Registered Goats May NOT Be The Best Choice For Homesteaders | Chore Chat / Real Talk VLOG

I never would have thought that there was a possibility that I would ever choose unregistered goat over registered ones for our homestead. Over the last few years I've been able to see what works for our farm and consequently, what doesn't. And it's time to seriously think about making some changes for the better.
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[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I want to welcome all goat owners to weigh in down below with your thoughts on registered vs unregistered goats!! Everyone has different experiences and sharing those experiences helps other people learn! We definitely don't have to agree. ☺️

[@hickoryhillinthebigwoods-r759]

Couldn't agree with you more! I love my Nigerians. I have tried high priced Nubians and lost both to parasites. My mini nubian was hearty, but I couldn't get her bred by my Nigerians. I have tried over the years to produce better goats, but it is a game of chance. My herd sire passed this past January and I think he was tall. If I showed goats, I think he would have been kicked out of the registry for height. Then again, I knew the breeder personally and I know she was meticulous about regs and rules. I think that despite him being purebred, he just grew a bit too tall. Regardless, he has produced a gorgeous few bucklings for me and I used his son Nashville. Nash is build so much better because his dam is built well. I felt like crying when your milk pail was knocked over. 😩 Another key point to remember when breeding is the area you live in. We live in a relatively poor area and most people can't afford a good quality goat. They just want animals to breed for sustainability. I have had a handful of people stop and ask for nanny and billy goats. Those names alone are clear indication they want food sources, not show goats.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

You're SO right. I actually sold our old buck Barley to someone who stopped in asking for a Billy. She couldn't afford what I wanted but we traded $100 plus a puppy (Mars) for the buck with his papers. I didn't need Barley anymore and I did need another dog so that dog held value to me and it's something she had excess of. We have sold some expensive goats but eventually that market does get saturated, you're right!! There's a lot of Amish auctions around us that keep prices reasonable because you can't really charge more than what they go for there. I'd rather put them in the freezer if I can't get at least $150, but that definitely works!!♡♡

[@SteadfastTrailFarm]

Love!!! I have beat myself up for NOT having "registered" goats. Although I bought two registered herd sires with the intention to buy a registered doe, I feel the boys give me a good foundation with my already great milk producers! Excited for our own special line and milk production in 2023! ~jc

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Yay!! I'm so glad this was encouraging!! That was the hope. ♡♡

[@beckysmuck8771]

I have both registered and non registered. I like either. But my non registered give more milk, and they are sweethearts!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Sounds familiar haha!♡♡

[@lisacarol1433]

I love everything goat 🐐 my goat yard and Birthing stalls are coming along 🐌 slowly Thank You, Heather.. you're such a blessing 🙌.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Slow and steady wins the race!! I'm so happy for you!!

[@georgeingridirwin6180]

Having lived in Asia in several countries. We LOVE goat meat!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Awesome!!! It's very common outside of the USA!!

[@cindyboard7816]

Very interesting information this morning! Best wishes for Havoc and his ladies to be successful!! Mayhem is quite the milk producer and highlights that papers are not necessary to make a goat valuable. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and insight with us. Stay safe!!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thanks so much!! We are getting toward the end of the season for lamanchas but I hope there's a couple more heats in them!!

[@dirtroaddestiny]

Good morning farm friend ❤

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Good morning ♡♡♡

[@sueannchism1128]

Love seeing your goat herd and all the plans your making for them. Thanks for sharing 😊

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thank you so much for watching!!♡♡

[@SteadfastTrailFarm]

Oh I am excited about this!! 👀 Watching ♥️

[@dirtroaddestiny]

Me too!😅

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Good morning, all!!!

[@mandyg888]

Oh my goodness I can't wait to see this new line!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Me either!! So excited!!

[@stonesoupsubstitutions6946]

I'm so excited to see these minis!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

ME TOO

[@merryanneadair4451]

Good morning Heather! I'm impressed with the amount of milk your girls are giving! Excellent advice on registered versus non registered goats. I completely agree, I've had some very pricey PB does that couldn't produce 1/3 of what a grade unregistered girl gives. I don't want a goat with horrible conformation that I have to look at every day, but there are plenty of gorgeous does that are exceptional producers that are not registered. (Those girls can't read the papers anyway! 😉) You are so right, priorities for your family & your homestead should come first!! God bless!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Haha you're so right, they can't read the papers!! ♡♡ does your daughter have mostly or all Saanen or is it a mix?

