The best dairy goat breeds are those dairy breeds which produce a good amount of milk during their lactating season. There are numerous milk producing goats available around the world. Goat milk is very healthy and nutritious. So nowadays most of the people prefer to have one or a few milker goats for their daily family consumption.
Best Dairy
Goats
There are many commercial dairy goat farms available in almost all
parts of the globe. Commercial farm producers raise world famous and best dairy
goat breeds to have maximum milk production. Usually milk producing goats are
of large or standard size. Nigerian dwarf goats are miniature, but good
milkers. However, here I will be describing some of the best dairy goats.
1. Saanen Goats
Among the dairy goat breeds, Saanens are world famous for their high
milk production. They originated from Switzerland. According to the ‘American Dairy Goat Association – ADGA,’
on average a Saanen goat can produce about 2, 000 pounds of milk in a year.
They are large sized dairy goat breeds and have erect ears. An adult Saanen
goat weighs around 135 pounds and reaches around 30 inches high at the
shoulder. Their body colour is mainly white or cream and suitable for raising
in almost all countries.
2. Nubian Goats
Nubian goats are the result of crossbreeding of English goats with
African and Indiana goats. On average, Nubians produce about 1, 800 pounds of
milk yearly (according to the ADGA). Although milk production vary depending on
the breeds and type of goats. They have long dropped ears and usually are of
large sized breed. Their body colour can be any and weighs around 135 pounds.
3. Jamunapari Goats
Jamunapari goats are good milkers and they originated from India.
They are very good milkers and can produce about 3.5kg of milk daily during
their lactating season. They are large sized goats. An adult buck’s height is
around 90 to 125cm and doe around 75 to 105cm. An adult buck weighs around 68
to 90kg and doe around 35 to 60kg. Jamunapari goats are also known as ‘poor
man’s cow’ in India.
4. Alpine Goats
Alpine goats came to the U.S in the 1920s, but they originated from
the French Alps. They are good milkers and produce a large amount of milk
yearly. On average, an Alpine goat can produce about 2, 400 pounds of milk in a
year (according to the ADGA). They are medium sized dairy goat breeds. An adult
goat weighs around 135 pounds and reaches about 30 inches in height at the
shoulder like Saanens. They are of various colour except pure white and light
brown with white markings. They are also suitable for raising around the world.
5. LaMancha Goats
LaMancha goats are also a crossbreed. They originated through a
cross between dairy goats and Nubians. They are good milkers and produce the
same amount of milk yearly as Alpine goats. They have tiny ears and usually a
small sized breed. Adult goats weigh around 130 pounds and reaches about 28
inches high at the shoulder. Their colour vary and can be any colour.
6. Toggenburg Goats
Toggenburgs are another best dairy goat. They originated from the
Swiss Alps. They have an average yearly milk production of around 2, 000 pounds
(according to the ADGA). Usually Toggenburg are a small sized goat breed. They
weigh around 120 pounds and 26 inches in height at the shoulder. They have
brown bodies from dark chocolate to fawn with white lines on the sides of their
heads over their eyes. Their lower legs are of white colour and have white ears
and their tails have white colour on either side. Some people don’t like the
milk of Toggenburg goats. Because their milk has a distinctive taste and
flavour.
7. Oberhasli Goats
Oberhasli are also among the best dairy goats and they originated in
Switzerland. They are very good milk producers and on average they can produce
about 2, 250 pounds of milk yearly (according to the ADGA). They are small to
medium sized dairy goat breeds and an adult goat weighs around 120 pounds and
reaches 28 inches high at the shoulder. Usually Oberhasli goats are of full
black colour. Although you can see slightly different coloured goats. Like the milk
of Toggenburg goats, Oberhasil goat’s milk also has a distinctive taste and
flavour.
8. Nigerian Dwarf Goats
Nigerian dwarf is a small sized goat which originated in West
Africa. They are the smallest among the available dairy goat breeds. On
average, they can produce more than 700 pounds of milk yearly (according to the
ADGA). They weigh around 75 pounds and about 23 inches high at the shoulder.
Some Nigerian dwarf goats have blue eyes and their body colour can by any.
All of the
above dairy goat breeds are good milkers. You can choose any of them for family
or commercial milk production.
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