The Best Goat Breeds for Milk, Meat, and Fiber

Goats and sheep are among the first animals to be domesticated by humans. Domesticated from the wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe, over 200 breeds of domestic goats are being used for everything from meat and milk to fiber. If you’ve decided to add goats to your homestead, this guide will help you pick the best goat breeds based on your needs.

We’ve had our fair share of experiences owning goats. While there are definitely some things to consider before adding goats to your homestead, the truth is goats are something you’re either going to love or hate… there’s not a lot of in-between.

The first time we owned goats (we’ve owned three herds now), I was super excited, I wanted to love them… but I didn’t. They were ok, but they just were not a good fit for us so they were sold. The second time… they fell into our laps as we offered to help out a neighbor and I fell in love with them.

The third, and final, time, we’ve built a small herd of the best goats and I’m working on improving the breed for production and stature. I love goats now, and I can’t imagine life without them, but if I had gone off my first experience and never helped our neighbor? I would not own a single goat, to be honest.

Choosing a Goat Breed

Aside from meat, milk, and fiber goats are also used for their ability to clean up properties of weeds and brush. So, the first step to choosing a goat breed is going to be deciding what you want to use them for. Milk? Meat? Fiber? Brush removal? Or a combination of all of these things?

The next step is to decide how much space you have to devote to your goats. Goats are herd animals, and if you have one, you must keep another. So when you’re planning for space, make sure you make enough room for two. However, keep in mind much like chicken math Goatiplication is a thing… so you’ll want to devote more space than you think you need.

Goats are going to require a minimum of 20 square feet of indoor space and 200 square feet of outdoor space… per goat. So multiply that by at least two to figure out what the space requirements are going to be.

Another thing to consider is whether you want registered goats or unregistered goats. Most of us begin our goat-keeping journey with unregistered goats and eventually change to registered animals. However, you don’t have to. I know plenty of people who have amazing, productive animals that are unregistered.

Dairy Goat Breeds

We are limited to an acre but have a serious need for fresh, raw milk. While I love supporting the local farm down the road and drinking their delicious milk and cream, I wanted a source for ourselves. Cows were out of the question with such limited space, so we started to dive down the rabbit hole of owning milk goats.

We’ve owned three types of goats now and I definitely have my favorite for various reasons. That being said, there are a lot of excellent dairy goat breeds available and it is so much easier to get started raising goats than it is to get a cow.

But, just like cows, there are multiple breeds of dairy goats to choose from. There are pros and cons to each dairy breed. Knowing what your limitations are (feed availability, space, etc) as well as your needs (don’t use a lot of dairy), will help you make a decision.

So, I’ve rounded up the best dairy goat breeds suited for your small homestead to help take some of the guessing work out of the decision.

Nigerian Dwarf Goat

Once on the national livestock conservancy list, the Nigerian dwarf goat has grown in popularity in the past couple of decades and graduated from their list in 2013.

Nigerian dwarf goats are sweet, gentle, and adorable. This is a small goat breed, with does reaching a height of 22.25 inches at the withers and bucks 23.5 inches. They generally reach a weight of around 50 pounds, but the size of them is debatable.

While they are on the smaller side, which does mean they eat less, they are very productive producing an average of 800 pounds a year. Nigerians also have the highest butterfat, resulting in the sweetest tasting milk as well as making them popular amongst cheese and yogurt makers.

Nubian Goat

Nubian goats are beautiful animals with long ears and gorgeous Roman noses. While I find it hard to resist the face of any goat, I do have a soft spot for Nubians. We raised a small herd of miniature nubians for a short time and I like them… though their very loud demeanor made me a bit of a goat hater for a while.

Nubians are a standard breed of goat and the most popular dairy goat breed in the United States. Nubian does get approximately 135 pounds and stands 30 inches at the withers. Bucks weigh about 175 pounds and stand 35 inches at the withers.

Nubian milk is also high in butterfat in protein, making it popular amongst cheesemakers and yogurt makers. These productive goats will produce around 1900 pounds of milk in a single lactation.

Lamancha Goat

LaManchas are actually the only goat breed developed in America. So, it’s the only true American breed of goat. Most people recognize them because of their lack of “ears”. These goats are very hearty and fairly quiet.

LaMancha does weigh approximately 130 pounds and stands around 28″ tall. Bucks weigh around 160 pounds and stand at least 30 inches at the withers.

LaMancha goats are very productive of high butterfat milk producing an average of 2,200 pounds of milk in a single lactation. They also are known to be less stinky than some other breeds, even the buck.

Saanen Goat

Saanens are known for their excellent temperament. They tend to be much less rowdy and loud than some other goat breeds (ahem- I won’t name any names ?) and are said to be an amazing goats for people just starting out. They are a very hearty breed and incredibly mellow. They are, however, the largest dairy goat breed.

These goats are definitely one of the larger breeds of dairy goats on this list. Does stand around 32″ at the withers and weigh approximately 135 pounds. Bucks stand at least 35″ at the withers and weigh around 180 pounds.

Because of their large size, Saanens produce the most milk of all dairy goat breeds. They average around 2500 pounds of milk in a single lactation. However, with all that extra production, they lack in butterfat making it less desirable for cheesemakers.

Alpine

French Alpine goats are often used in commercial milk production but have gained in popularity on the homestead due to the amount of milk they produce and the ease of milking.

These sweet goats get fairly large since they are a standard breed. Adults will weigh around 135 to 175 pounds and stand at approximately 32 inches at the withers.

Alpines will produce a lot of milk, and make a good milker, approximately 2100 pounds per lactation.

