. Having had a cow once before (a gurnsey)(if I go the cow route this time I am thinking Jersey - your thoughts on that would be appreciated also)I know they are usually nice, easy going animals, but they are still BIG and they can be dangerous, especially around children. The other downside is that they do cost more to feed, but they also produce more in the long run. As far as the intial out lay of funds, it seems like it would all be relavant since if we have to pay hundreds for a cow, we would have to pay hundreds to re-fence for the goats. One day we are thinking cow...the next day....goats. There is just something about the personality of a goat that I love! But then a cow can be a real friend! Your thoughts on this would be very much appreciated!

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), July 17, 2001

Answers

If your kids are like mine there is noway 1 goat would keep us in milk .Also has the family tasted goat milk , cheese, and butter and do they like it ? I would go with a dairy or dairy cross and breed it to a beef bull .Raise the baby up for meat .You will have enough milk for your needs and some for a hog or chickens .I have both cows and goats so that is an option tooo! Good luck.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 17, 2001.

How about both??? I'm serious!! We have a cow we freshen in the fall when the goats dry off, and when the cow starts to slow down, the goats are fresh. You will have an abundance of milk for chickens, feeding hogs, bummer lambs, bucket calves besides your own use year round. They also complement each other in the pasture, the goats being browsers and the cows grazers, so they utilize the land better and help to improve it for the other.

Clare

-- Clare Quandt (qk65327@navix.net), July 17, 2001.


Great answers so far, but right now we really need to go with one or other because of costs. We can only afford a cow or fencing for goats. Later on I think it is an excellent idea to go with both!

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), July 17, 2001.

Karen: We went throught the same thing when we were trying to decide between goats and cows. We eventually got both (Jersey and several goats) but here are a few things to think about.

Cow: Pros: You already have fencing done for a cow. One cow can easily provide your family with enough milk and the cream rises easily so making butter will be easier. You can raise the calf to butcher or sell. Cons: Cows can get lonely and do best with a companion of some sort (they are herd animals). Do you have access to a bull for breeding? Cows produce a lot of manure and it is a bit tricker to deal with than goat berries.

Goats: Pros: Produce multiple kids each year. You can keep several goats for one cow. Wonderful milk too. Cons: Can be hard to fence. May be more prone to predator attacks. More upkeep and maintence (at least we've found it so). Produce multiple kids each year - you can quickly have a lot of goats. Find out if you have an outlet for all your extras (meat etc). Goat kids are so darn cute it is very easy to end up with a lot of "pets."

Check around and see what the going prices are for a milk cow or goats and also check to see what other people in your area are keeping. I know others will probably not agree with me, but I would suggest getting a cow initially and then perhaps add goats later down the line.

-- Trisha-MN (tank@linkup.net), July 17, 2001.


Hi Karen, I'd say, go with the cow. as time goes by and you can fix the fences, then you could try some goats and see which works best for you. Goats are harder to eat because they become your friends, steers don't usually unless you encourage them. I just sold my milk cow because my dairy goats needed her barn, when we can build a bigger barn I will get another milk cow, but I will NEVER give up my goats, even if I don't milk them. My cow was a Jersey/Brown Swiss and a real witch, the kids knew to give her a wide berth in the field and she never tried to hurt them.

-- Julie (julieamc@eagleslair.net), July 17, 2001.


Straight Jersey cows have a gorgeous temperament - treated well, you could never hope to find a nicer cow. Small and huggable, beautiful eyes. It appears this is because all the murderousness has been distilled off and instilled into the Jersey bull.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), July 17, 2001.

You could partner your cow with another herd type animal such as sheep or horses. It works with horses..why not cows? I have always wanted a Jersey cow. Maybe you could find a young heifer and handle her enough to gentle her? Also, you can make yogurt with extra milk too. I guess my vote is cow since you have the experience and all is set up for cows. I agree that you could try goats later when the fencing is being replaced. Goats can keep the brush etc from taking over your pastures.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), July 17, 2001.

