Simple Basics for Raising Meat and Dairy Goats

Simple basics for raising meat and dairy goats are not so simple. Homesteading and or farming is not an easy thing to do, especially if you are a beginner. It can be a big chore raising meat and dairy goats. That will only go well if you put a lot of dedication, learning, and efforts into it. It’s the same as raising any farm animal.

Some people may have an idea to be meat self-sufficient by buying goats. They may feel it will be cost-effective versus buying meat from the grocery store.  Usually, they do not know the responsibilities until later, after they buy the goats. But fret not, today we are going to tell you some simple basics on how to raise your goats for meat and milk. Also, as well as some useful information regarding the difference between raising a goat for milk or raising a goat for meat. Let’s say there are some simple basic questions to ask yourself before you buy a goat or any farm animal.

What you should ask before buying goats

Decide on what would you’d be raising the goats for. Do you want to raise meat or dairy goats or both? Is it for milk only or for meat only? Will the milk and or meat only be for your family or do you plan on making an income from the products? It might be a simple question but this answer is important in how the later process of raising goats will be done.  Why? Because if you buy a goat for milk to be butchered up later, you will get fewer meats than the one you will get if you buy a goat for meat instead.  Can you cross use it? Yes, but the result won’t be as good as buying a goat for a specific use.

What goat breed should you buy?

After you decide its purpose, now is the time to know the basics of raising goats. Before buying one, you should know that there are many kinds of goats. Some specific breeds are only good for milk or meat. For example; Alpine, Nubian, and Lamancha are probably the most known dairy goats you can find on many farms. Another consideration, do you want high or low-fat milk? If you want low-fat milk, Alpines are the most known for it. The highest fat content milk would be from a Nubian. As for meat goats; Kiko, Somali, and Boer are well known for their meat qualities. But the breed may be a factor in the climate you live in.

Should you buy a male or female goat

Now that you know which one to buy according to the purpose, you need to know that if you are an inexperienced farmer and want to start a goat farm for milking.  You will need to choose only female goats, obviously.  If you will be breeding the milk goats, you can choose to have one male for breeding, or farm that out, once a year. Male goats are usually preferred to be used for its meats and basically, need no special handling.

How many goats to start with

Like raising other livestock for the farm, a goat can be a tricky animal to raise. As a human, it is a very active and sociable animal that could be stressed as well. So when it’s mating cycle comes, sometimes it could get wild and hard to handle. So before it happens, make sure to also buy a male goat in case they feel lonely and go into heat. It’s important not to inbreed whenever possible. Keep good tracking of breeding cycles and mates.

What to consider when buying a milking goat

If you are going to buy the goat for milk then of course by any means, you will need to do the most important chore of it, which is milking. Are you able to commit to being home twice a day for each milking? Milking can be a tiring chore to do since you won’t only do it once a day but even more than twice every single day in 10 months a year. If you like to travel, you will have to ensure someone is introduced well before you leave for the goat(s). Make sure they are comfortable with milking and they know how to handle and store the milk afterward. Check out this site for free cheese recipes and cheese making supplies.

Milking a goat regularly

Milk goats will need attentive care which needs you to milk them every 12 hours apart. If you don’t, it can cause serious health problems or even cause undue stress on your goats’ health. Either way, you need to be aware that raising goats for milk will take a lot of dedication as well as strong commitments. Be sure to think thoroughly before you purchase one or any. Goats are a commitment, like having a child, in my opinion. I highly suggest asking a local goat farmer, to volunteer for 2 weeks, twice a day to milk their goats. See if this is something you could commit to and see if you are a good fit to be a goat farmer.

Goat Housing

You also need to consider the climate conditions of the farm with the goats you from. Since some goats could not handle some specific temperature. An example, if you bought a goat in Florida and expect it to adapt to a New York winter. So be sure to gather some information as well as asking some professional or goat breeders for their recommendations. Try to only buy goats that other local goat farmers are raising. Not all goats are suitable for every state.

Tips for buying a meat goat

The amazing thing about raising a goat for meat is that the flavor of goat’s meat is similar to lamb or even better, (so I am told). Also, the most important thing is, you know exactly what you are eating since you raised the goat yourself. As I mentioned above; Kiko, Somali, and Boer are the most known breeds for meat. In America, Boer is more popular when it comes to meat but they are quite weak to a cold environment, so if your farm is in a cold region, you should consider another breed instead, like Kiko since they originally come from New Zealand.

Feeding goats

Goats’ digestive system is quite sensitive, so make sure to not allow them to overeat grass, hay and green pastures. Always give them a little amount of feed time to time instead of giving them all at once. You can also use baking soda to help their digestive system. It is imperative to lock up their grains and feeds. Goats are notorious for breaking into feed containers and overeating and basically will die within hours of overeating. Bloat in a goat is detrimental; lock up the feed good and tight!

Winter feeding goats

Ensure to have enough grass and hay during fall and wintertime. During those times, the pastures do not grow well and will need to be substituted for.  Buying it will be more expensive, so be better prepared when it comes to their food. Allow in the budget for the added expense of grass and hay for your goats. They will also need extra bedding for warmth versus the warmer months.

Raising goats is doable

Raising goats could be hard for anyone who has no background in farming but nothing is impossible if you put the thing you do with passion, efforts, and hard work into it. Never be shy to ask a professional or someone who is more knowledgeable when it comes to starting out. Research and educate yourself with lots of information about farming. Make sure you will be ready for your first-ever goat farming, have fun and happy farming to you!

Want to see how I wish I knew more when raising goats? Read Raising meat and dairy goats-why I failed, how I failed at goat farming. I wish I knew what I have learned in this blog post before ever buying a single goat!

If you have any goat stories, please leave a comment, I would love to hear from you and share stories!

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