Farming Goats – 3 Basic Essential Factors to Consider in Planning Your Own Goat Farm
Article by Ted Allen
Goat farming can provide you with many benefits. Aside from the serious profits that you may earn, farming goats can also do wonders in keeping the ecology at balance. Not only that, many older farmers find raising goats to be an enjoyable activity as it helps keep them busy, without the strain or rigidity that is connected with other farming activities. However, goat raising does require a certain level of expertise, more so if you’re thinking of turning this activity into a business venture. Here are the 3 basic things you need to consider in planning out your very own goat farm.
I. Housing and location
In order to be able to take care of goats properly, you need to make sure that you have an adequate amount of space that is required. Goats are very active animals so keeping them in enclosed spaces will surely be detrimental to their development. The shelter that you plan to put up for them should be high and wide enough to accommodate them when they become fully-grown. When it comes to choosing a location, your goat farm shouldn’t be anywhere near forests where wolves and foxes naturally roam.
II. Food and water
Goats naturally need food and water to survive so don’t forget to include these two important aspects in your plans. As goats are known to chew on just about anything and everything, you need to make sure that there are no harmful plants or poisonous vines in your goat farm. There have been many instances of free-range goats dying because of nightshade and mold. If there are any natural water sources within the proximity of the potential goat farm, try to track where the water is coming from, as you wouldn’t want your goats to be drinking water that has been already contaminated by factory waste.
III. Breed
Depending on your motives for farming goats, it’s important that you choose a breed according to their specific characteristics. Be sure to check on the lineage of your goats before you purchase them from a breeding farm so that you can avoid any genetic deformations happening in your own goat farm. As some breeds can cost more than others, you need to research on which type of goats will be able to give you lucrative returns in the long run.
There you have it, the 3 basic essential factors you need to consider before you start farming goats. Whether you’re planning to raise goats for profit or for leisure, being duly prepared is the first step in turning this endeavor into a success.
