When we bought our first small herd of dairy goats more than 12 years ago, we had no idea how much we would fall in love with these personable, gentle giants.
Each breed of dairy goat we have chosen has its own unique dairy contributions and characteristics — which all mixes together creating to the great flavor of
Sunshine Farms of Paisley, FL Goat Milk.
Here are the 6 Goat Breeds that we chose to contribute to the Daily Mix that makes up the Great Tasting Goat Milk that Sunshine Farms is known for!
NO TWO GOATS ARE THE SAME
Each goat has talents, tastes, and habits all their own. If you haven’t had a chance to know a goat, we highly recommend that you find one to befriend. But in case that’s not an option for you, please meet some of our favorites in our herd.
Toggenburg
Toggenburgs are an increasingly popular breed of dairy goat .Their bold, lively, and curious nature makes them good pets and homestead milkers. They have little fear of other animals and prefer living in small groups. Their friendly personalities range all over the grid, and personally they remind me of a Labrador dog.
They originated in the city of Obertoggenberg, Switzerland and were the first officially recognized breed of dairy goats. Toggenburgs are directly related to the Alpine breed of goats and were the first to reach Britain, England in 1884.
Toggenburgs range in colors from light to dark brown, even shades of gray, with distinct white lines and spots on their bodies. In general, they are smaller than the Saanens and produce great milk.
Saanen
The Saanen goat is the largest of the dairy goat breeds. Growing to 130 to 145 pounds, the Saanen breed is one of the best goats for milk. This breed is a consistent high-volume and high-quality milk producer. It’s no wonder that the friendly Saanen goat has risen to the favorite position with many goat owners. Saanens are large, graceful, and very gentle. They are usually white or cream colored with a white beard.
The Saanen goat originated in the Saanen Valley of Switzerland. They were first brought to the USA in 1904. Later arrivals from England joined herds, in the 1960s. The Saanen goat quickly became a favorite in milking goat herds. They joined Toggenberg, Nubian, LaManchas, Alpine, Oberhasli, and Nigerian Dwarf goats in the goat milk market. Saanens produce more milk than any other breed of goat
Nubian
Nubians originated in Great Britain, but are a mix of goats from Africa, Asia, and Europe. The Nubian’s distinctive appearance is characterized by long, wide drooping ears, large almond-shaped eyes, a wide forehead, a convex “roman” nose, a tall flat-sided body, long legs, and a short glossy coat. They are very friendly, and can be more audible than other breeds. They call with loud voices when requiring attention. On the other hand, they are quiet when content.
Nubians are available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Black, tan, and chestnut are predominant.. Nubian goats produce rich and creamy milk, with a lot of butterfat in it.
Alpine
Alpine goats were originally found in the French Alps. You can recognize an Alpine goat by its colorful coat — from white and gray to brown and black. Their ears and horns stand erect and they have a long straight face. While an Alpine goat does make an excellent dairy producer, bucks make good for anyone interested in meat goat farming, and they will often gain weight as fast as the meat breeds.
Alpine wethers (male castrated goats) also make excellent pack goats. They tend to be larger, stronger, and healthier than many other goat breeds for milk. They train easily, bond with their keepers, and retain their guard dog like instinct out on the trail.
La Mancha
La Manchas are funny because they look like they have no ears. While the inside part of their ears is normal, the outside part (the “pinna”) is just very, very small. We’ve heard them described as “gopher” or as “elf” ears. La Manchas are usually brown, but can be other colors as well. Calm, quiet, people-friendly, and easy to handle and milk.
LaManchas adapt well to different environments and climates, making them ideal for 4-H and dairy projects around the country. LaMancha goat milk production was originally developed for long lactation with up to four years between freshenings..
Although they are not managed as such at present, there may still be potential for long lactation, which could be of interest for low-input and lower-impact farming.
Oberhasli
The Oberhasli goat, also referred to as Oberhasli-Brienzer, or Chamois-colored goat; was formerly known as the Swiss Alpine.. Oberhasli goats are indigenous to the mountains of northern and central Switzerland, where they have been developed for dairy and are simply referred to as chamois-colored goats.
Females are bred for dairy production. In Italy, they are popular for fresh milk, cheese, yogurt and ricotta. Wethers (male castrated goats) make good pack goats as they are strong and calm. With appropriate training, they adapt well to exploring unknown areas and crossing water.
We have one Big Happy Goat Family !
Our Mixed Herd Loves it here - and we Love them!
During the summer, you’ll usually find our goats lounging in the shade inside of our spacious open shade shelters, where large fans circulate air to keep temperatures cooler.
Never confined to a stall, our Goats have free range of their pastures. Cool clean ocean sand beds give them the comfort to cool off under their favorite trees.
When things get wet or chilly, we provide our animals with fresh, warm bedding and partially close the sides of our structures to keep the space dry and free of drafts.
If you are In Florida - Check out our Goat Milk!
Sunshine Farms is Family Run small Goat Dairy located in Paisley, Florida.
FL Law States that Raw Dairy Milk must be labeled for Pet Consumption.