How Many Goats Does My Family Need for Milk?

So you’re thinking about bringing home dairy goats, but how many goats do you actually need?

The answer depends on one main thing: how much milk your family uses each day… plus a few real-life farm factors that new goat owners often don’t think about (yet).

How Much Milk Does Your Family Use?

Start here:

• Drinking milk

• Coffee creamer

• Cooking & baking

• Homemade yogurt, kefir, cheese, butter, or ice cream
  

Example: If your family drinks 1 gallon of milk per day, plus wants to make homemade dairy products, your needs are already on the higher end.

How Much Milk Does One Goat Produce?

A good dairy doe (especially Nubians) typically produces:

• ½ to 1 gallon of milk per day at peak

• Less at the beginning and end of lactation

• Production gradually declines over the year

Not every goat gives the same amount, and no goat stays at peak forever.

Goat-to-Family Size Guide

Here’s a realistic starting point:

Small Family (1–2 people)

• Light milk use (drinking + a little extra) 1 good milking doe can work 2 is better (for companionship and backup)

Medium Family (3–4 people)

• Regular milk drinking + occasional yogurt/cheese 2 milking does minimum 3 is ideal for consistency

Large Family (5+ people)

• Daily milk + regular homemade dairy products3–4 milking does

Heavy Dairy Use (Any Family Size)

If you want:

• Kefir daily

• Cheese making regularly

• Butter, yogurt, ice cream

Plan on at least 2–3 strong milkers, even for a smaller family

The Reality Most People Miss

Here’s where beginners often underestimate:

1. Goats Need Friends

Goats are herd animals—you should never have just one.

2. Dry Periods Happen

Does need a break before kidding again (typically 2 months “dry”).

If you only have one milker… your milk supply = gone.

3. Production Fluctuates

• Early lactation = lots of milk

• Late lactation = less milk

Having multiple goats helps balance this out.

4. “Extra” Milk Isn’t Really Extra

You’ll use it for:

• Feeding kids

• Making cheese or soap

• Sharing with family/friends

• Skimming cream (if you have Nubians!)

A Real-Life Example

If your family drinks 1 gallon of milk per day and wants to make kefir, cheese, yogurt, etc…

You’ll likely want at least 2 good milking does, 3 is even better for consistency and flexibility (and extra yummy things like coffee creamer, chocolate milk, eggnog, and ice cream).

My Honest Recommendation

If you’re just starting out: Buy 2 does in milk (or close to freshening, meaning they are about to have kids). Plan to grow to 3, or more in the future.

This gives you:

• Steady milk supply

• Backup if one dries off

• Less stress overall

Final Thoughts

It’s better to have slightly more milk than not enough, because once your family gets used to fresh goat milk, you won’t want to go back. 

And trust me… What starts as ‘just a couple goats’ tends to grow pretty quickly into what we lovingly now call “goataplication”.

If you’re looking for quality dairy goats or want help choosing the right does for your family, check out our available goats or reach out. At Resurgent Farms we are always happy to all talk goats and help you get started on the right path.

If you want, I can also:

•  Turn this into a Pinterest pin + SEO keywords

•  Add internal links for your goat sales pages

• Or  customize it specifically for your Nubian herd (Karen & Susie tie-in 👀)