How to Start a Goat Farm

Check local zoning regulations. Your local government may not allow goats, especially if you live in an urban area. Contact the nearest zoning board, building inspector, or other regional government office to see whether it limits farmers to certain breeds, ban only uncastrated male goats (bucks), or imposes some other limitation. Check with your landlord or homeowner association as well.

• Make it clear whether you are raising goats for commercial or personal use, as different regulations may apply.^[1]

Plan on getting at least two goats. Goats are social animals and are more likely to be uncooperative or try to escape if kept alone. Always keep at least two goats in each enclosure.^[2] Because uncastrated males (bucks) cannot be kept with females (does), this may require purchasing more than two goats. Keep reading for tips on deciding which sex of goats to purchase.

Decide how many male and female goats to purchase. There are three main types of goats divided by sex: females, called does; uncastrated males, called bucks; and castrated males, called wethers. Does need to be impregnated by a buck before they produce milk, but raising a buck can require a lot of extra work. Bucks require a separate enclosure, may develop a strong odor, and are often aggressive.^[3] For the easiest start to your goat farm, buy two does, and pay another goat farm for the opportunity to breed your does with its buck.

• Neutered males, or wethers, are not able to breed or produce milk. They are usually purchased as barnyard pets. Many goat farms end up with wethers when their goats give birth to extra males.
• If you do purchase a buck, consider spending extra for one with breeding papers. You'll have a better idea of its traits and are less likely to breed defects into your herd.

Select the age of the goats. Young goats are called kids, or bucklings or doelings depending on sex. When around 8 weeks old, they are typically cheaper than older goats and may be friendlier if raised around humans, but they require one to two years of care before they can be bred, produce milk, or be sold as meat. A junior kid between 6 months and 1 year old will take less time to mature, and may even come with the option to have it bred before purchase (so it produces milk sooner). Finally, an adult or senior goat may be the cheapest option of all, but be wary of goat farmers selling useful milk producers. They may be trying to sell the lowest-quality goats in their herd.^[4]

Choose a goat breed. Some breeds are suited for milk production, such as Nigerian Dwarf, La Mancha, and Alpine goats. Others are usually raised for meat, such as the Spanish or Tennessee breeds. Finally, some farms raise Angora or Cashmere goats to sell their hair for fabric.^[5] Find out which breeds are raised in your area, how large each breed grows to, and the physical and personality traits of each breed. Some breeds tend to be more docile, produce bucks with a stronger smell, or be prone to certain health problems.

• Before deciding, you may want to read up on how to milk goats, slaughter goats, or shear goats. If you are not up to slaughtering a goat yourself, find commercial slaughtering operations nearby that will purchase your goats before raising goats for meat.

Plan out costs. The costs of raising a goat varies over time and from region to region, as does the profit you can earn from selling goat products. If you are planning to raise goats for commercial purposes, it pays to get a good idea of costs and expected profit. Try to talk to several goat farmers or read recently published goat farming guides in your area to get a good estimate of the following costs. If the resulting estimate is above your budget, you might decide to purchase fewer goats, or a different breed. Keep in mind that a goat farm may not be profitable for two years or more, especially if you are raising young goats or need to pay for initial setup such as fencing.

• How much does it cost to raise a doe, a buck, or a kid for one year? Try to find numbers for your specific goat breed if possible.
• If you are raising goats for milk, how much milk does one doe produce? How much can you sell this milk for?
• If you are raising goats for meat, how much does a slaughtered goat sell for? Do they sell for more during a specific time of year, such as Muslim holidays, Christmas, or Easter?
• How much on-hand money do you have available for unexpected costs, such as fencing repair or veterinary procedures? If one of your goats dies, will that cause you financial hardship?