[@merryanneadair4451]

@@SageandStoneHomestead Maaika's dairy is a mix of Lamancha, Alpine & Saanen. She recently bought a couple Alpine bucks & a couple Saanen bucks. Her Saanen bucks usually come from Caprikorn Farms in Maryland. (I've gone along to get bucks there, their goats are AMAZING!!!) She alternates bucks of the 3 breeds as she needs new ones, getting the highest quality animals she can. By starting out with good quality does & upgrading with the bucks every couple years, you keep the herd quality high & rising. EDIT: that made me sound like I know something.....I'm still learning like everyone else! 😂

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

You DO know stuff and you've been an immense help to me personally!! Quality bucks are SO valuable!!♡♡

[@redlanternhomesteadcathym105]

Really well thought out talk. I've been in purebred dogs for omg 40 ish years and for us "registered" is often a complete farce. I have a male dog presently whose sire on papers doesn't match on dna. He's our pet so it doesn't matter in the end but the original owner paid a TON of money for him.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I realized after recording that this kind of this probably bleeds over into more than just livestock. The reason I didn't register my rabbits is because the process is very self governed and it felt like there was no oversight. What's the point, you know???

[@nolliesteers3083]

Good morning Heather. Loved the video on your goaties. 5hat roast looks delicious.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thanks so much!! It was definitely super yummy!!♡♡

[@rachel4483]

You can still milk test unregistered goats. We're starting our first test this year. I kept a few dwarves from the Sugar Moon/Promised land/omf bloodlines and production is going to be a pet project of mine so we've got to start. If it goes well I can write to you about it. Oh. Check out Buck Creek stables for mini lamancha bucks too. I haven't gotten to meet her in person, but she's very nice and her goats are nicely built and on milk test too (if I remember right).

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I'll check them out and the milk testing too!!! I didn't know that was a possibility and that makes things so much more valuable, records and proof to back up claims. Thank you so much!! Elpis was bred by Havoc this morning !🎉🎉

[@TheOldSwedesFarm]

Fun video. Great conversation about where you're headed. I love your set up and would love to visit and see how you're all set up. We need more land!! Love watching your little goats and see how you love them. Have a great day Heather!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

If you're ever in the western KY area we would LOVE to have you guys over! We are about an hour and a half north of Nashville.

[@vixxcottage]

When I first started with goats 30+ years ago I had beautiful registered stock. They were 3* and 4* milkers. Each gave over 1 gallon per day. I had many different goats over the years. Some were registered and some were not. For me it was about genetics and udder. EZ udderly milkers became available almost 20 years ago and due to hand problems I bought it. Was a lifesaver for me. It is not electric..hand pump. As far as the goat that knocks over bucket you can put hobbles on her and she can not do that. It does not hurt or harm the goat. I had Alpines when I started and had 1 Nubian ( never again) 1Toggenburg and the Alpines were the heaviest milkers. I found you must rotate your fields to decrease your wormload. I am currently looking at LA Manchas that are registered from excellent milking lines. In my opinion I want to get the most money from the kids. If not registered very minimal price is available. Just like you said depends on your Homestead goals.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

The hobble on that one side of the milk stand broke recently and I hadn't fixed it yet! Definitely still need to. Haha ♡♡

[@MC-cy6ro]

I agree with you on the parasite resistance topic, on the other hand if you have parasites in your pastures you have to know how to control them. i.e keeping tall pastures, rotating pastures, planting cover crops in the winter. If animals are still getting sick after that it's an automatic sale or cull for me, in fact I've had to do it this past summer with a beautiful registered doe. It was frustrating but necessary. You are completely right when you say papers aren't everything, they look nice but don't tell the whole story! :)

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Yes very true!! We have some animals that seem to be bulletproof even in less than ideal situations and I'd love to learn how to do fecals at home to see exactly what their load is.

[@thehomesteadingmama]

Loved the video! Im a registered goat owner but also first time owner! I've only owned nigerian dwarf goats for about 2 years now 😊 personally I have sold unregistered baby goats that are registered quality just because we needed to move them fast! So I can see where an unregistered goat can be just as good as a registered goat!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Oh for sure!! Some of our Lamachas had papers lost so they are in fact purebred and registered but I have nothing to prove that so that line is at square 1 now trying to build back a pedigree.

