Goat breed personalities and specific question regarding Mini-Nubians

1208 Views 27 Replies 16 Participants Last post by DDFN, Jan 20, 2022

Chanceosunshine

Discussion Starter · Jan 18, 2022

From the reading I've done, I have these preconceived ideas about goat breed personalities and I know there's alway exceptions to the rules, but in my little pea brain, I'm under the impression that LaMachas are real clowns, ND are mischievous and childlike, Nubians are guarded and "anxious" maybe, and Kinders are friendly. I haven't read a ton about other dairy breeds, so I don't have impressions about what their personalities supposed to be like.

I may be wayyy off base and I'm definitely talking in generalities. So, is there truth in those generalities?

I'm especially curious as to what the Mini-Nubian personality is like? More like the ND or more like the Nubian?

As far as meat breeds, I've heard that Kiko are wild and that's about all I've heard. I think Boer goats are so gorgeous, but I heard a vet that said that Boer goats just look for a reason to die, so I crossed them off my list. After reading threads on here I see that that's an unfair statement and I'm more open to considering them someday. What are they like? And what about Myotonic personalities?

I'd love to hear about other personalities as well.

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Feira426

· #2 · Jan 18, 2022

I haven’t had Nigis or Nubians, but I do have Mini Nubians! They have been pretty chill and nice, especially compared to my Alpine mix, who likes to chase and slam all the other goats whenever they get even vaguely close to her.

Some of my Mini Nubians are REALLY friendly, and some are a bit more standoffish. I have a small herd so my experience is pretty limited. But from the sampling I’ve had anyway, I really like them, except for one very obnoxious trait - screaming. Lol

I hear some are better than others, and I appear to have somehow gotten one quiet doeling (whom I’ve retained) - but most of mine, especially the does, have had a tendency to yell and scream whenever they see me, which can be quite grating as they sound a lot like human cries.

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Jubillee

· #3 · Jan 18, 2022

In my experience, it always depends on the specific animal itself, not breed-related. For some people their whole herd (hence why they say it's breed specific). I believe they can learn bad habits from others and it spreads.

Our Nubians are very easygoing, they never escape, they are not loud like a lot of people always say. (no dig at you Feira haha, just read it all the time) Our mini-Nubians are the same. I have had individuals of both breeds that were a bit noisy or a bit skittish, but they don't live here lol. I retain and breed for calm and quiet behavior. If you come to my house, you rarely hear the goats at all, but you dang sure hear my sheep loud and clear LOL.

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MadHouse

· #4 · Jan 19, 2022

I have two NDs, a Nubian and a Mini Nubian.
The loudest is by far my ND buck.
My ND doe is the most guarded.
The quietest is the Nubian. She, on the other hand is the clown, and the most friendly.
The Mini Nubian is the calmest, but he is also a wether.

I think as stated above, it is all about individual goats.

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Rancho Draco

· #5 · Jan 19, 2022

It really does vary by individual. By far, most of my Kinders are very friendly. I have a doeling that was dam raised and basically unhandled until 4 months old and she loves to be around people and be scratched and pet and will fight for attention. On the other hand, I have a doe that will sprint away from anyone in the pasture. She's a spaz.

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littleheathens

· #6 · Jan 19, 2022

I agree with all the sentiments that it's more animal than breed specific...for the most part. I've only had a small herd of ND and min-Nubians, so limited experience. My ND's have always been friskier and more likely to do something foolish or be fence jumpers (only one, he's gone). I think their smaller stature might have something to do with their tendency toward spritely behavior. Boers are the cutest, aren't they?! Cute teddy bear goats.

Interesting conversation!

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Jubillee

· #7 · Jan 19, 2022

littleheathens said:
Boers are the cutest, aren't they?! Cute teddy bear goats.

I just LOVE a baby boer!!

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Lil Boogie

· #8 · Jan 19, 2022

You got the part about Boers looking for a reason to die right..

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Goatastic43

· #9 · Jan 19, 2022

Well you got the NDs right!

(Though I will add, they are very sweet too) Something else to add, they’re personalities are greatly affected on if they were bottle or dam raised. Gender makes a difference too.

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Chanceosunshine

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 19, 2022

Very interesting to hear that it's more about the individual goat. I guess they feel like they have to come up with something when they go into describing a goat and that just gets repeated by the next person??

Thanks all!

Reactions: 2

MadHouse

· #11 · Jan 19, 2022

Chanceosunshine said:
Very interesting to hear that it's more about the individual goat. I guess they feel like they have to come up with something when they go into describing a goat and that just gets repeated by the next person??

Thanks all!

I’ve heard all humans are into catagorizing. 😛

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ksalvagno

· #12 · Jan 19, 2022

I personally have found the general description of a breed to be true. Naturally not every goat fits the mold. Alpines were nasty to other goats but nice to people. LaManchas were very sweet. Nubians were very loud. Nigerians could be loud and were fun. My Oberhasli are sweet.

