Goat Meat Farming: Pros and Cons

Getting into goats can be a big decision, and one of the common questions we get is “what are the pros and cons of raising goats?” In this quick guide we cover some, and give you a handy calculator to estimate profits.

Keep in mind that goats are hardy and relatively easy to care for. They require less land than other livestock animals (such as a cow), are less expensive to feed, and can survive in less-than-ideal environments.

Goat Raising for Profit

There are many ways to profit through raising goats:

• If you choose to raise dairy goats, the milk has many different uses beyond selling it for profit. The excess can be used to make soap or other beauty products such as lotions.
• The process that leads to milk production results in many new kids for the dairy farmer. If the kid is a male, the farmer can opt to sell it for meat.
• Another option is raising meat goats. In some ways, this is a simpler enterprise than dairy farming. If you do not opt to dress out the animals yourself, the job is simply breeding and caring for the goats.
• There are several goat products aside from meat and milk, including fiber and leather.
• Once you’ve decided on one product you want to focus on, make that the priority and consider the rest as secondary profit items.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Raising Goats?

Farming can be a risky endeavor, especially if you have not established a clear market for your meat and have not established a solid business plan.

How Much Money Can I Make Raising Goats?

The money you can make through goat meat farming varies. The price of meat fluctuates. Right now, for example, in San Angelo, TX, kids sold between 40 – 60 lbs. are $2.88 per pound. That is down from $3 a pound.

To determine profits, it is (revenue – costs). The costs here are variable: grain, hay, supplements, veterinary care, medication, outbuildings, fencing, transportation, fuel, utilities, marketing, and the cost of any goats purchased.

For the business to survive, the income from selling kids and does needs to cover those costs. Of course, if you process your own goats, the numbers will look a bit different with the addition of the fresh meat sales and the cost to operate a slaughter house.

A handy calculator for figuring out rough profits can be found here: http://tools.mla.com.au/cop/

Of course, this is based on Australian producers. But it is detailed, and the information you glean from it can be utilized easily.

If you want to reduce your risk and increase your chance of success, we recommend you check out our proven system for raising Boer goats profitably: please click here to learn about our Boer Goat Profits Guide.