By Sherri Talbot
When new to goats, the process of deciding on a breed can be daunting. Various breeds can make good pets, grazers, meat animals, fiber or milk producers. Knowing what is right for your homestead is often based on what use the animals will serve.
Let’s look at some of the most common breeds in Maine and why they are so popular.
Keeping Goats as Pets
Even as pets, goats should be kept in pairs at minimum. Goats are social animals and require members of their own species, no matter how much love and time you give them. Wethers — castrated males — of miniature or pigmy breeds are often the best options for companion animals. They are most likely to be friendly, and there is no need to deal with heats or a smelly buck. Wethers are also the best ground clearers, since they are undistracted by hormones.
Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goats are the breeds most commonly kept as companion animals. Both are small breeds, which makes them easy to handle for health checks and moving. Their personalities tend to be friendly, though they can be energetic and escape artists.
Goats for Milk
Dairy production is one of the most popular reasons for keeping goats on a small homestead. While they cannot produce the milk quantity of a cow, goats require so much less area and feed than cattle that they are often more efficient. Many families also cannot use the seven to eight gallons of milk a day that a heifer will produce, making goats a more suitable choice.
The butterfat percentage in many popular goat breeds is lower than that of dairy cows, which may be a deterrent for some. However, store-bought “whole” milk no longer contains more than about 3.25% to 3.5% butterfat. A few lower-producing goat breeds — like the Nigerian Dwarf — can actually produce up to 6% butterfat, making their milk a creamy choice for cooking and drinking. They will only produce about half the volume that many of the popular dairy breeds do, but they also will require less space and feed due to their smaller sizes.
When deciding on dairy goats, there are further considerations. What will the milk be used for? Do you want a small quantity to feed your family? Do you need enough to create products to sell? What kind of sales do you plan on, and what is legal in your area? While you may find some breeds cuter than others, make sure they will meet your milking needs before purchasing.
For those looking to sell milk, be sure to first check with your state and federal regulations. Goat milk can fetch a high price, but the process of setting up a milking room and tank can be prohibitive for small homesteads. In Maine, towns with a Food Sovereignty Ordinance may allow for the sale of raw milk from your home, so check with your local regulations as well.
Sale of goat milk means having a steady supply, and this requires a herd of high-producing does. Saanens and Alpines are known as the premier milking goats. Both breeds average about 2,700 pounds of milk a year per animal. However, it is important to make sure your animals and care are of high quality, since there are many factors that will play into their production levels. The Sable is also near this range of production, yet doesn’t seem to have quite the popularity.
Lower-producing but still-popular dairy breeds include the LaMancha and the Toggenburg. Both have production values hovering between 2,300 and 2,400 pounds per animal per year. The milk of LaMancha also, on average, has a higher fat and protein content than milk from Alpine and Saanan goats. Along with its unique ears, this can make LaMancha a popular choice.
Nubians have a far lower production value, with only about 2,000 pounds a year, but their milk comes close to 5% butterfat. This, along with their sweet personality and adorable floppy ears, makes them popular with goat breeders who want a milk that is close to raw cow milk.
More regional popularity requires a mention of the Oberhasli. While they average under 2,000 pounds a year, and have a butterfat content similar to a LaMancha, some breeders in Maine have worked hard to improve their herds’ milk production and quality to much higher levels. This accounts for Oberhasli growing in popularity and value in the state — making them worthy of consideration for your herd.
Goats for Value-Added Products
One of the added benefits to keeping dairy goats on the homestead is the ability to create value-added products with their milk for sale. Value-added products are goods that are not directly from the source, having been processed in some way to sell for a higher price. The most common goat products are goat milk soaps and cheese. Both of these can require a different kind of milk.
Soap removes the concern of licensing dairy for consumption. While higher butterfat in milk can give you a more moisturizing soap, it will also change your recipe requirements, so many soap makers prefer a lower-butterfat milk from a higher-production breed. This makes Alpine and Saanan goats perfect for the aspiring soap maker.
Goat milk cheese is the most popular caprine product in the United States. For homesteaders interested in developing their own cheese lines, keeping goat breeds that can produce a high butterfat content — like the Nubian or the Nigerian Dwarf — means lower milk production but a creamier cheese. In addition, higher butterfat content means more cheese per ounce of milk.
Goats for Meat
While less common in the United States, goat meat is a frequent meal around the world. Meat goats can be raised for dual-purpose use and require less acreage and feed per pound than cattle. They can often be raised in areas where cattle would fail to thrive and produce a red meat that is low in fat, high in protein, and high in iron.
The most common meat goats in the United States are Boer, Kiko, Myotonic, and Spanish.
Boer is the breed that people typically think of when discussing meat goats. They are known for their size, calm demeanor, and ability to thrive in hot, dry climates. They can reach from 250-350 pounds and can be overwhelming for someone without the physical capabilities to handle an animal of that size. In addition, Boer often do not thrive in areas with high humidity. Some breeders choose to cross them with more hearty breeds for their size.
Kiko goats are similarly sized to the Boer but are more acclimated to humid conditions. Kiko have a more standard “goat” look to them, with curling horns on the bucks that grow out to the sides, a more delicate nose, and a shaggier coat.
Myotonic goats are also known as “Tennessee fainting goats” due to a genetic condition affecting the muscles, which causes the goat to stiffen when startled. They do not actually “faint” but may fall over if frightened. They are smaller than Boer or Kiko goats, weighing in at a maximum of about 200 pounds. Some lines reach only about 50 pounds and are more suitable for companion animals, so be careful if buying for meat. Preliminary studies have suggested that the Myotonic’s unique muscle structure may give them a higher meat-to-bone ratio, but this is unconfirmed.
The Spanish goat is one of the oldest breeds in the United States. They are adapted to a wide variety of climates and are often bred exclusively to improve the health of other breeds. They have extremely high rates of fertility and, despite their smaller size, have been kept as an independent breed in order to maintain their heartiness and adaptability. This has resulted in an animal of about 125 pounds that works well for family use. They are able to forage and reproduce with little assistance.
Fiber Goats
Goat fiber — in most cases — is called cashmere and is the downy undercoat that goats produce during the winter and shed in the spring. “Cashmere goats” are referenced in many sources but are actually a type, not a breed. In order to be considered a cashmere goat, the fleece quality of the goat must be measured at a high enough standard to meet qualifying standards. The highest-producing cashmere breeds can be found in Asia and Australia and few exist in New England.
Mohair is another goat fiber, produced only by the Angora goat. It is extremely warm and considered a luxury fiber. It is gained by shearing, which means that — unlike cashmere — it does not have to be separated out from the rest of the animals’ fiber. Angora goats are the only breed to not produce cashmere.
Pygora and Nigora goats are cross-breeds, mixing Angora genetics with Pygmy or Nigerian Dwarf genetics respectively. Both breeds produce a mohair-like fiber, as well as a cashmere-like fiber, making them an efficient choice for fiber lovers who want to raise their own goats.
Sherri Talbot is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in agriculture and the importance of local food. She lives with her husband on their small homestead where she raises, educates, and writes about endangered livestock breeds.
This article originally appeared in the winter 2024-2025 issue of The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener.
