Meet Our Nubian Goats: Why We Started a Herd at Fuzz & Buzz Farms
🐐 Why We Chose Nubian Goats at Fuzz & Buzz Farms
A beginner’s look at our herd, our learning curve, and a glossary for new goat keepers
🌾 A Practical Beginning
Here at Fuzz & Buzz Farms, we raise Nubian goats. They’re our newest farm animal — as of publishing this article, we’ve been goat keepers for just about two years. True to our style, we’re taking the slow and methodical route toward our future goat empire: expanding our herd, pasture space, and knowledge all at the same time.
We first considered goats not because we dreamed of goat yoga or petting zoo fame, but for practical reasons. The idea was sparked after hiring someone to mow down our first pasture a few times. Goats eat weeds (mostly), so we did a little budget math and figured out that a small herd might actually be cheaper — and more fun — than hiring a mower. And unlike machines, goats give milk and make cute noises.
Even better? Our early farm was battling cheatgrass — a highly flammable, invasive grass that also causes health issues for dogs and horses. Goats happen to love cheatgrass, and they eat it without the need for herbicides. That sealed the deal.
🧀 Why Nubians?
While Ronak was diving headfirst into beekeeping, goats became Holly’s thing. And once Holly’s in, she’s all in — which means research, spreadsheets, and more research. What breed? How many? From where? Registered or not? Adults or babies? Do we need to test for diseases? It was a rabbit hole — or maybe a goat trail.
The first big decision — what kind of goats? — turned out to be surprisingly straightforward. We knew we didn’t want meat goats, and Ronak was excited about the potential for milk goats. That narrowed it to dairy breeds.
After comparing pros and cons, we landed on Nubians. Here’s why:
🐐 Size & Efficiency
Nubians are a standard-size goat breed. That means they’re larger, eat more, and produce more milk per goat than miniature breeds. It also means we don’t need to double up to get enough milk — fewer goats equals fewer vet visits, fewer hoof trims, and fewer vaccinations.
🚧 Fencing & Behavior
Even though they’re big, Nubians are generally docile. With decent fencing, they’re not the acrobats that some other breeds are known to be. Ours have never challenged a fence — electric rope helps, but even before that, they stayed put (aside from getting a bit pushy at the gate during feeding time).
🧈 Butterfat Content
Nubian milk contains 4–5% butterfat, making it excellent for cheese, yogurt, soap, and ice cream. We’re not to this stage yet, as our goats haven’t freshened — meaning they haven’t kidded or begun lactating — but we’re excited for when they do. Ronak loves cheese more than milk, and Holly is always up for a new recipe, so it’s something we’re definitely looking forward to.
☀️ Heat Tolerance
Nubians are descended from goats that originated in hot climates, so they handle our intense New Mexico summers (up to 110°F) quite well.
🎧 Personality (and Those Ears!)
Nubians are friendly, affectionate, and loud. They love people, respond to their names, and come running when called. Watching them get their floppy ears wet every time they drink is pure joy. Those ears — how could we resist?
📚 Why Your Right Breed Might Be Different
Nubians were right for us, but they might not be right for you. Think through your goals, your land, your schedule, and your energy. Goats require time (daily care, hoof trims, meds), secure fencing, and protection from predators. Make sure you’re ready to care for them well before diving in.
If you’re new to goatkeeping, here’s a quick glossary of common terms to get you started. We’ll be using these in future articles — and now you’ll be in the know.
🐐 Beginner’s Goat Glossary
15 Goat Terms Every New Owner Should Know
1. Doe
An adult female goat. Dairy goat keepers prefer the term doe over the more casual “nanny,” which many find dismissive of the intentional care and breeding that goes into raising registered milk goats.
2. Buck
An intact male goat used for breeding. Bucks are musky and unruly during rut and don’t make good pets. We don’t recommend bottle-raising bucks unless you're using a lamb bar — otherwise they imprint a little too much.
3. Kid
A baby goat (male or female). Goats are typically called kids until they’re weaned or about 6 months old.
⚠️ Tip: Don’t start with kids unless you’ve researched common illnesses like coccidiosis. They can be surprisingly fragile.
4. Wether
A castrated male goat. Great as pets or companions — no smell, no rut behavior.
5. Doeling
A young female goat, usually under 1 year and not yet bred.
6. Buckling
A young male goat, often under a year old. Some can breed as early as 7–8 weeks, so separate them early!
7. Polled
Naturally hornless due to genetics. Breeding two polled goats can increase the risk of intersex offspring — something to research further if you're interested in going that route.
8. Disbudded
A goat whose horn buds were removed early in life. This prevents horn growth and helps avoid injury or accidents (to both you and them).
9. Kidding
The term for a goat giving birth. “My doe is kidding” = labor time. Have a med kit ready!
10. Freshen / Freshening
When a doe begins producing milk after kidding. A “fresh doe” has recently kidded. First freshener = first-time mom. Some dairy keepers continue milking during pregnancy, but it's recommended to “dry off” the doe before she kids again so her body can focus on colostrum and recovery.
11. Lactation
The period when a goat is producing milk. It begins after kidding and continues for months, depending on management. Does should be dried off a few months before their next kidding.
12. Dry Doe
A non-milking female — either between lactations or one that hasn’t freshened yet.
13. Rut
The breeding season for bucks. In our Nubians, rut tends to begin around July or August, but this can vary depending on breed and location. Bucks can become more aggressive, smelly, and vocal during this period.
14. Herd
A group of goats. Goats are extremely social. Never keep just one — they’ll be miserable (and destructive).
15. Registration
Official pedigree documentation through associations like ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association) or AGS (American Goat Society). Useful for breeding, showing, and verifying lineage. All our goats are registered Nubians with the ADGA.
💬 Final Thoughts
We’re still learning — every week, every season. But if you’re curious about goats and trying to figure out where to start, we hope this gives you a solid first step. Nubians have been a great fit for us, and we’ll be sharing lots more goat info, stories, and how-to guides soon.
Have questions? Want to hear more about kid care, herd health, or setting up your goat shelter? Let us know — we’re building this blog to help new goat owners like us figure it all out, one floppy ear at a time.
🐐 Coming Soon: Next Steps in Our Goat Journey
These upcoming articles continue the story of our herd and provide hands-on guidance for other goat keepers — especially those just getting started.