The Big Trip-visits to different goat farms:

I made some visits to different dairy goat farms to get some understanding of how to improve my own operations in the Philippines.All farms did not wish to have their farm pictures posted on the net if they had no control over its content,this was agreed before hand.

I saw anglos,big beautiful does that some out milked saanens and some saanens that had better milk fat over anglos and some crossbreeds that outmilked the purebreds.Most were purebreds because the farms told me the value of a crossbreed dairy doe is very low compared to a purebred dairy doe.Not many professional dairy farms keep crossbreeds because the offspring(s) bring in such low values.

Protein levels and calcium levels are different for dairy goats over meat goats.This higher protein level required for dairy goats to keep them milking also may shorten the life span of a dairy doe.High milking dairy does are more prone to worms,and other health issues,higher maintenance costs involved.Some purebreed bloodlines do not cross well within the bloodlines itself,the results are always a disappointment.Without having background information on the bloodlines,crossing 2 purebreds may be a gamble and one is unable to predict the outcome.It is much easier to breed faults into a goat than to breed faults out of a goat.Having a good breeding program can help lessen the time frame to build up a herd of quality dairy does.All dairy goats have their teats washed before milking with a special solutation and dipped after milking.

Terms like superior/premium and commercial are not related to dairy goats but meat goats.Dairy goats are either purebreds registered or unregistered or % of bloodlines or crossbreeds.Superior/premium and commercial maybe terms used as a marketing gimmick.Makes no sense for the dairy industry.

We now plan to abandon crossbreeding and plan to improve the purebred anglos through selective breeding and culling.The climate will always be a challenge along with feeds and we are looking into a few different feeds for our dairy goats now to increase protein levels.

The raising for meat goats and dairy goats requires 2 different management programs.
We will use the slogan from the AMGA - Goat The Other Red Meat as part of our marketing program.

NOTE: no permission is hereby granted to any individual,farm(s), business,corp. or association(s) to use the marketing slogan Goat the Other Red Meat other than Mustang Sally Agri Farm Region-7.To do so would be in violation of copy right laws.

mikey
Goat The Other Red Meat:

I was given this recipe for home made goat concentrates to try for our dairy goats:
This dry mix is for all bucks, kids and young does up to 6 wks before freshening.

170 lbs shelled cracked corn
170 lbs oats
80 lbs roasted soybeans
.25 bag vita fern fare out (vitamin and mineral supplement)
3 lb vitamin E-20
1 lb Cattle Plus II (protein supplement)
1 lb selenium premix
10 lb magnesium sulfate
40 lbs liquid molasses
2 lb decox 10X

This recipe is for pregnant adult does 2 weeks before freshening and lactating does. First fresheners switched to this feed 6 wks before freshening.

250 lbs shelled cracked corn
60 lbs oats
140 lbs HIE B35 (protein supplement)
20 lb roasted soybeans
5 lb bicarb of soda
6 lb diamond V yeast
.25 lb selenium premix
40 lb liquid molasses