For as long as I can remember, I have wanted dairy goats. Something just attracted me to these little creatures. I researched for a long time and followed blogs of those who were raising them, most notably Antiquity Oaks. I learned that I really like the size of the Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat and the fact that milk is high in butterfat, which makes it ideal for making soap and cheese.
The goats we have acquired were chosen for their hardiness and milking ability. I especially appreciate herds that raise for maximum health and production with minimal input. I do medicate and provide grain and supplements when necessary, but I like for that to be the exception and not the rule.
I have also recently added ease of hand milking to our list of necessary attributes. The longer you have goats, the more refined your list of ‘good qualities’ becomes. 🙂