The importance of knowing how to care for goats cannot be stressed enough. Did you know that more people choose goat’s milk over cow’s milk? The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated the number of goats at 920 million, greater than the number of cows.
Furthermore, various cultures, particularly those linked by religion and limited by logistics, prefer goat meat to beef and pork. Export sales of goat products continue to increase, and more and more countries are joining. If you are considering raising animals for profit, goats are your choice, and now is the best time to start.
The first step in caring for goats for profit is getting to know the animals. There are different types of goats, and while they are all essentially the same, each has specific needs that you must meet. There are also different tips on how to breed each type, so it’s a good idea to do some research so you can find out the type of food, shelter, etc. to invest.
Goats are easy to breed as long as you know what to do. Once you are familiar with your animals, you can focus on providing them with quality pasture. Pastures that can accommodate six to eight goats per acre are considered by experts to be sufficient. You will be happy to know that goats can improve livestock grazing by consuming brush or grass that your livestock does not touch. Of course, if you don’t own livestock, you can increase the storage capacity of the land by rotating a variety of drilling species.
The next step on how to care for goats for profit is to make arrangements for the shelter. Quality is key here. You want your goats to live in a stable or pen that can protect them from the harsh elements, particularly the winter cold, a common cause of illness and death among goats. 20 square feet of space for each goat is considered healthy, although slaughter goats generally need less space than lactating goats. Machine sheds, old outbuildings, and old dairies can qualify as a good shelter. The trick is to provide a dry, open space.
Finally, it is time to invest in the right equipment and machinery. Some examples are those used for keeping hay, mowing grass, and putting up fences, just to name a few. There are also instruments designed for grooming goats, such as marking, shearing and pruning.
As long as you are committed to the task, it won’t be difficult to learn how to care for goats for profit.
