JOYFUL HEARTS FARM
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. We have many diverse color patterns as well. Our foundation herd has been carefully selected from some of the best New England
genetics ~ primarily out of Rosasharn in MA, and Jobi Dairy in Texas. We are striving to breed the all around dairy goat
by placing equal emphasis on conformation, filling the milk pail, and milking temperment. We are committed to participating in
evaluations of our goats as offered by AGS & ADGA, via Classifications and Linear Appraisals, and participating in a couple shows a year, as well as milk
testing our does. We practice natural herd health management, resulting in hardier stock and healthier milk.
With our current economic situation many are considering ways of becoming a little more self-sufficient. Many are purchasing
a few Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats and chickens, along with planting small backyard gardens to ease the burden of high food costs. Also, knowing where
your food comes from is becoming more and more important to us. The beauty of the Nigerian Dwarf is that they only require a small space to raise.
They can provide your family with a year round supply of fresh, raw goat milk. Two ND's only need about a 20' x 20' pen with a shelter from sun, wind
and rain. They are easy keepers and a real delight to own. Some cities are even allowing 2-3 female goats (does), such as Seattle, WA and Pasadena,
CA. Making your own butter, cheese, kefir and desserts can become a reality with very little effort. Purchasing from the best dairy lines, such as
ours, will ensure that you will enjoy many years of production from your investment.
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! Our five Sr. Milking does all earned their dairy stars in 2009. We are very proud of our girls
and how they milk. We plan on doing milk test again in 2011.
We feel that Linear Appraisal and Classification scores, along with milk stars, are far more important than being in the show ring. We do however plan
on showing at one or two shows when we can. This keeps our herd healthy since they do not have the stress of being hauled around the country and
being in contact with other herds on a regular basis. We have pets, family milkers, show prospects, and breeding stock for sale almost all year round.
Please check our For Sale page for availability and our current Breeding/Kidding Schedule to make reservations on future kids.
If you have a Joyful Heart Nigerian Dwarf that has been Linear Appraised or Classified, done well in the show ring, or is on
milk test, please let us know so we can make note of it here on the website!
Our Registered Nigerian Dwarf does & bucks are normally priced from $400.00 to $1000.00. Pet does are $250-350.00. 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 $100-$150 depending on color and conformation & how many are purchased.
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 via email. Be sure to also read our Herd Management page as well and visit the Links page
for additional self-study.
Our First Freshening Nigerian Dwarf does will provide you with one quart of milk per day for most of their lactation. Our 2nd freshening and older
does average 1/2 gallon of sweet, rich milk each day at the peak of their lactations. If you plan on milking your Nigerian Dwarf's (and they are dairy
goats after all!), be sure to purchase from a breeder who actually milks their goats! I was very surprised to learn that a lot of people don't milk their
goats! Something else 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 ~ 4-6% is average! 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 of age,
or at weaning age, they are given a Tetanus Toxoid vaccination, and their 2nd booster 4 weeks later. They are also given BoSe at 1 month of age. We
disbud at approximately 3 days to 10 days of age. We band wethers at 6 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 try to be sure each baby is properly socialized from birth. We will have babies available at 4-8 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. There is always
the rare goat that simply will not take a bottle, but 99% of our kids will. We will not bottle raise any kid born at Joyful Hearts Farm. We try to get
all bucks & wethers to take a bottle so their new owners can continue them on a bottle for a few weeks longer as well.
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 also have chocolate colored, light gold, red gold, and cream/fawn, moon spots,
wattles and polled goats!
If you are thinking of starting out with these wonderful dwarf dairy goats, or are looking to add some new milking genetics to your existing herd,
please consider a Joyful Hearts goat!
If you would like to stay current with our farm happenings, birth announcements, available kids or adult Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats for sale, as well
as when day old chicks and hatching eggs become available, please join our Joyful Hearts Farm email list!! This is an Announcement group so you will
not receive much mail throughout the year.
Click to join JoyfulHeartsFarm
Page created on Sept. 1, 2005
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)
Chino, CA June 2009
MCH/CH Jobi Lacie *D 'E' 92 LA-EVEE 90 Winning Grand Champion Sr. Doe
Sandy Hollow CS Cherry Blossom 8*D "E" 90.4 ~Winning Reserve Grand Champion Sr. Doe (leg)
SR DOES
JR DOES
HERD SIRES
KIDDING SCHEDULE
GOATS 4 SALE
FARM NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
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. We do not random test, as some do, but test each animal for CAE and CL
that reaches his or her 1st birthday. Our last testing date was October 8th, 2010 ~ All Negative of course! You can be assured of our test results, as
blood draws are done by a Licensed Vet.
MILK
KIDS
Joyful Hearts Esther, flirting already at 3 days old; left, beautiful Logan (pet wether)
Sandy Hollow CS Blossom 8*D with her '09 Buckling ~ Joyful Hearts GD Mountain Ash *S
STATUS
4-H/FFA
MCH/CH Jobi Lacie *D 'E; 92; LA EEVE 90
Photo by Fern , 2009
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
ARTICLE INDEX
NEW ARRIVALS
FARM PICTURES
LINKS
FARM NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
2011 KIDS
CHICKENS
Goat pages last updated November 22nd, 2011
(c) Joyful Hearts Farm's website is created and maintained by Fern. All rights reserved.
