Meet the Goats

What is a Kinder goat?

Kinders are a registered breed that originated from breeding Nubian does with Pygmy bucks. The breed is several generations in now and thriving. They are a dual-purpose goat, meaning they have excellent milk and meat genetics. The goal is to mix the best milk-lines with the best meat-lines to conform to a breed standard, that to some looks like the "wiener dogs" of the goat world-- thick stocky bodies with short little legs. These are not your "goat yoga" sized goats (too chubby) and neither are they fence jumpers (too short). Because Kinders are a medium-sized breed, they may be less intimidating to handle than some larger meat-goat breeds and it makes them much easier to milk than some smaller breeds.

I decided to get Kinders primarily for milk production, but also for their marketability as meat-goats. At this point, I do not plan on raising any of my goats for personal consumption, but I accept that someone may purchase one for that purpose. In the hands of a good chef, I found bbq goat to be very tasty. I didn't experience any weird "goaty" or gamey flavor.

Kinders produce a sweet, creamy milk with a high milk fat content (diet is a factor as well) that stays homogenous for a long time... this means you have to let this milk sit undisturbed for a very long time before you will see the cream rise to the top. This is beneficial for those who like to drink the milk but also frustrating for people hoping to scoop that cream off and turn it into butter on a regular basis (prepare to buy a cream separator if you're serious about making butter). This is the part where I like inform/remind people that not all goat milk tastes the same.
Different breeds carry different genetic traits that affect the amount of milk and composition of the milk. Diet of the goat and cleanliness are also factors that affect the flavor of goat milk. There are "old wives' tales" about goat milk tasting bad if you keep an intact buck around your does. This is widely considered a matter of cleanliness, rather than some mysterious hormone/pheromone- activated change. Bucks do not smell good... that is a story for a different
day... so if they have constant contact with your girls and you don't practice sanitary teat washing before and after milking, there is a chance the flavor (and microbial safety) of your milk will be affected. I keep my boys and girls separated, but they share a long fenceline and they socialize and maintain herd bonds through this fence without any uncontrolled breeding happening. But my boys are just as stinky and flirtatious with the girls as they can be, including
synchronized rubbing themselves along the entire length of the fence, which means their fur is technically touching, and this has not affected the flavor of my milk at all. If you have never tried goat milk before, I would encourage you to make a goat-owner friend or find a reputable breeder and perhaps arrange a taste-test. Even after pasteurizing my goats' milk at home, the flavor
remains intact. I can't fully explain why most store-bought goat milk tastes so awful.

A breeder friend of mine described goats perfectly, "they are just like dogs, only they don't have the impulse to please us." This couldn't be more true. They each have their own distinct personality (and a lot of it) and they just love attention, pets, and treats. They are good boys and girls most of the time and they love to be very, very involved in any project or chore that I am attempting to do around their houses and yard.

If you are interested in getting goats for your own little farmstead, I love to talk goats and will share any knowledge, experiences, and resources that I can. I also have babies each spring so that I will have milk from my girls to make all my lovely soaps and body products. Unfortunately, I can't keep all of my little sweeties, so if you decide that Kinders are right for you, I can help you add some sweet, sassy goats to your home.