[@marthabowser501]

Great video! I agree! I raised Registered Lamanchas for many years. Now I raise Lamancha crosses..selected for the traits I love in a homestead goat. I prefer Alpine, Oberhaslie, and Saanen crosses. I would try Toggenburgs if I could find them.. I am 70 yrs old...and enjoy our little herd of homestead goats....that have no paperwork at all. The milkers here earn a bell on their collar....if they stay in our herd. I love your videos!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I love it!! Thanks so much for watching!

[@georgeingridirwin6180]

Oh I wish we could buy goats from you!! I trust you & what you say. But we don't have enough land. I can't hardly wait to see your homestead!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Not to be an enabler but you don't need a lot of land for goats. The main thing you need is a clean dry space that is well ventilated. Nigerian dwarves really only need 200 Sq feet each. You may need to feed hay year round but it's doable!!♡♡ I'm not sure how big or little your space is though!

[@georgeingridirwin6180]

@@SageandStoneHomestead thanks. Good to know. But I guess I need to be sure I can do all that we have started so far & maintain the garden this year.

[@rechellmullen6340]

Thank you so much for sharing! I use to raise reg Saanen. Now I've decided to just enjoy milking. And purchased a few reg ND and a couple mini man has and 1 mini Saanen. Didn't want to get into registering anymore. I just want to have fun raising goats again. Your advise is so appreciated! My old herd was Dutch Flats Saanen

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Saanen is a breed that I've wanted to try. I'm betting I will get a doe one day and probably fall in love, especially with my friend having Saanen nearby!!

[@rechellmullen6340]

@@SageandStoneHomestead They are super calm and can produce ALOT of milk. I had a couple that milked 2 gallon a day, each! I had to have a milker machine for my herd. If you ever think of getting a machine? Simple Pulse is awesome!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I was looking at simple pulse and can definitely justify it when we are bringing in gallons a day for sure! I think that's my favorite that I've looked at. There are refurbished Cow milkers around here but I know the valves move differently for cows vs goats, plus these tiny Nigie teats probably wouldn't work lol.

[@rechellmullen6340]

@@SageandStoneHomestead When I ordered mine they hadn't been in business long. Never sent me a tracking number so I was afraid I had lost my money lol! I tried calling their number and no answer. She ended up calling me from her cell phone! Reassured me my machine would be there in 2 days. They are awesome on customer service! There new machine s are really nice! I had the old style and never had any problem with it. Very well made! And the price is great!!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

That's so awesome. As long as everything goes right or mostly right with the LaMancha kidding this spring I'll probably order one.

[@buckcreekstablessmithsgrov2665]

Do what you love!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Totally!! Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️

[@shannajohnson9041]

Without having watched your video yet. I am of the opinion that if your goal is to show goats obviously they should be registered. But if that is not your goal then I don't think it's necessary to have registered goats. And I love that you eat goat too!!! Everyone thinks I'm crazy!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

There's a lot of us out there but not many speak about it!

[@fernandezcuisinevlog9718]

Amazing!!!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thank you!!

[@kenmillionx]

Looking forward to seeing more creative videos like this one...

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thank you so much!! More videos are definitely coming!!

[@TheHeavenlyHomestead]

I agree! I wouldn't breed a goat that has that kind of worm load every few month. I've had great experience with weaning later, not at 8 weeks, and also leaving the kids with mom for a full month before I start to separate at night. I've done my research and what I found is that the longer they stay on mom the healthier they will be as adults, and I've seen results with the twins and now even Athene. I believe that ,so I follow it because my goal is to have milk, for me and my community but my number 1 goal is to produce the healthiest goats, so when I sell them I know I'm not selling a headache, and likely with maintenance they will live a long and happy life. I also made a rule for myself, 2 years in a row with bad kiddings and they are out. I understand that can happen but if 2 years in a row they need that kind of help I'm not breeding them again. I've seen many people have to pay for expensive C sections because they ignored the signs ( bad kidding needing lots of help) for 2, 3, 4 years in a row. And one of them is a big Nigerian breeder in our area who charges premium. It's a personal choice but I'm not putting myself in a heartbreaking situation with more than 2 warnings, and I don't want a doeling of a mom who needs assistance every time, people don't have time to assist so I would sell a goat set up to failure. At the office, we treated this Nigerian, according to her chart, every year she had kidding problems, she was wide enough and great comformation but she just had a mess inside and her kids had to be untangle every kidding until the last when she had a C section, the vet told me she also treated 2 of her doelings the breeder kept to herself and they too were not great at kidding, one died during a c section. This was a mobile Vet office, so the vet didn't see the same people all the time, but this woman and her hard to kid goat were there with a long file and chase the mobile unit to treat her goats when needed. She charges $800 for doelings and $600 for bucks, why I have no idea I want to goats from that line. To me DATA IS EVERYTHING, so I write down everything, now I have a software to keep record of every goat and I love it! ( but I still do paper just in case lol) and animals give you clues and if you are paying attention is easier to decide who to breed or not breed. To end this, I will email you when I finally have service, I'm on a hotspot now, but remind me to share with you some interesting findings and prices of a breeder we both know, I want to know what you think about it, you always have a different perspective and that will help a LOT. Thanks friend! Blessings Lety

