making a profit on raising goats and sheep? (small scale)

[itsasmallfarm]

I don't think that would be very profitable. It cost a lot to feed kids and lambs to market weight if you don't have the dam to nurse them. You'd be further ahead to raise a few beef steer.

ya i just talked with my parents and they thought it would be better to raise a few steer for market instead of goats or sheep

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

ya i just talked with my parents and they thought it would be better to raise a few steer for market instead of goats or sheep

Good decision. You can definitely raise a few steers, either beef or dairy and make a decent profit if mostly grass fed. Be careful you don't get attached to them.

 

[res]

okay so i would buy some young animals of the year (for example goats or sheep) and raise them to butcher age, sell them to market and repeat the next year, hoping to make more money they spend on them. would this work?

I don't think that would be very profitable. It cost a lot to feed kids and lambs to market weight if you don't have the dam to nurse them. You'd be further ahead to raise a few beef steer.

The main difference in raising beef vs. goats is rate of gain and days to final weight. Goats are at market weight at around 7 MONTHS, while beef are generally at market weight around 18 MONTHS. You can fatten and sell almost 3 sets of goats in the amount of time you are going to need to reach market weight on cattle.

It depends on where you live, but in some areas, goat meat is in REALLY REALLY high demand. You can get $3/lb live weight at auction in some areas, when goats are sold in lots vs. singly. Goats are also generally MUCH MUCH cheaper to purchase than cattle - in my area, a weaned meat goat ready to fatten sells for $75-100 a piece for proven producing lines. A feeder calf is typically in the $500 range....

You can sell good commercial doe kids for $250-400 each at weaning or market age. I have always sold my doe kids within hours of posting them for sale.

You don't need as much space for goats as you do cattle (though goat fence *can* be more expensive than fence that holds cattle!).

Goats are easier to handle and ship than cattle.

Goats have a 5 month gestation, and normally kid out twins or triplets, sometimes singles. Cattle have a 9 mth gestation and typically produce a single calf.

Having a buck around isn't too hard. They smell. The rowdy ones can be a PITA, but the docile ones are an absolute joy to have. I would rather have a buck than have to feed a bull... The buck costs less in every aspect, and his returns for his "work" are more numerous and faster than a bull....

 

[itsasmallfarm]

The main difference in raising beef vs. goats is rate of gain and days to final weight. Goats are at market weight at around 7 MONTHS, while beef are generally at market weight around 18 MONTHS. You can fatten and sell almost 3 sets of goats in the amount of time you are going to need to reach market weight on cattle.

It depends on where you live, but in some areas, goat meat is in REALLY REALLY high demand. You can get $3/lb live weight at auction in some areas, when goats are sold in lots vs. singly. Goats are also generally MUCH MUCH cheaper to purchase than cattle - in my area, a weaned meat goat ready to fatten sells for $75-100 a piece for proven producing lines. A feeder calf is typically in the $500 range....

You can sell good commercial doe kids for $250-400 each at weaning or market age. I have always sold my doe kids within hours of posting them for sale.

You don't need as much space for goats as you do cattle (though goat fence *can* be more expensive than fence that holds cattle!).

Goats are easier to handle and ship than cattle.

Goats have a 5 month gestation, and normally kid out twins or triplets, sometimes singles. Cattle have a 9 mth gestation and typically produce a single calf.

Having a buck around isn't too hard. They smell. The rowdy ones can be a PITA, but the docile ones are an absolute joy to have. I would rather have a buck than have to feed a bull... The buck costs less in every aspect, and his returns for his "work" are more numerous and faster than a bull....

thank you, i think am going to try my hand at cattle, goats and sheep over time (we have fencing to do for all 3 if we plan on trying to raise them)

 

[itsasmallfarm]

okay another question, i read you can raise goats with your cattle (1-2 goats per cattle) and my dad said its okay to raise horses with cattle, so know this is my question

would it be worth re-fencing all the land we have for the horses about 5-8 acres with goat fencing (would goat fencing hold horses/cattle in? or what other type of fencing can we use for both horses, cattle and goats) and putting goats on the land to eat the weeds and shrubs that the horses don't eat? and selling them before winter to make some money to cover the cost of fencing?
because i just read that goats can improve pasture for horses and cattle. so what are your guys thoughts on doing this system?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have kept all 3 species in with electric fencing. With horses it's been 1-2 strands, cows 3-4 strands and goats the same as cattle, but you have to space the wires properly.

I personally wouldn't put all that money into fencing until you are sure goats are your thing. They can be trouble.

You can keep horses and cattle together as long as the cows have no horns. I have not tried goats with any other species.

 

[Kusanar]

Obviously don't get poor quality, but people regularly sell last year's hay for cheap and as long as it was a good cut (do your research) and not moldy, it's fine.

This is a good point, I have horses and we feed mostly round bales, but we put up 150-200 squares a year "just in case" but we rarely feed more than 50-100 squares, the rest we sell to 2 guys, one has goats, the other has beef cows, it's a year old, but it's been in the barn and was horse quality when put up.

okay another question, i read you can raise goats with your cattle (1-2 goats per cattle) and my dad said its okay to raise horses with cattle, so know this is my question

would it be worth re-fencing all the land we have for the horses about 5-8 acres with goat fencing (would goat fencing hold horses/cattle in? or what other type of fencing can we use for both horses, cattle and goats) and putting goats on the land to eat the weeds and shrubs that the horses don't eat? and selling them before winter to make some money to cover the cost of fencing?
because i just read that goats can improve pasture for horses and cattle. so what are your guys thoughts on doing this system?

Goats and horses are ok together so are cows and horses. I would recommend not putting anything with horns with horses as a friend of mine had her mare gored by a Nubian buck that had massive horns. One issue with horses and goats, goats do tend to like to eat horse tails, so, if the horses are show horses or you value their tails, probably not a good idea just in case...

 

[itsasmallfarm]

thank you for all your answers, i think we deiced on what where doing, going to get goats to clean up the pasture of weeds (its over run with thistles) and keep them as pets then once the pasture is cleaned up we will look into beef cattle

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

thank you for all your answers, i think we deiced on what where doing, going to get goats to clean up the pasture of weeds (its over run with thistles) and keep them as pets then once the pasture is cleaned up we will look into beef cattle

Any thoughts about breeds yet? Spring is coming and the kidding season is here, or gonna be here depending on where you live.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Any thoughts about breeds yet? Spring is coming and the kidding season is here, or gonna be here depending on where you live.

i live in Canada, but i have no idea when kidding season is here, or what breeds to choose from.

so if its okay i would love to here recommendations for pet goat breeds (or just good goat breeds in general)