Goat meat has always been in demand in South Africa and this has seen farmers venturing into this type of business. In addition to meat, there are other benefits of goat farming such as milk production.
However, the success and profitability of farming goats, like any other business, is characterised by several factors such as a well constructed structure, cost of feed, type of breed, and your management skills. Still, what makes goats farming attractive is that it is known to have a low cost of production compared to other livestock.
Even though the cost could be low, you’d still need to do certain aspects of the business right for a successful and sustainable project. Mzansi Agriculture Talk has put together some of the most useful tips for farmers who are interested in this type of business.
Remember, it is essential to conduct thorough research and planning before starting a goat farming project to ensure its profitability.
Goatkeeper’s Animal Health Care Manual by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), shares some of the important tips for the health of your animal.
Here’s some of the tips:
How do I house my goat?
You are going to need a good shelter for a bad weather. A well-constructed goat house should have a good roof to keep the goats dry, a raised floor to keep the goats dry, slats in the floor to allow droppings and other dirt to fall through and to allow air to pass through, a strong secure door that can be locked to keep the goats inside, dry and safe., a water bucket and a feed trough which are easy to clean and easy for the goats to use, a container for a mineral block that is raised off the floor and protected from rain, and the goat house should be kept in good repair and should not contain any sharp objects.
How do I water and feed my goat?
Good feeding and plenty of clean water are important to help your goat stay healthy. A goat obtains most of the nutrients it needs from grazing. Ideally it needs to spend 6-8 hours a day grazing and browsing. In the dry season the quality of the food available decreases and it is important to provide some supplementary food to the animals especially if they are in late pregnancy or early lactation. Clean water should be available at all times. This is especially important when the goats have kids which they are suckling. Offer water at least 4 times a day if it is not freely available.
Concentrate feeds can be given as a supplement (about 400g per day for an adult non-pregnant goat). Feed a mixture of 2-3 different types of concentrate to make sure there is a balance of energy and protein. A spoon of salt and mineral and vitamin mix should be added to the supplementary feed provided to make sure requirements for vitamins and minerals are met. Concentrate feeds that are high in energy are maize, barley, brewers’ grains and cotton seed oil cake meal. This must be done in a way so that neither the goatkeeper nor the goat will get hurt, tired or upset (especially pregnant does).
How do I handle and restrain my goat?
Do not shout at the goats or chase them. The easiest way to catch a goat is by giving it some extra food, or herding it gently into an enclosure or pen where you can catch the animal. Quietly, go to the side of the goat, catch it by the horns, neck, or high on the hindleg. A young goat can be caught by bending down and catching it with one arm in front of the front legs and the other arm behind the back legs. If you are working on your own, you can hold. A helper can help to hold the goat. The goat in one place by means of a loop of rope tied comfortably around the goat’s neck and then tied around a tree or gatepost. If you have someone to help you, they can hold the animal around the neck or by the horns. If you are going to be working with the goat for a long time, roll it onto its side by reaching under the belly and gently pulling the two legs on the other side of the body towards you. Then take hold of the front legs and raise the goat so that it is sitting on its rump.
How old is my goat?
You can estimate how old your goat is by looking at its teeth. Teeth wear away with age. Old animals may have worn-down teeth (broken mouths) and will not be able to eat as well as younger animals. As a result, they lose condition.
How do I tell the condition of my goat?
Body condition scoring is a quick and simple way of finding out whether your goats are getting enough to eat, or are eating too much. This is of particular importance during certain times of the year, i.e. before the breeding and kidding seasons. Female goats should have a score of 3-4 before breeding. This is to give them the best chance of becoming pregnant. At lambing, the female animals should have scores of 3-3½ if they are carrying single kids or 3½-4 for those with twin kids. This is to make sure that the animals are able to produce enough milk for their young when these are born. If the goats are too thin, feed them supplements to increase their condition. Limit the amount of food the animals take in if they are too fat.
How do I look after the feet of my goat?