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I'm looking forward to that email!! Baerli has had issues her two kiddings. What made me breed her again is I want to see if giving her more time in between pregnancies provides the solution for her. She's also proven that she can deliver head first and both feet back so I won't fault her for that. Both kiddings she got the first baby out great and the second one was twisted up. I wonder if one of her horns is not right. I kept tempest out of her honestly to see if this kind of thing does breed on genetically. Baerli is out of Rorie who only ever needed assistance once at her old farm for 2 kids coming out at one time and pesky is also out of rorie with no issues. Baerli and pepper have the same dad and pepper hasn't had issues in 3 kiddings so I haven't seen it be genetic thus far. Doesn't mean it isn't but I am definitely interested to see what happens with Tempest for sure. I'm definitely one who needs to learn the hard way. I have a difficult time just talking someone's word for anything and I classically need to see things for myself to establish the truth of it. And a lot of times truths are relative to the herd and the area and the genetics of goats which is why it's so hard to make a plan for raising goats that works for everyone across the board. ♡♡

[@rebeccawatson9284]

Lol! Her name is "Mayhem." Sorry you lost the big batch. The goats are so sweet. I thought they were supposed to be naughty.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Hahaha yeah she lived up to her name during that milking!!! It was okay. Probably lost 2.5 cups but we definitely still got plenty for that day overall!!♡♡

[@samanthawaters1518]

This was a very helpful video for me.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I'm so glad!! ♥♥

[@theminifarminggroomer7871]

You can actually do dhir with unregistered goats and you can then have records down that way

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I've since learned that and that's so awesome! ♥

[@richardkibler3870]

WoW! That pulled goat meat looked outstanding.I haven't had a whole lot of it but I know it wasn't from a pygmy goat.My cousin's had I think were called Andorrahs or something close to that,they were long haired type goats.The milk was super rich & kind of sweet.They made cheese & smoked it with Pecan,it was delish!The meat was just on the edge of hee haw,they liked it that way,Me?-Naaaa naaa! lol! Cheers!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I wonder if they didn't castrate male goats before butchering them. From what I understand that makes a big difference !! I'm sure diet matters a lot too.

[@richardkibler3870]

@@SageandStoneHomestead As I recall,those goats ate everything that grew in the area,Very likely why they tasted wild.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Makes sense!!

[@GWPHomestead]

In my opinion there’s no replacement for a good personal connection (trust) in a breeder just like there’s no replacement for good breeding practices. If low quality stock are repeatedly bred the papers are worthless, and if you’re dishonest about registration the papers aren’t even worth the material they’re printed on. I think there’s a huge value in showcasing what you’re doing online. People can watch your channel, or my channel, or peruse whatever social media feed one uses, and observe how things are done and make the determination themselves about whether or not that breeder is trustworthy. As a buyer that would make me feel better than any paper. Nothing upsets me more than liars and thieves. I have no patience for that behavior. This concludes my rant. That was a disorganized mess but I appreciate you hanging with me there 😅.

[@GWPHomestead]

Ease of kidding and maternal instincts are also something I think we should consider as breeders. If a doe has a hard time raising her kids or if she regularly needs intervention during birth it’s not a good idea to continue breeding her.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

You're definitely right about all of those things!! I have one doe, Baerli, who has had trouble in birth both times she's kidded. Major rearrangements. She also has the tiniest teats on the farm and she would be a cull when it came to it, EXCEPT... If I sold her I would want to know that the people were experienced and willing to help her, or that they would never breed her. And I can't guarantee that. I like to give 3 shots at something before I cull and she had a good long break from her last kidding until she was bred again (11 months) and I'll see how she does in the spring. She's one of our foundation does but yeah... kidding ease is definitely a great thing to consider.

