Comparing the Differences Between Homesteading Dairy Goats and Cows is an important issue when a homesteader is choosing which livestock to buy. Having fresh milk supply on your homestead and make a huge difference towards feeding your family….. milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, kefir and butter. Don’t forget you can feed it to your other animals as well.
Cows are six times bigger than a goat, making them tougher to work with because of the need for a bigger stable. Meanwhile, a goat’s smaller frame allows them to be moved from farm to farm in a car. Dairy goats also have a longer lifespan than a cow; they range between 8-10 years, while cows are 4-6 years. Goats can also walk around more comfortably on a smaller farm than a cow. There is a downside to them: they only produce in the fall and winter months, while cows can produce year round.
In term of quantity of milk, a goat produces less milk than a cow. A dairy goat can make about a dozen pounds (not gallons) of milk per day, while a dairy cow produces at least five times more than he did. With a herd of goats, it’s difficult to maintain in term of economics compared to a herd of cows, who can make more milk, even with a few less than a goat. The cost per gallon of a goat’s milk is twice the cost per gallon of cow’s milk.
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Now, let’s take a look at the dietary factors. A goat’s high production of butterfat gives their milk a bigger energy value than cow’s milk. Its lactose content is also better as it is slightly lower than a cow’s lactose. Goat’s milk has more calcium, phosphorus, chlorine, magnesium, and potassium than a cow’s milk, giving farmers a lot more nutrients to grow a lot more root plants, fruits, and green vegetables. These are among the long list of comparisons between a goat and cow’s dairy production, but there’s a strong case that a dairy goat is better than a cow.
Click here to read about comparing the Differences Between Homesteading Dairy Goats and Cows:
https://www.thejudgingconnection.com/pdfs/670_Comparing_Dairy_Goats_To_Cows.pdf