Oberhalsi

The Oberhalsi goat is a smaller dairy goat breed which makes it great for people with limited space. Their milk is sweet but has a lower butterfat content than some of the others I’ve mentioned. They are amazingly sweet but known as one of the more destructive breeds of goat (they can all be destructive, don’t get me wrong).

Does will stand around 28 inches and 120 pounds. Bucks will be around 30 inches and 150 pounds, making them a little less intimidating and more suitable for smaller properties.

Their smaller size does mean a little less milk… around 1600 pounds per lactation, but it’s good, quality milk.

Toggenburg

The Toggenburg is known for being the oldest dairy goat breed. There aren’t a lot of breeding pairs left, so they can be a bit more difficult to find than some of the other breeds. They are very friendly and gentle, making them a good choice for a small, family dairy.

Does will weigh at least 120 pounds and stand around 30 inches. Bucks stand approximately 35 inches tall and weigh around 155 pounds.

Toggenburgs are moderately productive animals and hold the record for the most milk produced in a year (1,000 gallons). Their butterfat content is low at around 2-3% and they produce around 2,200 pounds per lactation.

Meat Goat Breeds

While it’s not particularly common in Western society, goat meat, referred to as chevon or even mutton in South Asia, is popular in South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Goat meat has gained some popularity in North America, but for the most part, it stays out of most of our cuisine. Similar in taste to lamb, but more mild, it has a texture closer to that of chicken.

Boer Goats

If you’re looking at meat producers, Boer goats are by far the most popular breed. Originally used as pack animals they grow quickly and produce more meat than other breeds.

The largest goat breed in the world, Boers can weigh upwards of 250 pounds and were developed in the early 1900s though they didn’t come to America until 1993.

Myotonic Goat

Myotonic goats, also known as Tennessee Fainting Goats, are the ones we’ve all seen silly videos of tumbling over when startled.

These meat goats carry a recessive trait called myotonia that causes their muscles to lock up when they’re startled. This trait is what makes them fall over or stand very still when they’re put into startling situations.

Myotonic goats are a meaty breed that can weigh close to 200 pounds grown.

Kalahari Red

Claimed to be tougher and more sturdy than Boer goats, this breed is known to be calm and gentle and their mothers are excellent.

Six-month-old kids weigh an average of 65 pounds. Bucks weigh around 250 pounds and does weigh approximately 165 pounds.

Spanish Goats

This breed was the most sought-after meat goat breed before the introduction of Boer goats. The Spanish meat goat is very active, but wary unless socialized.

Spanish goats are also grown for their cashmere, so these can make an excellent dual-purpose goat. They range in size from anywhere from 75 to 200 pounds, the larger goats having been selected for their production.

Kiko

Muscular is the best word to describe the Kiko goat. Often preferred over even Boer goats because of their reduced need for supplementary feed, Kiko goats are an excellent choice for meat production.

These goats are easygoing, but alert they are known for their teachability. Six-month kids weigh anywhere between 60 and 90 pounds whereas mature bucks weigh 250 to 300 pounds and mature does weigh around 150 pounds.

Fiber Goat Breeds

Fiber goats can be a very good way to make money on your homestead. Goats produce some of the most luxurious fibers in the world. There are breeds that produce both cashmere and angora. While they are raised much the same as other goat breeds, they do require much more protein due to the fact fiber production takes so much from the animal.

Angora

Mostly white in color, so the fiber is much easier to dye, angora goats have a hair called mohair. This fiber is soft and long and turns into a luxurious, soft fiber.

This goat breed is large, but definitely not the largest, and can range anywhere between 75 pounds, does, to 150 pounds, bucks. They produce anywhere between 8 and 16 pounds of mohair a year.

Cashmere (Kashmir)

Many people don’t realize that their cashmere sweater came from a goat, but it did. Cashmere is the soft downy undercoat that grows to its full length by mid-winter and is shed in the spring. While any goat that isn’t an Angora goat technically produces cashmere. Cashmere goats are selectively bred to produce a large amount of it.

While these goats aren’t technically a specific breed unless you’re talking about Hexi Cashmere goats that are found in Asia and were developed in China, these goats can produce both fiber and meat but selecting them to produce the right amounts of fiber can be a bit tricky.

Nigora/Pygora

Both the Nigora and Pygora goats are crossbreeds of Nigerian dwarf and angora and pygmy goats and angora respectively. These goats will produce colors other than white, to add some dynamic to your fiber production.

These goat breeds are also both much smaller than full-sized angora since they are crossed with a smaller goat. Despite their small size, they can still produce upwards of four pounds of fiber per year.

A Note on Mini Goat Breeds

While a miniature is not necessary, sometimes it can be incredibly helpful. A lot of areas are beginning to allow miniature goats on smaller lots in urban and suburban areas. Sometimes, you don’t want to be held down to just one breed (the Nigerian dwarf). Miniature breeds also eat far less while still producing about 2/3rds of the milk their full-sized relatives produce.

I mention a couple of miniature breeds here, but all of the breeds mentioned (except for the Nigerian dwarf, which is already miniature) can be found or bred into miniatures. It all depends on what your ultimate goals are and the land you have available.

Looking for excellent dairy lines with a great history is incredibly important when purchasing any dairy goat regardless of breed. You need to do your homework and find a great breeder. Craigslist cheap goats aren’t typically going to fulfill your needs.

Other Posts You’ll Love:

• 6 Truths About Dairy Goats You Need to Know
• 11 Reasons You Need to Raise Backyard Meat Rabbits
• 8 Duck Breeds to Consider for Your Homestead

What’s your favorite breed of dairy goat? 

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