Goat Farming Business Ideas: How to Start a Goat Farm Business

To Farming Goats commercially you need to have local government approval. The business is profitable but requires a little planning and proper logistics.

Goat farming has many derivatives such as milk production and meat. Others are production of goat cheese and yogurt.

There are a few things to know about goats and goat farming. Male goats are referred to as bucks, female does, baby goats are called kids. Goats are rugged, unruly and they love wondering around.

Make sure you provide a strong secure enclosure/fence to restrict them to a pasture. They store and regurgitate food and prefer hay, bushes and certain leafs. Before you start the business check regulations guiding this business

Goat Products

There are many products you can get from goat farming. You can produce milk, meat, leather and manure. Goat products are in high demand and the market for a particular product differs according to locality.

Study the market and produce only products that have high demand in your community to avoid undue losses. Exportation comes with its own challenges and stiff regulations.

Goat milk is easily digestible and favored in certain communities. Same apply for goat meat which is a delicacy in many drinking joints in Africa. Some species have good fiber while others are harvested for their leather.

Goats produce lots of feces providing a base for high quality organic manure. The goat farmer bags the manure and sells directly to local farmers.

How Many Goats do you Need

The number of goats in your farm depends on the size of the venture. The least number of goats to launch your enterprise is three.

Keep the bucks and does separate because bucks are aggressive, smell bad and are difficult to manage. Bucks are only useful if you run a breeding program.

Buy goats according to your needs and business template. If you want to breed goats a single male buck can accommodate several female does.

If your business is milk production the does need to be breed to produce milk.

Prepare an Enclosure

Goats have the ability to jump high, crawl through narrow spaces and even eat wooden fences.  Separate the bucks from the does in an enclosed goat pen. Make sure the perimeter fencing is at least five and a half feet.

Make the fence sturdy, tough and difficult to climb. Pair them according to size and sex except when nursing their young.

Apart from the fencing they need shelter from the weather. Despite being rugged they are susceptible to diseases and die easy. Provide ventilation in the shed and use vet services to ward off diseases.

Grazing and Feeding

Goats eat anything they come across causing harm and sometimes death. To avoid unnecessary casualty remove poisonous plants, plastics and other items from the enclosure.

Feed them a verity of food to provide the needed nutrients for fast growth. They eat grass, hay, leafs, supplements and fruits. Other food that aids rapid growth are de-oiled cakes, cereals, millet, groundnuts and  safe green leafs.

Despite the offensive smell of bucks goats are clean creatures so raise them in a clean environment. Sometime the type of food they eat causes the offensive odors.

Healthcare

Every farm animal needs proper healthcare to thrive. Goats need vaccinations and periodical checks for diseases.

Some farmers remove horn stubs of young goats.  Even if you have a breeding program you generally need only one buck to twenty does.

The best time to castrate young bucks is two weeks old. They also castrate young male goats to avoid breeding.  These medical procedures should be carried out by only trained professionals such as vet doctors.
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Milk Production

Breed you does by introducing the does to the buck during estrus. This instigates milk production once the does is pregnant.

Normal gestation period after breeding is around 5 months. Once the udder is enlarged milk them twice daily usually two months before due date of the kid.

Selling your Produce

Goat meat, milk, skin and fiber are highly treasured commodities. You should have no problem finding eager customers to buy your products.

Sell to butchers, supermarkets, restaurants and drinking joints. Sell your fresh milk to neighbors, flee markets, and at exhibitions.

To bottle the product you might need licenses and certain food and drug approval.

Conclusion

Starting a goat farm is relatively easy and only requires adequate planning. Buy the number of goats you can accommodate, build a sturdy enclosure and provide food.

Use the services of a vet, provide water troughs and a sheds. And sell your produce directly to your local community.