It doesn’t matter if you are keeping goats for personal use or want this hunch to turn into a profitable business. If they aren’t giving enough milk, the chances are that your expenses are increasing while you aren’t benefitting from them. To make things easier for you and to ensure that you are starting a profitable business, I have gathered data from across the internet and inquired many goat keepers about what are the best milk giving goat breeds and compiled this article for you so that you can find out how much milk does a goat produce per day. So, without further ado, let’s get right to it.
To get the average milk production of one cow, you need to have ten goats of fairly good milk giving breed in your backyard.
Keep in mind that some of the goat breeds mentioned below are not good milkers because these are not selected for the milk yield but for their meat. Here are some of the best milk giving breeds and their average milk production per day.
Data showing how much milk does a goat produce per day
| Goat Specie | Milk Production Per day (Average) | Average Lactation Period |
| Boer Goat | 3 Liters | 10 Months |
| Anglo Nubian | 2.83 Liters | 9 Months |
| American Lamancha | 2.52 Liters | 9 Months |
| Saanen Goat | 3.7 Liters | 8 Months |
| Alpine Goat | 3.8 Liters | 8 Months |
| Nigerian Dwarf | 1.89 Liters | 10 Months |
| Sable Goat | 3.8 Liters | 10 Months |
| American Pygmy | 1.8 Liters | 5 Months |
| Black Bengal | 0.26 Liters | 3 Months |
| Angora Goat | 0.47 Liters | 6 Months |
| Toggenburg Goat | 2.9 Liters | 8 Months |
| Oberhasli Goat | 3.29 Liters | 9 Months |
| Spanish Goat | 0.5 Liters | 5 Months |
| Pygora Goat | 1.5 Liters | 8 Months |
| Kinder Goat | 2.27 Liters | 10 Months |
| Jamunapari Goat | 2.62 Liters | 8 Months |
| Beetal Goat | 2.71 Liters | 4 Months |
| Kalahari Red Goat | 0.30 Liters | 4 Months |
| Golden Guernsey | 3.07 Liters | 9 Months |
Though there is a lot of information on the internet about the best milk giving breeds on the internet and forums, the data isn’t compiled in a user-friendly way. I have spent hours on research to compile the data that is listed above in the table. Keep in mind that the milk production and lactation period varies from one geographical location to another, and there are many other factors involved. Data may vary from person to person.
If you want to find the best milk giving breed, then you should keep in mind that some milk giving breeds give so much milk, but their taste isn’t as delicious as the others. So if you are trying to find the best tasting goat milk, here are the top 10 dairy goat breeds.
Top 10 Best Tasting Milk Giving Breeds
1. Guernsey Goat
Guernsey Goat tops the list of dairy goat breeds because these produce the best tasting milk. It is the best goat for beginners. The butterfat content in their milk is around 3.72 % which is quite abundant. On top of that, these milk giving giants have the capacity to produce the same amount of milk for about 284 days. It matures around 5 to 15 months but has only one breeding cycle per year. Golden Guernsey goats can have 1-4 kids per kidding, and also love weaning their kids.
2. Saanen Goat
Saanen goats are perfect for milk production and produce high-quality milk. It is also the best choice for beginners who want to keep the goats for their personal use or for commercial use. The butterfat content in these goats is around 3.3% which is fair because these produce fair amounts of milk on average. Their lactation period is around 250 to 284 days, but most commonly, it is around 284 days. They can have two kids, per kidding, but some have even produced three kids. It gets mature around 5 to 15 months and has only one breeding cycle per year. They also wean their kids.
3. Alpine Goat
Alpine goats are the queens of best-tasting milk giving breeds and can give up to 4 litres of milk, but most goats give around 3.5 litres. The butterfat content in these goats is around 3.4 % which is fair if we compare it to other breeds. Their lactation period is also around 284 days, and their milk is rich in nutrients. Alpine Goats mature around 5 to 15 months and have only one breeding cycle per year. They usually produce twins or single kids but can have five kids at one time. They also wean their kids.
Click here to find out how much does a goat cost? (Average Price and Profit Margin)
4. Sable Goat
Sable Goat also deserves to be on this list because these produce one of the best quality milk and give as much milk as any other. The butterfat content in their milk is around 3.3%. It matures between 5 to 15 months and its lactation period is around 300 days. They also have one breeding cycle per year. They have a great chance of having twins, but they usually give around one to three kids per cycle. They can be easily milked and also wean their kids.
5. Nigerian Dwarfs
You might be amazed to see that how Nigerian dwarfs did make it to this list. Believe me, they have the best-tasting milk that I have ever tasted. Also, the butterfat content found in these goats is 6% which is huge. Nigerian Dwarfs are an ideal choice for people who are beginners in the goat breeding arena. They can conceive five kids per litter and have one breeding cycle per year. They get matured around 5 to 15 months and love weaning their kids. Due to their small size, they can also be kept in urban areas.
6. Lamancha Goat
Lamancha Goats are relatively famous because of their funny brushy tails, but did you know that they produce the best tasting milk? The butterfat content in their milk is around 4%, but the milk they produce is of reasonably high quality. Lamancha goats are fairly good breeding goats and can give as much as a single kid or up to four kids in one litter. They love weaning their kids. They get matured around 5 to 15 months and have one breeding cycle per year. If you want to acquire goats for milk purposes, then these are the best choice for you.
7. Nubian Goat
Nubian Goats are the milk giving giants and produce the healthiest milk, which is ultra-rich in nutrients and give around 3 litres of milk in some cases. The butterfat content found in these goats is around 4.9% which is excellent because these goats are not costly and are best for commercial as well as personal use. These goats get matured in 5 to 15 months, and their lactation period is around 180 days. Usually, these goats have up to two kids and are highly sociable animals.