[@jesusherrera5556]

I like your farm. It is good to produce the food ourselves. It is a good experience. A question is what breed are your goats. Greetings. God bless you.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I have mini Lamancha, Standard Lamancha, and Nigerian Dwarf goats :)

[@brandynash1409]

The male will carry the milk genetics to their daughters. So, if your mama has small teets and your keeping her son for breeding, he can pass that on to his daughters. Same goes for milk quantity. We kept males from high milkers because he carries that better than his sister will.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Isn't that interesting how that works? That's why we culled a couple males we kept back. We hoped they would be like their daddy but of course they were like their mom, so had to re-evaluate things and bring in new lines to fix some udders! :)

[@MorrisPatchofHeavenhomestead]

Great share Heather, enjoyed watching you milk your girls, love how much you know about them and how they are so sweet. Who will be on the chopping block lol. Christmas Blessings my friend

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Well, there's a couple I will get rid of first and I did mention one. I'm hoping to sell them off to families who are okay with some of their quirks!!

[@ronaldschatte1383]

I like your focus on overall health and disease resistance in animals. It truly is too bad there is not a standard of measurement recordable for any animal or perhaps all animals to accommodate that information. May have to think on this one…lol. I’ll be in contact if I come up with a viable option.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Great!! Thanks!

[@katrinaanon1038]

You really should use the weight of the milk since volume is so radically affected by foaming.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Thank you! I don't need to know the exact volume for anything specific, but weight is definitely most accurate! ♥️

[@katrinaanon1038]

@@SageandStoneHomestead I realize that may be so, and you know what you are doing better than we do. However, when we are evaluating your results, weight helps us determine what the true yields are more than volume. When using a milk machine like I do, foam in milk is a common occurrence.

[@annabanana1113]

I recently purchased a few Nigerian Dwarfs, 2 are first time moms and had started to wean their babies already when I got them. I am milking them once/day and not getting a whole lot of milk. Is there a way to increase their production?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

How old are the babies and how much milk are you getting? You can try milking more often and increasing the demand on their udders!! It can take a week or more of milking more often to see an increase. Make sure they have plenty of clean fresh water!!

[@annabanana1113]

@@SageandStoneHomestead I was told they are 2 years old. I'm not able to milk twice/day right now due to work sadly. I'm only getting about 2-3 oz. each I would guess

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

@@annabanana1113 that's not a ton but I would keep up with it as long as it's worth it to you. I've read (but not confirmed) that continuing to milk them for a longer period of time each freshen helps with the supply their next freshen.

[@annabanana1113]

@@SageandStoneHomestead ok thank you, I knew I wouldn't get a large amount but I'm saving it for soap and looking at it as getting them used to being milked and building the relationship with them for future increased production. Love your channel, thanks for the responses!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

@@annabanana1113 that's an excellent way to look at it and is definitely worth the effort. You got this!! Thanks for being here!♡♡

[@nabillayoun]

So if you need hay 200 hundred days that means you are in zone 3 or 4 ? I'm in Northern Alberta 8 hours north of Edmonton. We are very similar We have the pasture ready may be end of April

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

No I'm in zone 7. The fields do not grow from October through April during our Frosts.

[@BeccaS1]

Good to know about registry requirements! Is there a site or book that goes through all this?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

There is a lot of info on the registry websites! ADGA is a big one

[@TheHeavenlyHomestead]

I'm always tempted to get a goat from my friend who has full size goats, mostly Alpine and Nubian mix. I'am considering 1 only 1 Alpine for the milk to keep in milk for as long as I can. I totally think that Margie has alpine in her, IMO and experience if you want lots of milk, try Alpines, they are not as "rough" as Nubians can be ( I'm not a fan personally nothing against them) however I'm afraid of selling the babies, a lot of full size breeds around here end up in the auction and I just don't have the room to keep mini- alpines. But I think about it all the time, registered goats? I'm not thinking about it! Alpine? all the time, dreaming about mini alpines made with love by Rocks! =P Back to the video! I might get one from her though, she wasn't breeding this year, and they had a pregnancy accident ( the buck got out) so maybe it's a sign... we will see LOL you are enabling me now =D

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Margie probably does have some Alpine or some Ober in her. I do wonder if it will be a lot easier to get rid of certain goats once REAL milk supply starts coming in with these younger lamancha.

