Thinking about raising boer goats for either a hobby or a profitable business? Here are my top ten questions you should have answered to see if it’s a fit for you.
Boer Goats
The first and most obvious question for me anyway when I just got started on my research was
1. What is a Boer Goat? There are many types of goats raised specifically for different things such as goat milk, cashmere wool ( yes, it comes off a goat) or just goat meat to name a few.
2. My next question was what’s the profit potential of raising boer goats? Can I make more money raising cattle or sheep?
3. How easy is it raise boer goats? Are they good around people? Do they stay in the pen?
4. How many acres do I need? What is the ratio of goats per acre of land? Is it the same as cattle?
5. What is the best vegetation for feeding boer goats? Do they need grain and alfalfa?
6. Do boer goats prosper better in different climatic conditions? Would they do better in hot dry areas? How about the colder climates like Canada?
7. How hard is it to keep the boer goat healthy? Are the succeptible to disease or infection?
8. Can I mix boer goats together with other livestock? Can they pasture together with cattle or horses?
9. How fast does a boer goat grow? How long to mature enough breeding or market? How many offspring a year can I expect?
10. Last but definitely not least, how do I sell my boer goats? Where’s the best marketplace for goat meat? Or are they more of show goat?
As all good business propositions go “Failing to Plan is Planning is to Fail”. When getting started with any new business venture you should always do plenty of homework first. Why should raising boer goats be any different? We aren’t talking about using a room in the basement to work on different craft projects that many people do to make good money. (Although you can talk to just about anyone who has raised any kind of a domestic animal and they will probably tell you they have had an animal other than a cat or dog in the house with them for a time. Usually it has to do with newborns or sick young ones.) What we are talking about could be a considerable investment. You should always figure out the return on your investment. It’s better to lose a little in the planning stages than to lose a lot after the fact.
If you’re considering raising boer goats you can find the answers to all these questions and much more. “Check out the Boer Guide here.
Tags: boer goat, boer goats, meat goats, raising boer goats