If you are reading this, then you are probably planning on starting a goat farm and wondering how many to start with. It’s easy to get carried away when buying baby goats but don’t. If you are fairly new to goat farming with no previous experience, it’s not advisable to start farming with a large number of goats. Exactly how many goats do you need to start a goat farm successfully? Read on to learn what the ideal number of goats is for you.
So how many goats do you need to start a goat farm?
Goats are herd animals and will not be happy living alone. So you cannot start with a single goat. If you are a beginner with limited resources, capital and space, then two goats will be the best for you. But it all depends on why you are goat farming. If it’s for meat, then two goats of any kind will do. But if you want milk, then the does will have to get pregnant. You can rent a buck for this or buy your own.
If you have the space, time and money to spend on about 3-5 goats, then they would ensure a steady milk supply year-round. But don’t have them all pregnant at once. You can milk each goat for ten months and allow two months of drying off before their next kid. If you plan their pregnancies months apart, then you will be able to obtain milk from them for the whole year. Then each goat can be given four months of break a year, two months for drying out after ten months of milking and two months of nursing their babies after they are born.
If your doe gives birth to a single kid, you can start milking her immediately because if you don’t, she will produce only enough for one kid. The more you milk, her supply will increase.
Goats like Alpne or Saanen can produce an average of a gallon a day, so two goats will give you plenty for your home needs. Some good milking breeds can even produce two a day. Always select the best quality breeds for your pair. The quality of breed goes a long way in efficiency, whether in milking or for meat.
Starting a goat farm with three goats is a good option because, in the case of an illness or death, you would still have two. And the goats, too, will feel better having more company. Don’t start out with more than five because they will quickly reproduce into a large herd, and if you don’t have the space or expertise to manage them, you will be in a sorry situation. Having a large herd at once is one of the reasons goat farming results in failure, so always start small.
If you are raising goats for meat, then the ideal maybe 3-6 goats. You can get about 35% of usable meat from each goat because the hanging weight is about 50% of the live weight. So, of course, 3-6 goats would only suffice for your family’s needs. If you are planning on raising goat meat to sell, you will need many more, depending on the amount of income you expect, the size of your land and how many you can manage.
If you want goats to raise as a hobby, then two is the number for you. You can have a male and female to keep each other company, but make sure the male is neutered, or you’ll be breeding them.
If you are planning on breeding goats, then you would need four. Two males and two females. You will have to separate the pairs when it’s breeding season. You must keep careful records of the goats you breed because buyers always look for records and history. To prevent inbreeding and to keep a tab on them easier, it’s best not to go for more than four at a time.
A major factor when deciding on the number of goats when starting a goat farm is to analyze the amount of space you have and decide accordingly. Please refer to my article on how much space your goats need for further information.
In conclusion: How many goats do you need to start a goat farm?
So how many goats do you need to start a goat farm? When starting a goat farm, two is the best number for you if you have modest needs or you are just raising them as pets. But if you are planning on a constant milk supply for your family, then go for 3-4 goats. If you are raising them for meat, then 3-6 goats or more of you are planning on selling their meat. The number of goats you should raise is dependent on many factors like money, space and why you are raising them.
