When it comes to choosing a dairy animal for your homestead, there is no universal right answer. Cows and goats each have their pros and cons; the best choice will depend on your own personal preferences, land, budget, and what you’d like to do with your milk. Let’s break down the advantages and drawbacks to raising either goats or cows for home milk production.
The first step in starting your own home dairy is to learn more about raw milk and what your animals will be producing. Check out this blog from our Redmond Heritage Farm Store to learn how raw milk is different from pasteurized milk. Let’s take a look at some considerations to take as you decide between goats and cows for your home dairy! *Note: We won’t cover sheep milk here since sheep can’t maintain lactation for as long as goats and cows (after weaning their lambs their production is measured in cups instead of quarts or gallons).
Home Dairy Goats: Pros and Cons
Goats are a common “gateway” animal that lots of homesteaders use to get started. It can feel less daunting to start with 1 goat and then add to your herd as you get the hang of it. For reference, when it comes to both grazing needs and milk production, it takes around 5 dairy goats to equal 1 milk cow.
Dairy Goat Pros
Goats are Less Expensive
In general, dairy goats are cheaper than milk cows, both in upfront costs and in the long run. Depending on the age/breed/size, the initial purchase of a goat can get up to a few hundred dollars, whereas a milk cow can cost thousands. Over time, you will also find that goats eat a lot less feed and are cheaper to transport than cows. This affordability can help you more easily scale your herd up or down depending on your milk needs.
Goats Need Less Space
Obviously goats are smaller than cows, and if you have never worked with large animals before, it can feel a little bit intimidating to immediately start with a 1,000+ pound animal. Because of their smaller size and lower feed intake, goats need less pasture, barn, and pen space than cows. 1-3 goats can forage on a single acre (depending on the nutrient density of your forage). Any equipment you may need (like chutes or stanchions) will also take up less space. Goats can actually be perfect for homesteads that lack pasture space; they tend to prefer more weedy, wooded areas with bushes rather than large, open pastures.
Goats Are Easier to Transport
Shows, fairs, markets, vet visits, and breeding programs are easier to participate in with goats. Most goats can be transported in regular vehicles (trucks, vans, etc) without purchasing a specialized livestock trailer.
Goat Milk is Easier to Digest
For people with dairy allergies and sensitivities, goat milk is a tummy friendly alternative. Goat milk is easier for most people to digest because it has less lactose and a different fat and protein structure.
Goats are Easier to Breed
If you want to keep milk production going, your does will need to continually cycle through pregnancy and lactation stages. Which means you will need access to a buck or an artificial insemination (AI) program. Goat bucks may be stinky, but they are much easier and safer to handle and house for breeding than bulls.
Dairy Goat Cons
Goats Give Less Milk
Many dairy goats can produce around 1-2 gallons of milk a day. If you have a large family, or plan on having enough milk to make cheese or other products you will likely have to increase the size of your herd.
Goat Milk Can Require Extra Work
Goat milk has a little bit of a bad rep for tasting…well, “goaty”. But there are some steps you can take to help goat milk taste better, such as:
- Shortening storage length
- Offering trace minerals to prevent deficiencies
- Changing diet (eliminating certain weeds)
- Keeping bucks away from milk producing does
Goat milk is also naturally homogenized so the cream does not easily separate and rise to the top. If you would like to make butter or other cream based products, you will need to purchase a cream separator.
Goats Need Stronger Fences
Honestly, there is really no such thing as a 100% goat-proof fence. They can be very mischievous, so it usually requires extra creativity, higher fences, and sometimes a little electricity to keep your herd corralled. Check out our blog on how to keep goats in a fence.
Home Dairy Cows: Pros and Cons
For homesteads with a little more space and are really ready to start the milk train flowing, dairy cows are a highly productive addition to the family.
Dairy Cow Pros
Cows Make More Milk
A single dairy cow can produce 4-8 gallons of milk per day (typically around 2 gallons per milking). For large families, that much milk is a blessing, but some homesteaders may find this a little overwhelming when it comes to storing and processing. Thankfully your cow’s bounty can feed other animals on the farm. Try giving surplus milk and cream to your pigs, chickens, dogs, and other farm friends; they will love it!
If you are interested in selling any of your products, be sure to learn about your state’s raw milk laws (cow share or dairy share programs vary greatly on a state by state basis).
Cow’s Milk is More Versatile
Fortunately cow’s milk is a lot more versatile for making other dairy products because it is naturally non-homogenized and the cream quickly rises to the top. Making butter, ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other tasty products is a lot easier with cow’s milk. We hear from our customers that our fine powdered Popcorn Salt is the best salt for making homemade butter! Because most people prefer the taste of cow’s milk, you will likely have an easier time selling and sharing cow’s milk products.
Cows are Easier To Fence In
A cow’s temperament is a lot more docile and less mischievous than a goat; so most homesteaders find that basic fencing is enough to keep cows corralled.
Dairy Cow Cons
Cows are More Expensive
The initial purchase of a dairy cow can set you back a couple thousand dollars. There are also continuing expenses that are higher for cows than goats:
- Feed costs (cows eat a lot more than goats, and those costs add up when natural forage goes dormant and hay needs to be purchased for winter)
- Equipment costs (cows need heavier duty handling equipment for milking and transportation). Homesteads with a single cow don’t usually need to purchase equipment, but if your herd grows, those purchases can become a necessity.
Cows Need More Space
Cows need more pasture space for grazing than goats; at a minimum a single dairy cow needs a minimum of around 2-3 acres depending on where you live and the nutrient density of your forage. Their sheltered areas for bad weather, recovery, or calving also need to be much larger. If you have ever made the transition from goats to cows, you know that every part of a cow’s life just takes up more space, even down to their manure piles!
Support Home Dairy Milking with Redmond
Whether you choose goats or cows for your home dairy, Redmond has your dams and does covered. Lactating puts an extra demand on your animals’ mineral needs; preventing deficiencies is best for them and their milk quality.
Offering a mix of 2-3 parts Redmond Minerals (goat minerals, cattle minerals) and 1 part volcanic Conditioner increases blood mineral levels and keeps their rumen running at peak efficiency. This tasty mix helps them absorb the most out of their feed, increase milk quality, and guard against lactation based disorders like hypocalcemia (“milk fever”). Redmond also offers Udder Mud, a natural and soothing salve for mastitis and painful teats.
Give Redmond a call today at 
to see how we can support your homesteading dairy journey and help you get back to what you love about raising animals!