Joyful Hearts Farm is located in Southern California in the Temecula Wine Country. We have a small herd of top quality Registered Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. Our dairy goats are of the highest quality with excellent and diverse bloodlines primarily out of Rosasharn, Jobi, Twin Creeks and Goodwood. We have many diverse color patterns as well. Their pedigrees are filled with numerous permanent and National Grand Champions and Top Ten milkers. We believe in quality, not quantity, so our herd remains small. We practice natural herd health management practices.
While we don't have immediate plans to show our goats, our goal is to raise top quality dairy goats with correct conformation, dairy character, well supported udders, being easy to milk (we hand milk), as well as having a sweet temperment on and off the milk stand! We have pets, family milkers, show prospects, and breeding stock for sale. Please check our Sales page for availability and our Breeding/Kidding Schedule. If you show our goats it is our hope they will make both us, and their new owners (you!) proud! =) We offer discounts to those on milk test.
Our Nigerian Dwarf does & bucks are normally priced from $300.00 to $550.00. Kid prices are determined by pedigree, conformation, show records, milking stars as well as LA scores and DHI records, kidding history and AGS classification scores ~ which include that of the dam, sire, and other close relatives. Wethers are $125 and are discounted when purchased as a companion for one of our does or bucks, or if you purchase 2 wethers at the same time. We do offer multiple goat purchase discounts.
We are confident that you will fall in love with the Nigerians sweet, affectionate nature and be entertained constantly by their silly antics! They can even dance! If you don't believe me, look to your left at Hershey!! *smiles* Please note that goats are herd animals and depend on the companionship of other goats!! Be sure to have at least two goats so that they will be happy. We do not sell single goats (unless you already own goats of course!). We really recommend purchasing 3 goats to start your herd (and that doesn't necessarily mean purchasing them all from the same breeder). Please learn about goats before you purchase them! We are here to offer support as we can after your purchase through our Yahoo group (see below to join) and via email. Be sure to also read our Herd Management page as well and visit the Links page for additional self-study.
Nigerian Dwarf doe's average one to two quarts of milk per day. Something to keep in mind is that it's not the size of
the udder that matters, but the amount and quality of the milk that is being produced that counts. Nigerian Dwarf milk is very high in butterfat ~ about 4-6% is average, and can go as high as 11%! I have been told that if you take one gallon of a standard breed's milk (like the Saanen which has about 3.4% butterfat) you would be able to make three 8 oz containers of fromage cheese compared to the same amount of Nigerian Dwarf milk, and your yield will be about twice that much! That's why butterfat is more important than quantity when it comes to cheesemaking or if you want lots of cream to make butter! Does can be milked for 10 months or longer. Unlike other breeds, the Nigerian Dwarf can be bred year round, so you can have a year round milk supply if you so desire. I regularly make cottage cheese, chevre (like cream cheese), Feta, Ricotta cheese, butter, mozzarella as well as ice cream, puddings, kefir, yogurt, and so much more! YUM!
Every kid at Joyful Hearts Farm is started on a weekly Herbal Cocci/Deworming prevention program starting at 2 weeks of age. At 12 weeks they are given a Tetanus Toxoid vaccination, and their 2nd booster 4 weeks later. They are also given BoSe at 4 weeks and again at 8 weeks of age. We disbud at approximately 3 days to 10 days of age. We band wethers at 6-8 weeks of age and will tattoo Bucks & Does before leaving our farm. We also copper bolus all kids at 3 months of age.
We dam raise all of our kids and make sure each baby is properly socialized from birth. We will have babies available at 6-8 weeks old if you wish to continue bottle feeding after purchase. This must be arranged prior to birth so we can get the kid used to a bottle at an early age. If you are interested in bottle babies we charge an additional $50. Otherwise, babies are available at time of weaning, approximately 10-12 weeks of age for does, and 8 weeks for bucklings.
Please visit our Kidding Schedule to reserve a baby from a future breedings. Our kids go fast, many times before they even hit the sales page!
Currently, the Nigerian Dwarf Status according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Priority List is "Recovering", meaning they were once listed in another category, but have now exceeded Watch category numbers. They are still in need of monitoring however so more quality breeders are needed!
Nigerian's are small and easy for children to handle which is making them extremely popular with FFA & 4-H kids. They come in a large variety of colors which everyone finds appealing. One of our favorite color patterns is called 'buckskin'. Buckskins have a dark cape in the front, matching stripes on the face and legs, and the body color is usually lighter. We have a lot of buckskin Nigerian's in varying shades but also have beautiful gold goats and lots of flashy kids born every year.
If you are thinking of starting out with these wonderful dwarf dairy goats, or are looking to add some new genetics to your existing herd, please consider a Joyful Hearts goat!
Page created on Sept. 1, 2005
JOYFUL HEARTS FARM
NIGERIAN DWARF DAIRY GOATS
Know well the condition of your flocks,
{And} pay attention to your herds........
And {there will be} goats' milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.
Proverbs 27:23,27 (NASB)
Joyful Hearts GD Sugar Maple 4 1/2 months old~she doesn't look too comfortable does she?!
As part of our whole herd management system here at Joyful Hearts Farm, we test ALL animals one year of age and older for CAE using Washington State Lab (WADDL) which uses the most sensitive Elisa testing available. No test is 100% accurate, but these are the best tools available. We do not random test, as some do, but test each animal that reaches his or her 1st birthday. August of 2009 we tested our adult stock for CL, all Negative. Our milking does have been tested Neg. for Brucellosis as well. California is a TB free state. We also randomly test for Johnes. Yes, this is very expensive and time consuming, but we feel that our herd health is of the utmost importance. Our prices take into consideration the amount of time and expense of offering ND's that are healthy, not only for our own peace of mind, but for our buyers ~ *you*!! We drink our milk raw as well so testing is vitally important for our own health.
MILK
KIDS
Joyful Hearts Esther, flirting already at 3 days old
STATUS
4-H/FFA
Fayth and her daugther, Cherish
SIGNS OF GOOD HEALTH
Rectal temperature = 102.5 - 104 F is the normal range
Pulse rate ~ 70 - 80 beats per minute (kids have faster pulse rate)
Respiration ~ 12 to 20 breaths per minute (kids have higher bpm than adults)
Rumen Movements ~ 1 - 1.5 movements per minute
Puberty ~ Bucks can reach puberty as early as 8 weeks old
Estrus Cycle ~ on an average every 17-21 days
Gestation ~ 145 to 155 days (5 months)
Life span ~ Nigerian Dwarfs average 12-18 years
SR DOES
JR DOES
HERD SIRES
KIDDING SCHEDULE
GOATS 4 SALE
OUR HERD MANAGEMENT
OUR SALES POLICY
PREGNANCY CARE
RECIPES~Coming Soon!
FARM PICTURES
LINKS
2008 KIDS
2007 KIDS
The Nigerian Dwarf Yahoogroup is a community that love and breed Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. The majority of our members live on the West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington) and in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Idaho) but all are welcome to join us to learn more about the breed or just enjoy the company of other Nigie lovers! To join us, add your email address below.
Goat pages last updated September 1st, 2008
(c) Joyful Hearts Farm's website is created and maintained by Mrs. Fern Guyer. All rights reserved.
