Starting a Goat Farming Business For Beginners

The following article  is all about ” Goat Farming Business” or “How to Raise Goats”.

Goat is commonly known as ‘Poor man’s cow’ in India and is a very important occupation in dry land farming system. Suitable for small and marginal  and landless laborers. It needs less grazing lands and initial investment is low.Risk of goat farming is less compared to other livestock species. It is a economically viable sector to the rural people. They are resistant to diseases. In a short period we can get more revenue.

First Let us talk about the advantages of Goat farming:

• Starting a goat farming business requires low initial investment or capital.
• Goats don’t require huge area for housing because their body size is comparatively smaller than other livestock animals.
• Usually goats are very friendly in nature and very lovable.
• Goats are good breeders and they reach sexual maturity within their 7-12 months of age and give birth of kids within a short time. And some goat breed produce numerous kids per kidding.
• Risks are less for goat farming (even in drought prone areas) than any other livestock farming business.
• Both male and female goats have almost equal value/price in the market.
• No religious taboo against goat farming and meat consumption.
• Goat meat and milk are cholesterol free and easily digestible.
• Goat milk is used for making various types of foods and it’s very easy to digest than milk of cows.
• Commercial goat farming business has created a potential way of employment for unemployed people.
• Goats are multi purpose animal. They can produce milk, meat, skin, fiber and manure at the same time.
• There is no need of a high end housing system for goats. Even they can easily share their living place with their owners or his/her other livestock animals.
• Goats are very suitable for mixed farming with other domestic animals.
• Diseases are less in goats than other domestic animals.
• Goats are easily available, comparatively cheaper in price, easy to maintain and always have a friendly disposition.
• They are capable of adopting themselves with almost all types of agro climatic environments or conditions. They can tolerate high and low temperature throughout the world and live happily. They also can tolerate hot climate more than other animals.
• According to the investment per unit they produce more than other domestic animals. And the ROI (return of investment) ratio is very good.
• Goats are generally smaller in size but reach slaughter age faster.
• Goats are called the “foster mother of human”. Because their milk is considered as the best milk for human consumption than any other species of livestock animal’s milk. And their milk is low cost, nutritious, wholesome and easily digestible. All aged people from child to old one can easily digest goat’s milk. Goat milk also has lesser allergic problems. And used as an Ayurvedic medicine for the people who are ailing with diabetes, asthma, cough etc.
• Goat milk is suitable for preparing various types of milk products. And goat meat has a huge demand and high price in the local and international markets. Even you can consider exporting your products to the foreign countries for more profits.
• Goats can be milked as often as required. This also prevent refrigeration costs and milk storage problems.
• You can use the goat’s manure as a high quality natural fertilizer in crop field. This will directly help to maximize crop production.
• As goat farming business is very profitable, so many govt. and non govt. banks are providing loans for starting this business.
• This business require less labor and you can easily use your family labor for raising goats.
• Commercial goat farming business is a great source of employment and income. So unemployed educated people can easily create a great employment and income source through raising goats commercially.
• Along with the above advantages, there are also many advantages of raising goats commercially.

Goat Breed types in India:

Sirohi, Jamnapari, Surti, Tellicherry, Beetal, Malabari, Barbari ,Black bengal, Osmanabadi  and Boer. These are the  popular breeds in india.

Goat Breeding:
For a profitable goat farming there should be 3 kidding for 2 years.
Goats with faster growth rate and larger size should be used for breeding.

• Does of one year of age should be used for breeding
• Does should bred after 3 months of kidding then only there will be 3 kidding for 2 years.

Goat Shed/Housing Construction:
It can be raised either intensive or semi intensive methods. In intensive method goats can be raised in sheds or raised platforms with deep bedding materials. No grazing for goats in this method. In semi intensive method they can be grown in ordinary sheds with light litter materials. They can go for the grazing lands also. A small shed with good cross ventilation is enough to keep a small herd. Litter height should be around 6cms. Litter material may be paddy straw,husk, groundnut shell. It should be changed every 6 months interval. Periodically we have to turn the bedding materials for avoiding bad odor. Care  should be need for reducing parasitical infections. Each goat requires around 15 sq.ft area. If  we use raised platform system means, we can reduce infection level. Around the shed should be wooden plates or wire meshed.

Goat Feeding/Grazing habits:
Goats consumes wide varieties of feeds and vegetation than either sheep or cattle. Goats are fond of leguminous fodders. They do not take fodders like sorghum and maize silage or straw. They like to eat hay prepared from forest grasses, if cut in early stages, but very much fond with hay prepared from leguminous crops. They also need grains like wheat, maize corns and some pulses. Apart from they need high mineral compositions. So we can prepare the mineral mixture in the following propositions.

Composition of Mineral Mixture Added at a 2% for Goats

Feeding protein rich green fodder such as acacia, leucerne  and cassava and are important sources of dietary nitrogen. Farmers can cultivate agathi, subabul(subabool) and glaricidia trees along the border of the farm and used as green fodder. Oil cakes is the good supplement for goats. One acre of fodder is enough to feed 35 goats.

Seasonal fodder : Fodder sorghum, Maize, Cumbu

Perennial fodder : Co1, Napier Hybrid, Guinea grass, Para grass, Kolukattai grass

Fodder legumes : Stylo, hedge Lucerne, Fodder ground nut

Tree fodders: Subabul(Subabool), Agathi etc

De-worming and vaccinations: 

They need to be vaccinated against foot and mouth disease, rinder pest and tetanus regularly. The animals need to be dewormed at least twice a year to keep in good health. Before breeding the goat should be dewormed. Kids should be dewormed every month interval.

Returns on Goat Farming:
It is a economical and viable enterprise for farmers. Capital Investment of purchase of Goats is very low. For a price of 1 cross-bred Cow, one can purchase 10 quality goats. Goats & their kids can be sold and cashed anytime. Goat has shorter Gestation period(150 days). Their population in the country is continuously increasing, though 60% of the goats are slaughtered every year. Products available from Goats are mutton, milk, manure, skin and fine hair.
Total life of Goats = 15 years. Productive — 7 years. Pregnancy Period =150 days. Manure available from 1 adult goat in 24 hours is 1 kg
Indian meat is preferred in the world. The rich goat manure is ideal for fertilizing fishponds and all other crops. It is also a good base material for vermi-composting.

Loans for Goat Farming:
NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) is arranging loans for goat growers in a large scale. The loans will be repaid in suitable half yearly/annual installments usually within a period of about 5-6 years with a grace period of one year. The minimum down payment collected from small farmers are only 5% of the total investment. Marginal and large farmers 10, 15% respectively.

If you follow some basics of goat farming, it would be beneficial for returns on your investment.

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