If you’re starting your homestead or looking to start an animal farm in your yard, one thing you should consider i to raise goats. Of course, you can always have chickens, quails and other animals on your homestead. However, you should also raise goats for the simple fact that they are some of the best animals to keep even in a small farm.
Benefits of Raising Goats
Many of you are probably unaware that there are different kinds of goats. There are, in fact, an estimated 300 breeds of goats all over the globe. Now that you are aware of this detail, you’d probably start noticing the differences between the goats you encounter from now on.
These goat breeds not only differ in their appearances, however. They also have different purposes. This leads us to the question of which breed should you raise on your farm. Well, it all depends on what you want. You can raise goats that are great producers of milk. Other breeds are known for their meat while others are mainly bred for their skin. Some farmers raise goats that produce a high number of kids or baby goats.
Below is a closer look at some of the possible benefits of raising goats on your homestead.
Excellent Food Source
Most homesteaders and farmers raise goats because they are excellent sources of food. They produce milk and can be slaughtered for their meat.
If you are planning to raise goats for their milk, go for the Saanen, Barbari, Toggenburg, and Jamunapari breeds. Good sources of quality goat meat are the Black Bengal, Boer, and Mato breeds.
Producing goat’s milk is less expensive and laborious than gathering some from a cow. The milk can be consumed or made into dairy products such as goat’s cheese and yogurt.
Goat Fiber
Some homesteaders raise goats for their wool, which are usually turned into yarn. Some breeds grow cashmere, which is used for fiber.
They Make Great Pets
Goats, particularly the African Pygmy, Pygmy, and Fainting breeds, make great pets. Baby goats are as cute as or even cuter than some traditional pets like dogs and cats. Their claim to fame, however, is that they are less expensive to keep. Well, unless the pet goats are named Zeus and Beatrice and owned by poker champion and King of Instagram Dan Bilzerian.
When you raise goats for pets, you or your kids will always have someone to play with. Goats are fun-loving creatures that love to play and are pretty friendly.
They’re Easy to Handle
You don’t need super strength to handle goats. Actually, you don’t have to be an extraordinarily strong man or woman to take care of any kind of animal. However, pigs, cows and other farm animals are so much bigger and more difficult to handle than goats, even the adult ones.
Goats are Pretty Low Maintenance
Unlike your ex-wife, goats are low maintenance. Sexist jokes aside, goats mainly require just enough food and water. Of course, they’d fare better if you provide them with good housing, basic health care, and a little pampering every now and then.
Shelter
When it comes to housing, they don’t require a lavish hotel for goats or something ridiculous like that. They don’t even need a shelter with four walls unless you plan to raise goats in a place that’s cold most of the time. A three-walled housing will do. Generally, they just need a shelter they can easily get in and out of. They just need one that can protect them from inclement weather but is open enough for them to get out and enjoy the sun.
Food and Water
When you raise goats, you don’t have to worry that much about spending on food and water. They need just around 2 to 3 gallons of water each day. If they happen to graze in lush green grass, they won’t require that much water. Lactating goats, meanwhile, need about 20 liters of water per day.
As long as there are enough food sources to graze on, goats can get by with minimal feeds. In fact, they get 40% of their food from grazing. The rest will come from supplementary feed such as barley and oats.
You will need the right feeding equipment to make sure your goats are properly fed. Get them some food bowls and water buckets. You’ll also want feed storage containers, hay manger, and mineral feeder.
Grooming
When we say pampering, we mean normal tasks such as giving them baths, brushing their hair, and trimming and cleaning their hooves. You really don’t have to bathe them regularly. Unlike you, goats don’t smell easy. If you jeep their surroundings clean, your goats will likely stay clean.
Some homesteaders will readily admit that they take pleasure in brushing the hair of their pets, particularly goats. To keep your goats’ hair ravishing, brush regularly using a variety of grooming items such as a curry comb, hard and soft brushes, a comb for their beards and tails and hoof trimmer. You may also want to get a bath mitt to use during their bath time. Electric clippers are useful not only if you have sheep. You can use it to trim the goats’ tails and hair.
Goat Poop
Goat poop doesn’t resemble most kinds of poops. You don’t have to inspect every other type of feces to prove this point. That would be disgusting and a waste of your precious time. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to spend too much time cleaning up after your goats. They produce pellet-like wastes that are not that stinky and are easy to handle.
Goats are Like Lawn Mowers
As mentioned, goats love to graze. If you raise goats on your homestead, you probably have little issues with overgrown vegetation. Goats love vegetation that is taller than grass but not as high up as trees. This means they’ll be chomping on shrubs and brush that are quite pesky and difficult to control. Goats will also solve your issues with weeds and other invasive plants.
Tips and Trick in Raising Goats
We’ve already mentioned that you don’t have to do too much to raise goats, especially if you compare them to swine and other farm animals. However, this doesn’t mean you can always take a day off. These ticks and tips will help ensure that your goats are raised right.
Put Up A Fence
Goats tend to go gravitate to where there are grass and shrubs to feast on. You don’t want to wake up one morning to find all your goats gone. Build a sturdy fence around your property so they won’t go wandering off.
At the same time, your fence should keep other animals and even humans from entering your property and picking up some of your prized goats.
Goats are Grazers
Protect your yard or garden from these grazers. Put up some barrier between the parts they can chomp on and your beloved garden or yard.
Goats Belong to a Herd
You can’t and shouldn’t keep just one goat. These social animals need each other. A herd of goats depend on each other to stay on the safe side.
Goats are Not Necessarily Stubborn
If your goats don’t want to go to this certain place on your farm, don’t think that they’re just being stubborn. Sometimes goats find it difficult to maneuver around an object preventing them from accessing food, water and shelter. If this happens, observe your goats. If you find that there is indeed an obstacle, remove it or make the necessary adjustments.
Get A First aid Kit
You’re not the only clumsy one in your homestead who gets bumps and bruises every now and then. Keep a first aid kit for your goats to give them immediate treatment and relief for minor medical issues.
Watch Out for Warning Signs
Goats also get sick. Be wary of the signs so you can stop any disease or illness in its tracks. Some of the possible warning signs include your goats not being able to drink, eat or chew cud. They also can’t get up and have difficulty peeing.
If you see them pressing their heads against the fence or wall or isolating themselves from the rest of the herd, get them some veterinary help. This is not some weird action caused by a visiting alien race or something.
Sick goats will have pale or gray eyelids or gums, hot udder, and runny nose or eyes. They may cough, cry, limp or stagger, or grind their teeth. You should also observe their feces. If they are not pelleted, your goats may be sick.
If you wish to know more about raising goats, particularly the Boer breed, check out the Boer Goat Profits Guide by Marc MacDonald aka The Boer Goat Guy. You should also visit The Gentleman Pirate for more tips and tricks on raising animals on the homestead. You will also learn about crops that can easily be grown and other skills you may need to keep your homestead going.