8. Oberhasli Goat
Oberhasli goats are fairly popular because of their beauty, but they are good milk givers too. These goats give around 3 litres of milk per day, while the butterfat content found in these goats is approximately 4.9%. These are mainly used for milk production and their lactation period is around 284 days. During their first breed, they tend to produce one offspring, but later they can conceive more than one kid per litter. These goats tend to get matured around 5 to 15 months and can only conceive once a year.
9. Toggenburg goat
Toggenburg goats look at you like they are judging you for being a human, and they should because they give the tastiest milk, and their average milk giving capacity per day is approximately 3.5 litres. On top of that, their butterfat content is almost around 3.2% which is fair for the taste that you are getting. They can breed once a year and mature between 4 to 10 months. With the lactation period around 284 days, they normally conceive kids but can give birth to quadruplets too. They love milking their kids and will nurse them till they get to the weaning age.
10. Nigora Goat
Although Nigora goats aren’t that much of a milker, still the taste of their milk is awesome. They can give up to two litres of milk while the butterfat content in their milk is approximately 6%. They can get matured between 5 to 15 months, while their breeding cycle is once a year. They can have three kids per litter, but most goats produce twins. Their lactation period is around 250 to 284 days, which is why most goat farmers prefer these.
Click here if you want to know about Goat Herding for Beginners (USEFUL TIPS AND NECESSARY TOOLS)
How to buy a goat? (A step Step Guide)
Finding the best goat for milk is not an easy task, and if you are not an expert, the chances are that you will face a huge loss if you took the wrong decision while choosing goats for yourself. There are a lot of things that you need to consider before you make your decision. Here is a step by step guide on how to find the best goat for milk.
Background Check of the Seller
If you have made plans on getting a goat for milk purposes and found a place nearby where goats are being sold, you must visit the place yourself. Before visiting, check the credentials of the farm, and read reviews of other people to ensure the authenticity of the seller. Do in-depth research and read in detail about the farm and services that they offer.
Visit the Farm
First of all, like a good person, you are sending them an email or give them a call and book an appointment with them. If you have any other questions, ask them on the call. Believe me, breeders love talking about their goats, and they will do anything within their reach to satisfy you. They will most likely share photos of their goats too. If your breeder isn’t super friendly, you shouldn’t buy anything from them. Consider visiting them to talk in detail about what you are looking for. Upon your visit, assess the living condition of the farm animals. Are they living in a clean environment? Do they have access to freshwater? Do the goats are clean or not. Here is a basic checklist of questions that you should ask the farm owner before choosing the best goat for milk.
- Ask the breeder about the breed, age, sex and approximate weight of the goat. Make sure that you are asking these questions in a general way and not in a monotonous way. Don’t rapid-fire your whole arsenal in one go.
- Look at the goats from head to toe and ensure that there are no abnormalities whatsoever.
- Ask the breeder about the disease testing, and check the records for the herd testing for the current year. If they haven’t tested their herd for the current year, ask farm owners if they will be comfortable if you want to run blood tests on them.
Registration of goats
Finding out that whether goats are registered or not is necessary. However, keep in mind that registered goats are more expensive than unregistered ones. Even if these goats share similarities in condition, type and quality, registered goats are worth more money than the others. Finding out that goats are registered or not allow the buyer to get access to a traceable lineage. It also allows the buyer to gain access to milk production programs and allows him to register the offspring too.
Checkout the vaccine and worming routine
Look for the records related to vaccines and worming. Though the schedules of vaccination and worming differ from one goat-keeper to another, you should stay on the safe side. If the vaccination and worming are pending, you can get it done yourself but ensure that you don’t double up on these vaccinations. Check which vaccines have already been given to the goats, and then vaccinate the ones that you are looking to buy.
Ask about the feeding routine.
By now, you must have chosen the goats for yourself. But before you bring the animal home, it is crucial that you must know the feeding routine of those goats. Changing the feeding routine abruptly will have severe health consequences on the goat. Ask questions to the goat-keeper about what kind of feed do his goats eat and when did he feed them. Try to continue the routine of the seller and gradually change it over the course of time.
Which goat is better for milk?
Alpine, Saanen and Nubians are the best milk givers. These goats are fit for commercial use and can be bred in homes for personal use. Their milk is rich in nutrients, and because of their extended lactation period, they can produce the highest amount of milk than other goats. In most areas, it is seen that Saanen goats are the best milk producers, but on average, Alpines do way better than other breeds.
Can you use any goat for milk purposes?
Technically speaking, milking any goat or using any goat for milk purposes personally or commercially as possible. But there are certain limitations to that. Some goats tend to give less milk than others, while some have a limited lactation period. Additionally, some goat breeds are unfit for milk production because those breeds are used for meat purposes.
What would happen if I forgot to milk a goat?
Milking a goat is necessary, and you shouldn’t skip the schedule of milking. Because if you didn’t milk a goat at a proper time, it would cause great discomfort to the goat, and she might start bleating with pain. On another note, health issues may also arise if you don’t milk a goat.
Is goat milk healthier than cow’s milk?
Both cow milk and goat milk have their own importance and benefits. Goat milk is super rich in calcium, potassium and vitamin A, while cow milk contains more vitamin B12, folic acid and selenium. Both kinds of milk are equally important but in their own unique ways.
Why is goat milk so expensive?
Goat milk is costly as compared to other milk because naturally, goats produce less milk than cows. A healthy dairy goat can go as high as 3 litres per day. On the other hand, cows tend to have thrice as much milk as goats produce. On top of that, goat milk is also used in beauty products that is why it is super expensive.
If you have any questions or queries related to goat farming and breeding, make sure to ask the questions in the comments, and I will make sure to answer them in detail.
