Goat vs Cow: The Best First Dairy Animal for Your Homestead

Or Why Goats Might Be the Perfect First Dairy Animal

So you want to provide your family with fresh, healthy dairy right from your own homestead.

The big question is: do you need a cow?

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to have acres of pasture and a barn-sized feed bill to be your family’s milk provider. In fact, dairy goats might just be the most practical, affordable, and beginner-friendly way to step into homestead dairying.

Goats Take Less Space, Less Feed, and Less Stress

A dairy cow is a big commitment. She needs lots of pasture, strong fencing, and plenty of hay and grain—sometimes upward of 30 pounds of hay a day!

A goat? She’s much more forgiving. One goat eats about 4–5 pounds of hay daily and thrives on a much smaller footprint. That means you can keep two goats for less than the cost of one cow.

And here’s the kicker: with two milkers, you’ve got built-in backup. If one goat is taking a break or runs into a health issue, you still have milk flowing. That’s security a cow can’t give you.

Proven All Over the World

Don’t think goats are just the “little cousin” to cows. For centuries—across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—goats have been the backbone of family dairying. Hardy, adaptable, and easy to manage, they’ve fed families with milk, cheese, and yogurt for generations.

What About Cows?

To be fair, cows do win in one area: cream. Cow’s milk separates easily, so you can skim off cream for butter without any special equipment. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized, so you’ll need a cream separator to make butter.

If butter is your daily staple, a cow makes sense. But if you’re looking for a steady supply of fresh drinking milk, yogurt, kefir, and cheese in amounts your family can actually use, goats are unbeatable.

Why Nubians?

If you want to dip your toes into homestead dairying, Nubians are a fantastic first choice. They produce rich, sweet milk with enough volume for both fresh drinking and cheesemaking. It’s the perfect balance for families who want it all without drowning in gallons of milk.

Ready to Bring a Goat Home?

If you are ready to purchase some registered Nubian dairy goats in Nebraska, we would be flattered if your considered purchasing a couple from our herd.