GOAT DAIRY White City, Oregon

    The dairy goat is thought to have been the earliest animal domesticated besides sheep & dogs. Cave art 10,000 to 20,000 years ago indicates that goats were common & important then. At present time, goats provide the principle source of animal protein in many North African & Middle East nations, they are also important in the Caribbean area & South West Asia.

    Goats have advantages over other animals; they thrive and reproduce in cold climates and in humid or dry regions. Their small size compared to other animals permits them to be maintained in a limited area. They will consume a wide variety of grasses, weeds, leaves and small branches of brushes, as well as trees.

    Goats are gentle and easy to control. Their small size makes them suitable for home use. They can contribute to human nutrition with milk, cheese, butter, and other dairy products. Goat meat is a very flavorful source of protein. In some foreign countries goat meat is sold as the highest valued meat on the market. It is also consumed by many different cultures and ethnic groups in the United States. Their hides are used for many different things also. The U.S. imports about 40 million goat skins annually for making purses, shoes, gloves, pocketbooks, book bindings, etc.

    Some 60 different breeds of goats have been identified. Goats can be exported to many different countries. Many breeders have exported goats to Japan and Tiwian to improve production of dairy goats in those countries. Dairy goats have been bred and selected for high milk yields in Europe and the U.S. In temperate zones, goats breed from August through February.

    A doe (female) usually gives birth to one or two kids (baby goats) but triplets are not uncommon. Semen from bucks (male) is collected and exported throughout the U.S. and a National dairy goat show every year. County fairs have dairy goat shows included in their schedules. There are other American Dairy Goat Shows by breed clubs. The Rogue Valley Dairy Goat Association includes 4H and FFH, which show at the Jackson County Fair.

    Goat milk is difficult to obtain in the winter because of the seasonal breeding of goats. But the milk does freeze well. Some people who use goat milk freeze extra milk when milk supplies are plentiful.