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Chanceosunshine

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 19, 2022

MadHouse said:
I’ve heard all humans are into catagorizing. 😛

I think sometimes stereotypes exist for a reason. Growing up with Polish relatives, I decided they were the loudest people on earth. lol The Nubians of the human species.

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alwaystj9

· #14 · Jan 19, 2022

As a Polish descent person, our voices were dwarved by my brother's Italian wife's family...

.
Having mostly NDs now, and Pygmies previously I find the ND's can be loud and certainly incredibly athletic.
They have long memories and are creatively intelligent. Goat proofing is a constant need.
The pygmies were as stubborn as boulders but nowhere near as devious as the NDs.
Both are great breeds, I only gave up on Pygmies when I couldn't really find any and slowly switched over
to the more popular NDs.
Goatastic is right about the dam or bottle-raised difference.

Reactions: 4

Chanceosunshine

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 19, 2022

alwaystj9 said:
As a Polish descent person, our voices were dwarved by my brother's Italian wife's family....
Having mostly NDs now, and Pygmies previously I find the ND's can be loud and certainly incredibly athletic.
They have long memories and are creatively intelligent. Goat proofing is a constant need.
The pygmies were as stubborn as boulders but nowhere near as devious as the NDs.
Both are great breeds, I only gave up on Pygmies when I couldn't really find any and slowly switched over
to the more popular NDs.
Goatastic is right about the dam or bottle-raised difference.

Yes, the Italians are loud too (generally speaking), but I'd gladly put up with the noise to have their cooking!! Mmmmm.

Lol Devious...that's one of the traits that intrigues me!

I have seen talk about the differences in bottle vs. dam. What is your preference? And others' preferences as well?

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alwaystj9

· #16 · Jan 19, 2022

I prefer dam-raised.
Too many bottle babies are spoiled brats.
My confession: when I have to bottle-raise one, I usually give it away.
I have a friend who has a dairy and breeds show goats. His bottle babies
are great, not spoiled but very tame. He raises about 20 bottle babies a year,
he uses a lamb bar.
It all depends what your plans are, pets? farm animals?
What are your goals for your goats?

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goatblessings

· #17 · Jan 19, 2022

Bottle raised kids are usually easier to handle, but a little more pushy and demanding. When I leave kids on the dam, I do go in the pen at least twice a day to handle and explore... so they aren't as suspicious with people. I feel it's all in how much contact and work you put in with babies and mom to make a difference. Most people cannnot tell the difference in my bottle vs. dam raised kids because I spend a LOT of time with the Bee Bees....... If you just leave them with mom and little contact, you will have more "wild" kids. The personality of the dam and how comfortable she is with you makes a huge difference. If you have a difficult dam who doesn't like human contact, her kids will take the que from her...My nubians are only loud when in trouble, or I'm late for feeding.

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CountyLineAcres

· #18 · Jan 19, 2022

General statements about personalities in different breeds are difficult because it depends highly on how they’re socialized (there’s a genetic component to temperament as well).

I absolutely love my nubians, but they were all bottle raised. They’re great mothers and honestly really quiet unlike their stereotype.

Our savannas were more skittish, but it was more from a lack of socialization. My friend has kiko/boer crosses, and they’re very sweet.

Our Boers are our favorite. Majority are super sweet and up-your-butt friendly. I think a lot of people get them as their “first goats” when they start out because they’re so popular. They’re sort of the… training wheels in the meat goat world, so they get a bad rep. Not very fair for the breed lol.

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Jubillee

· #19 · Jan 19, 2022

Yay, more quiet Nubian people LOL. I swear everyone I know says they're so loud that I think mine must be unicorns LOL.

Nigerians...yes..."athletic" that's a nice word for it

When we did have NDs...ugh I was always finding those little things out of the pen...I think they search for any weakness haha. And the babies, so small they fit everywhere. But they are adorable. I say all that and my 2 ND bucks are the most chill bucks and never give me trouble LOL.

I bottle and dam raise. I agree with the socialization comments. You have to put in the work with dam-raised babies of being hands-on. We have 3 dam-raised kids right now and we go out multiple times to check on them and just sit in the pen and play and pet on them and make sure they see us as their friends lol. Several of my adults were dam-raised and you can't tell. Bottle babies CAN be obnoxious but again, how you handle them. The lambar does seem to help a bit with them not being in your business non-stop. It also saves me so much time bottle feeding. I love that lambar. I have 3 currently on a lambar and 3 that are dam raising.

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Goatastic43

· #20 · Jan 19, 2022

Is dam raised babies are socialized they are IMO more likable. Bottle babies are great and all, but they can be SO loud and get in the way of everything!

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