Karen: You listed many of the pros and cons of cow vs goat. For me, one of the most important considerations is financial. As a city kid I used to think that a farm animal would just live forever, but since having livestock, I've learned that life is fragile. You mentioned the cost of a cow. Think of the financial loss if your ONE cow died. Four good dairy goats will produce as much milk as a small breed dairy cow. Goats are easier to handle (kidding, vaccinations, hoof trimming, feeding time, etc). Their breedings can be staggered so you always have a milk supply. When one dies (and chances are one will over the course of say only five years or so) you will only have lost only 1/4 of your investment and production. The fencing is a problem, but a small herd of goats does not need all 17 acres. We keep almost thirty goats on about 2.5 acres of pasture. Fence off several one acre pastures with four foot field fence. Use the rest for raising several hereford steers for beef.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 17, 2001.

Go with goats. They're much easier to handle than the big cows if you have to you can pick up the goats and put them where you want it. Electric wire may solve the problem of the barbed wire I don't care for it at all but farm fencing would not be easy to put up or cheap. I good fence charger that goes through weeds would work put wires low to the ground chest high and nose high hang white markers (little flags) from the wire every so often and when the goats are curious they touch it and zap they leave the fence alone. We had an Alpine that gave 1 1/2 gal. a day. Animals do not have to be reg. to be good milkers hence they are cheaper than reg. animals I know osmeone who has a la manchu/sannen cross that gives almost 2 gal. a day. Don't forget that goat milk is naturally homonengized (sp?) and when I make butter with it I always turn it into buttermilk first. This instructions are in an old Countryside mag. I'll look up if you want me to. Goat milk tastes just like cows milk without the chunks of cream floating around on top which I always hated when I was a kid I'd strain it with my teeth and spit out the cream (what a picture) Any way my vote goes for goats without a doubt. Linda in Indy

-- Linda in Indy (peacefulvalley3@yahoo.com), July 18, 2001.

I would go with a cow. Maybe an older bred dry cow - Jersey is my choice! - that could use her dry time to get use to you and your family and you could get use to her. I've had both cows and goats. Goats are enjoyable but a good cow beats them out in my book.

-- Dan (farmerdan130@msn.com), July 18, 2001.


One thing nobody has addressed is the taste of the milk. Goat milk is very delicate and develops a goaty aftertaste easily. You sometimes have to take special steps to make sure this doesn't happen, like milking with the plastic ice things (?) that keep coolers cold in your bucket, bringing in the milk and immediately putting it into an ice water bath, replacing the milk in the fridge daily with fresh, etc. Different goats have very different flavored milk. Some have goaty tasting milk all the time, some don't. The flavor of an individual goat's milk can vary quite a bit at different times, like in the summer, or when the goat has a high parasite load. We have not encountered this with cows. There is also the cream problem if you want to make butter. Using a separator to get the cream from goat milk might not sound like a big deal, but it is. There are a million parts to wash, which is a pain even if you can put them in the dishwasher. Most of the people I know who milk goats and have separators don't use them much. Regarding the breed question, I agree that Jersey is the best choice. I grew up milking heinz 57 cows. The milk was always awful - that funny raw milk taste. Jersey milk is wonderful, rich flavored even when almost completely skimmed, with NO raw milk taste. Oh, something else I just thought of - we bought half a pig from a lady who raises pigs on extra goat milk. The meat had a faint goaty taste! We do have goats as well as cows, but have switched to Boer crosses which we sell at the sale barn for meat. They improve the pasture quality, and grazing different species together reduces the parasite load of your pastures. Good luck with your new place.

-- Paula (chipp89@bellsouth.net), July 18, 2001.

In your situation with no adequate fencing for the goats, both so they don't get out but to control dogs from getting in, and though I am died in the wool, goats only here.......you should go with a cow. Once you pay for fencing, fence costs in comparison to the equal amount of money spent on a cow, it will leave you no money to purchase the goats. Milk the cow, then later on once you have had time to research the information and find a nice herd near you then maybe get into goats. Most folks, including me, first attempts at buying goats are laughable mistakes later on. With some milking knowlegdge and management knowledge that a cow is going to force you to learn quickly, you will be much less of a target for the goat down the road syndrome, who is purchased because she has spots, or worse because you feel sorry for her! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 18, 2001.

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