If you starting to consider goat farming as a job, then there are a few points that you need to know first in order to be a successful goat farmer. Having a goat farm can be a valuable experience for you and also profitable. Goat knowns for its milk, meat, skin, and fiber which are can be consumed by yourself or you can sell it to the market. Interested? Before we build the barn and buy some goats, let us dig in into 7 effective tips to become a successful goat farmer here! But before we start, you may want to know more about Basic Guide of Goat Farming here and Benefit of Raising Goat Farm Business here.
7 effective tips to become a successful goat farmer
1. Location
Location is one of the most important consideration you must know. Different kind of breeds has a different ideal temperature to live. But common goats generally need a warm area that is well drained. Read here about Take Care Goat in Wet Season here. As a herd animal, goat need companion from the others goat. They need to live in a group, so you may want to consider a large space of field or yard to let you goats roam around and have an accessible grass to eat (they like to eat so bad!). The urban area is the most suitable place for goats to live in. Having a goat farm in a town can be harder not only for you who need to face many laws and regulations buts also for your own goats’ health.
For their home, make sure you build a home that is suitable for them. Not only for their size but also fit for their habitat. You need to build a house for keeping them safe from extreme weathers and any predators. Don’t forget to have a steady and strong fence. Goats like to jump and climb so make sure to keep them from running away!
2. The type of goat breed
The type of goat breed is the next important thing you have to know when you start having goats. There are breeds known for its production of milk, meat, skin, or fiber. It depends on your own purpose. Different breeds also need different treatments. So make sure you know exactly what to do for your goats and also have enough source to take care of them. Do some market research around your local market to know what kind of product you need to sell to help your goat farm profitable. Read here to know more about Recommended Dairy Goat Breed to Farm
3. Veterinarian
Relax! Disease among the animal especially livestock is common things. What you can do are to prevent the diseases and to cure the diseases immediately. Luckily, there are veterinarians that may help us to do it! Just make sure you have the access to a veterinarian before considering to have a goat farm so you can control the diseases that may happen to your goat. Vets can help you to diagnose the diseases or recommend supplements to keep your goats healthy.
4. Health
Of course, you need to keep your eye on your goats’ health! Make sure you have enough space for your goats (depends on how many goats and the type of breeds that you have) because you need your goats to be active and live in groups in order to let them healthy. Goats are also picky eaters. Try to buy good quality food and make sure you have enough hay and grass to feed them up. Also, provide them sufficient fresh and clean water. Don’t forget to clean their barn regularly and take care of their bodies! Healthy goat is important for milk or meat production. If they are sick, they will produce less milk or meat than usual. To know more about Common Diseases in Goat Farming, read here.
5. Complete The Equipment
If you want to give the best treatments to your goats, then you need a lot of stuff. Some necessary things that you need to have are like a water pot, feeding basket, medicines, fence housing, separate barn for pregnant does, and more. You can also try to complete the equipment along the way. Just make sure you have the right things at the right time you need to! Read about how to take care of Baby Goat here.
6. Does and Bucks
At first, you can try with one buck and several does. You need to put attention on the does and their mating period. When they are on their heat, keep them in a buck’s room for some days until their mating. Read more about Ways to Recognize Pregnant Goat here. Taking care of bucks is not less important. Provide the bucks with a good quality of food and enrich them with nutrients.
7. Training
If this your first time to have a farm, go around and try to find livestock rearing training center in your nearest area. Contact them and complete a training on goat farming to help you out. Proper training can be necessary and useful for you to get practical knowledge about how to treat your goats and how to be more profitable in your production. For addition, you can also read a lot of books or watch some videos to know more about goats. Knowledge is everywhere!
These 7 effective tips to become a successful goat farmer are only the start for your journey. Don’t stop here and go find more information and knowledge for your goats and farm. Learning is a forever process. You can also gain some valuable experience only from trials and errors, which means you need to go out there and try to make a start first! Above all, it is on your own control to make the farm profitable or not. Good luck with the business and don’t forget to have fun!