How profitable/lucrative is it to own a goat farm?
Question by Tangerine: How profitable/lucrative is it to own a goat farm?
I am thinking of beginning a goat farm and making and selling goat milk and cheese. How lucrative would that be right now? How many goats would I need before I could sustain myself solely from the income of my farm?
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
4 Responses to How profitable/lucrative is it to own a goat farm?
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Marketing and sales classes in college really help.Your target market location needs , wants , and population are
very important. I sell produce from
Canada to Miami FLA . Many different countries are represented . My goal is to sell each and every person what they want in life. Mangos to MIAMI. Hot peppers to NEW YORK
Who you want to sell to, and what
they want from you is very important
richard g
April 1, 2012 at 4:29 am
Which part of this world you belong to?
Goat farming is not done by lone person you may require some helping hands. Consider this in your calculations.
This is one of easiest business to take up. Goat milk is difficult to sale, although it very near to human milk and very easy to digest. Goat cheese is in demand from all over the world, and fetches good returns, but it is tricky and you will need skills to complete the process. Goat meat and skins are also in demand. Goat droppings can make good fertilizers or you can make fuel out of it.
daniel b
April 1, 2012 at 4:59 am
I don’t know about the marketing but if this is a sole imcome ur looking at a very large farm. First off goats in high of lactation may only produce 2 gallons a day (compared to the 23 of a holstine cow). For every 10 to 20 lbs of milk u get 1-2 lbs cheese. So form that you have to figure your going to need a large well managed herd to make this a sole income venture. Most people who have goat farms also have some other crop on the side and just graze their goat on the stubble of the harvest and rotate… oh ya can’t forget about feed, to produce top amount of milk you can’t just let them free range you got to feed them good quality feed.
Chelvis
April 1, 2012 at 5:54 am
Short answer….NOT profitable. You would be in debt nearly forever.
You didn’t put what state you were in (that makes a HUGE difference). However you posted another question, and stated the location as Austin, TX. So I’m assuming you are in TX.
In Texas it is ILLEGAL to sell raw milk (including cheese) unless you have a Grade A dairy.
There is no way to build a Grade A dairy for less than $ 100,000, and probably more like $ 500,000.
Here’s Texas laws about milk sales as they stand:
Texas
Raw milk sales are legal. Sales must be on the farm and can only be directly to the consumer. Farmers must obtain a Grade A Raw for Retail Milk Permit from the state Department of Health. Licensees can sell milk products such as raw cream and raw yogurt as well. There are currently 13 retail raw milk licensees: 11 selling raw goat milk and raw goat milk products, and two selling raw cow milk (Sand Creek Farms and Stryk Farms).
Raw goat milk producers can also obtain an animal feed license. They get the license from the Texas Feed and Fertilizer Service, a branch of the Office of the State Chemist. Goat milk producers with an animal feed license must have their products contain a label with the statement “For Animal Feed Only.” In addition, all raw goat milk products for animal feed must contain a blue dye.
In this current economic climate, you could not depend on selling high prices goat cheeses, either.
Go to this site, and click on Texas, to see all the LEGAL sellers of raw milk products in Texas:
http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html
Note…if you don’t want to sell your cheese as a raw milk product you STILL need a Grade A dairy.
~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
Raising meat goats since 1999
Bohemian_Garnet_Permaculturalist
April 1, 2012 at 6:26 am