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The dairy goat is one of the most common types of goat associated with homesteading today.  Goat milk is naturally homogenized, which means the cream remains suspended in the milk, instead of rising to the top, such as cow’s milk.  An average dairy goat doe provides 3-4 quarts of milk a day and will milk for approximately 10 months; however, as lactation nears that tenth month the production rates will gradually drop off.  Goat’s milk is also used for cheese making on many farms and homesteads.  Cheese made from goat milk is known for its rather tart flavor; a characteristic that creates many people’s penchant for the taste.  Butter is another product that can be readily made from goat’s milk. It is important to note that it requires a little more effort to make butter from goat’s milk than it does from cow’s milk.  Again this has to do with the fact that the cream in goat milk remains suspended within the milk instead of rising to the top. The use of goat’s milk for drinking and making other dairy products is a great benefit for those who are lactose intolerant, as goat’s milk does not contain lactose, unlike cow milk.  Therefore, there are many individuals that can enjoy milk products when they would otherwise have to avoid dairy entirely.   

Last but not least, goat’s milk can also be used in making homemade soap.  Goat’s milk is great for soap making; its qualities are very appealing to people as it has wonderful softening and moisturizing effects on skin.  These characteristics have made it a revered cosmetic ingredient for centuries, and especially popular for use on delicate or damaged skin.  

The great part about these milk products is that all of them can be made on the homestead.  There are lots of recipes and directions for making these products available for free on the Internet.  All it takes is a little effort and the willingness to experiment with milk.  A couple of good dairy goat does can provide a lot of healthy and cost saving benefits to a working homesteader.  The financial, nutritional, and all around natural benefits make keeping some type of dairy goat a plus for most homesteads. 

There are several dairy goat breeds to choose from that are readily available today; however the most popular and easiest to obtain are Saanans, Alpines, Nubians, Toggenburgs and La Manchas.  The milk types and productions rates on these breeds vary somewhat, so be sure to check with a breeder before choosing which breed or breeds might best fit your milking plans.  

On our homestead we raise primarily Boer meat goats; however, we keep one to two dairy does in the herd.  The reason we choose to do this is simple: we enjoy the milk, plus it can be handy to have the extra milk if we need it for bottle feeding weak or orphaned kids.  We breed these dairy does to the Boer buck, it doesn’t matter to the does and the kids can then be used for meat or dairy. We have noticed that other animals on the homestead also seem to appreciate a good milk goat.  At milking time a line forms near the milk stanchion and seams to wrap around the entire barnyard.  Cats are always the first in line followed by the dogs and poultry. 

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