[@TheHeavenlyHomestead]

@@SageandStoneHomestead I wonder that too, and I think it will be great data to compare and evaluate priorities. I don't think I can handle a full size goat herd, physically I mean, but I might be able to handle a couple minis to test theories of my own. Margie is beautiful and dare I say one of my favorite with Elpis! She looks so chill and happy all the time, maybe she is not but that i sthe vibe she throws there lol

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Your favorite 2 goats of mine are my favorite 2 goats as well lol!! Margie is flighty sometimes. She can be hard to catch and standoffish. Elpis is definitely more friendly but Margie is super solid and dependable.

[@floraledet6973]

Hi Heather, can you give me an example of what goat meat taste like? I know a lot of you homesteaders eat your goats so I’m curious to know what is the taste of this type of quality meat? Thanks in advance, Shalom from Summit Mississippi🖖

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Hello!! So the shoulder is a lot like pulled pork in texture and tastes like lamb combined with venison. We really enjoy it and it's an excellent use for unsold kids.

[@floraledet6973]

@@SageandStoneHomestead Thanks, I will try this recipe 😊

[@PiningOverHome]

This is an old video, so no worries if you don’t respond, but do you have a video on tying a leg back while milking? About to start milking for the first time and my doe has no interest in me even touching her stomach let alone udder 😂

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Try this one!! It is also old. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6u0h2x-ZZeXorc

[@PiningOverHome]

Thank you!!!

[@SteadfastTrailFarm]

That's sad people scam others...$$$ the love of money... 😥

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

RIGHT?! It occurred to me it was possible but somehow didn't occur to me that anyone passionate about their goats WOULD do that ... but human nature steps in..... ugh.

[@SteadfastTrailFarm]

@@SageandStoneHomestead I have youth come here all the time from other barns and are surprised how happy I am 🤣 They are used to a lot of horse trainers/ barn managers etc who are screaming and angry. And I'm like " how , they get to be around horses" lol! 🤣

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

@@SteadfastTrailFarm I can remember the barn owner being stressed where I learned to ride!! It must be a thing?!

[@JennBenn99]

Hey just found you. May I ask what camera and microphone you are using for this video.?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

This is a gopro hero 9 with a media mod and max lens mod :)

[@JennBenn99]

@@SageandStoneHomestead thank you

[@beckyprice5957]

Where is the best place to start looking for dairy goats?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

If I had a Facebook page I'd ask a local farm or Homestead group. There might be regional groups for goat keepers on there. Make sure to buy disease tested animals.

[@laurentyler904]

Link for the jar basket please!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

www.caprinesupply.com/milk-bottle-carrier.html

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

That website has bottles too and a carrier for quarts as well

[@cracker3088]

How long after freshening do you wait to start milking your goats?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

With some of my goats I milk alongside the kids from day 2. Especially if they have a single baby. We wait until 2 or 3 weeks to do our kid share where we separate the babies at night and milk mama in the morning

[@BeccaS1]

What average price would a good quality one be?

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Registered or unregistered? It depends on a lot of factors but we have paid anywhere from $75-$1400 for nice quality goats! Truthfully though you can find $1400 goats that are not worth more to a homesteader than a $75 goat. Main thing is to find a disease free goat from a tested herd.

[@brandynash1409]

I prefer unregistered goats. I’ve been raising goats for a decade. We raised purebred show goats and we’ve raised non registered. Purebred animals get sicker easier because it’s incest. They just aren’t as strong. That’s not what a homestead is. I prefer to cross my goats with another dairy and then breed that cross out a couple generations to get more original animal with the hardiness of the cross.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

We just started raising Mini Lamanchas for that reason! Hardiness in the cross breed. It's going well so far!

[@brandynash1409]

@@SageandStoneHomestead I’m new to your channel, and just noticed this video is older. I have not seen any other updates on the crosses yet. We raised mini nubians for a little while and they were wonderful!

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

So far they have been really hardy, The first one freshens in April ♥

[@romeliaanddixie]

When breeders breed for conformation they do it to ensure that the goat doesn’t end up with severe health issues. I think if you just want pets unregistered is fine but if you want to breed registered will be the better choice

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

Yes and no. We have very well bred goats (on paper) that are built well, sure, but the udders are hard to milk. They have a history of winning shows, Grand Champion lines and identical udders to GCH grand-dams etc but they are a pain to hand milk. For a homesteader it doesn't actually matter. Papers matter for shows and if you care about pedigrees. Someone can (and should) intentionally breed well outside of the papered animals. We have seen horribly bred registered animals and fantastically bred unregistered animals. The paper seems super important but it really isn't. Conformation definitely is important but the paper does not guarantee good conformation. Assessing the animals for these good traits is important regardless of papers.