Friendly goat breeds make excellent pets, and many also excel at milk production. If you hope to add goats to your backyard, these five friendly breeds may be the perfect fit for your family.
1. Pygmy Goats
Pygmy goats top the friendly goat breeds chart, and it’s easy to see why. These mini goats have endearing personalities and their small size makes them ideal for novices and families with children. The breed loves interacting with humans, climbing, and kicking up their heels outside in the backyard. Whether begging for a treat or following you around the yard, Pygmy goats thrive on human attention.
Hailing from Africa, Pygmy goats are exceptionally hardy. They tolerate heat and dry conditions and, when given adequate protection from wind and snow, should tolerate winter without any problems.
The smallest goat breed worldwide, Pygmies, requires less feed and water, making them an ideal choice for those on a budget. Despite their small size, Pygmy goats have good milk production ( averaging one to two quarts daily per doe) and are meat producers and prolific breeders.
This delightful breed is disease-resistant and lives an average of ten to fifteen years or longer.
2. Boer
Boer goats are easily recognized by their large size, distinctive brown heads, and white bodies. Tipping the scale at over two hundred pounds, Boers are the largest goat breed in the world. But don’t let their giant size intimidate you; these gentle giants are even-tempered and calm, making them an ideal choice for novices.
Full of personality, Boer goats make fun and entertaining pets, as their antics never cease to amuse. Some things that set Boer goats apart from other friendly goat breeds are their sense of humor and ability to understand what you are saying. These goats are full of character and personality and make endearing family pets.
Bred for meat production, Boers are fair milk producers (though they do not produce the same amount as dairy breeds) and make excellent mothers.
Despite being prone to internal parasites, Boer goats are a hardy breed that live an average of ten to twelve years.
3. Saanen
If you are looking for an excellent milk producer with a friendly personality, look no further than the Saanen. Calm, docile, and easy-going, Saanens make affectionate pets and are one of the most popular friendly goat breeds.
A Saanens’ mild temperament makes them a good pet and one of the easiest goats to milk in the milking parlor. As a dairy breed, Saanens thrive on routine.
Saanens are prolific milk producers. Each goat averages one and a half gallons of milk daily, with some does producing as much as three gallons daily.
Due to their lack of undercoats, Saanens are more cold-hardy than many other breeds. They thrive best in cooler climates and can thrive through winter with proper care and shelter during the cold winter months. However, the breed is prone to heat stress.
Saanens live an average respectable lifespan of ten to fourteen years.
4. Nigerian Dwarf Goats
Nigerian dwarf goats are the second smallest breed in the world and the smallest of the dairy breeds. They are calm, friendly, and respectable milk producers. This breed’s quiet, gentle, and playful nature makes it ideal for children and novices.
One thing that makes Nigerian Dwarfs stand out from other friendly goat breeds is their work as companion animals for older people. The Nigerian Dwarf’s gregarious and calm nature makes this breed the perfect choice for older people.
What the Nigerian Dwarfs’ milk production may lack in quantity, compared to other dairy breeds (each doe averages one to two quarts daily), it makes up for in taste. Nigerian Dwarf milk has a creamier, richer taste than cow milk and is easier to digest.
This breed is exceptionally hardy and can thrive in almost any climate. Nigerian Dwarves live an average of ten to twenty years, with an average of fifteen years.
5. Nubian
The “attention seeker” of the friendly goat breeds, Nubians are sociable goats who thrive on human and other caprine interactions. Their calm, friendly, and affectionate dispositions have earned the Nubian’s continued popularity. Nubian goats have endearing personalities that have won the hearts of many goat owners.
The downside to owning Nubians is that they love to talk and can be quite loud. This trait puts the breed at a disadvantage if you have neighbors nearby.
The most popular milk goats in the U.S., Nubian goats, are good milk producers, averaging four to five quarts daily. While some Nubians may produce as much as four gallons daily, most do not exceed five quarts. Feed good nutrition and provide excellent care for the best milk production.
Nubian goats are a hardy and healthy breed, living an average lifespan of ten to fifteen years.
All Caprines are a delight to own, but the experience can be even more fun by choosing one of these five friendly goat breeds.
This article about 5 friendly goat breeds was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
