Profitability

With regard to profit, that's a tough one. I would say the number one way to stay ahead is to plan
ahead. It's not about how much you can sell the animals for (the market determines that for you!)
It's about keeping the cost down.

The single greatest cost is not feed - it's vet! But if you know about raising animals and you study
your goats closely, it is easy to keep the vet costs, if any, down. Prevention is a great way to
keep your goats healthy - but it can be overdone also. There are lots of people out there
spending lots of money on stuff that worked for another goat farmer. Management is regional.
So avoid trends and fads. Talk with your vet.

Getting healthy stock from a local farm is best. Goats are hardy animals, if they are healthy then
they'll usually stay healthy. Genetics play a huge role in a goat's ability to get and stay healthy. If
the goats on the farm look hardy and healthy then you probably will have a hardy healthy goat. If
any of the goats seem sick, down, or depressed it would be best to avoid purchasing a goat
from that farm.

One prevention cost that is worth it's weight in gold is nutrition and cleanliness. Keep free-choice
feeders for loose mineral, baking soda, and salt clean. Use a good feed, when feed is needed
(cold weather = more calories, growing and lactating = more protein).

Some other cost saving points: worm only when the goats need it, buy all of your hay once a year
in the summer, and be "OK" with selling a goat that needs to go. When a goat is costing a lot of
money the instinct is to hang onto it to get "your money's worth". But in the short time that I've had
goats I've learned that some goats are more accident prone or more health-issue prone than
others. If a goat is costing a lot this year chances are it will cost even more next year.

Be sure you know how you are going to market or sell your supply. There is a lot of information
about when and how to market your meat goats, but really it's a regional thing. If you can find
some meat goat farmers near you that have been doing it a while, they will probably be more
than willing to tell you everything they know.

There was one bit of information that I did not know when I started this venture. Most ethnic
people looking for fresh goat meat want to slaughter on your farm and just leave with the meat. If
you are hoping to go this route you need to know how you are going to handle this subject. Here
in Michigan we are NOT permitted to do this. Unless you are eating it yourself, meat must be
processed at a certified processor's (which you can become, if that's the route you want to go).
Your township will also have rules regarding this subject.

I'm in southwest Michigan, about half an hour from Grand Rapids. I thought we would be raising
for the ethnic meat market; however, I very rarely sell straight to a meat customer. I am surprised
that most of the animals I sell are to other small farmers looking for pets, companion animals,
meat to raise for their own families, and 4-H projects. I've learned that this market ONLY buys in
the spring. The easiest way to market to this crowd is to run an ad in the local paper once in a
while and keep business cards up at the local feed stores. My website has helped, but not as
much as local advertising.

Because I thought I would just be raising goats for meat for the general meat market, I did not
work very hard at buying "show quality" pure bred stock. Most of my goats are "mutts". This has
become a road block for me. The buck should be pure-bred. I've had difficulty developing good
meat qualities on my kids because my first buck had 25% nubian. Those dairy type genetics
effect the meat quality of the kids - especially with the does that have 50% or more dairy type in
them (which is what I like because lots of milk means bigger kids). I've since added a full boer
buck to my herd and breeding has become a lot easier. I'm still not 100% happy - so my advice
would be that no matter what kind of does you get, make sure you get a good quality full-blood
buck. "Quality" is key though. A good mix-breed buck is far better than a poor quality full breed.
If I had to do it all over again I'd be willing to spend as much on one good buck as I would on 5
good does.

These are just a few thoughts on things I've learned along the way. Remember I've only been
doing this a few years. But as a "newbie" not only to goats - but to all forms of farming, I offer a
bit of a different perspective. Please remember not to make important decisions based on
anything you learn on the web. Always speak with your vet first.

What About Profit?

Hastings, Michigan
Call: (269) 945-6247
email: sleepyz@mei.net