Use a pair of hoof shears to trim the hooves when necessary. Then trim the outer side of the hoof. Trim hooves regularly so that they keep their normal shape. This will help ensure that the goat does not develop foot problems or go lame. You will need an assistant to hold the goat for you while you trim its hooves. The assistant must put the animal in a comfortable sitting position. Using the tip of the hoof shears, remove dirt and mud from the hoof. Determine the level of the sole of the hoof before starting to cut any of the wall of the hoof away. Gradually trim the hooves down until you can see the white line of new hoof growth. The following pictures show how to trim the hooves. First trim off the point of the hoof of one claw. Finally, trim the inner side of the hoof. Then repeat the process on the hoof of the other claw.
How and when do I castrate my goat?
We recommend that you castrate male kids before they are 2 weeks old using safe methods. This is easier for you and safer for the animal than the open method of castration in which the testicles are removed. Choose your best male goats and keep them for breeding. The other male goats will be easier to handle if you castrate them. When you later slaughter them, the meat will taste better. By allowing only the best male goats to breed, you can improve the quality of the kids in your herd. Only castrate kids from those that were vaccinated against tetanus 6-8 weeks before kidding. Ask an animal health technician or veterinarian to demonstrate castration before you attempt the procedure for the first time. Some use the Elastrator and a special rubber ring that is applied around the scrotum above both testicles.
This rubber ring is left there and this stops the blood supply which causes the scrotum and testicles to shrink and drop off after about 3-4 weeks. If possible, castrate the young males on a cool day. Work as hygienically as possible. Wash and disinfect. Hold the goat in a way that you can work on the testicles. Before you start castrating, make sure that you can feel the two testicles. Place the rubber ring on while holding both testicles together, pull them through the open rubber ring. Make sure that the small teats are not pulled through by mistake. Release the Elastrator® to close the rubber ring. After the procedure, check the young goat every day to make sure that there is no infection. The Elastrator and rubber rings may be purchased at an agricultural co-operative store.
What must I do is my goat is sick?
If your goat is sick, consult this manual. It will help you to recognise the most important diseases and conditions. If the problem is not mentioned in this manual or you are not sure how to proceed, get advice from a local animal health technician, state veterinarian or private veterinarian. If the animal is old, or there is a problem which will not easily clear up, destroy it. Do not slaughter a sick animal for meat. Never sell or buy a sick animal. Do not buy any other animal from a herd with sick animals.
What must I do if my goat has died?
To find out what killed the animal, a post mortem examination should be done if at all possible. Meat from an animal that has died should never be eaten or fed to other animals such as dogs or cats. To dispose of the carcass, dig a deep hole and bury the carcass so that dogs and wild animals will not dig it up.
Below, are additional tips by Kenneth Mmipi, a Boergoat farmer from Botswana.
Pick your specialty
Focus on one commodity at a time until it becomes successful. If you are into goat farming it is advisable to focus on it until it’s successful before venturing into another commodity. Focusing on one thing at a time will allow you the opportunity to master it.
Build a solid team
When you build a solid team you are going to have a chance at the success of your business. Kenny works with his father, who helps around the farm in his absence. He also has his trusted employee by the name of Themba. His wife looks after the finances and business books. A lot of people who start goat farming make the mistake of not hiring right. They often go for people who have no knowledge of goat farming at all.
Do not rely on others
Start it with your money. Don’t rely on loans as it talks a long time for a goat farm to become profitable. Start with what you have and only when you expand you can go for loans. Where possible, approach government departments and agencies that are assigned to help farmers in your respective countries.
Start small and build big
Starting small and learn from successful farmers. You can easily scale up when conditions allow.
Focus on efficiency
Focus on animals that bring quality to your herd. Start with females that are able to give birth to triplets or quadruplets as they’ll take you faster to your dream of growing big. It is also advisable to understand that goat farming is like other businesses where you will experience loss, especially in the initial stages. Makes sure that all your farm activities lead to productivity. Don’t ever cut corners because it will come back to haunt you.
