In this section I have included a simple budget illustration based on a 100 doe production system. Kidding rate, weaning rate, price of feed, and price of market goats may be different for diverse locations in the country. Changes in any of these factors can change the net income. The fixed costs of the operation such as the cost of land, building, and fencing are not considered and can be figured in as a capital investment opportunity. This is only a simple guide and should be adjusted to one’s specific operation practices and marketing opportunities.

As illustrated, feeding cost is one of the major operation expenses.  With rising energy prices for hay and grain production, more than 60% of the variable costs of the operation, excluding labor, is the feeding cost. This simple budget projection illustrates that, using extensive grazing systems with natural pastureland and rangeland and/or grazing on improved pastures with proper management will reduce feed costs, as well as the parasite burden and the cost of de-worming (these costs are not factored into the budget). It is extremely difficult to have a sustainable production system that has minimum impact on land and is safe and humane to animals, when goats are confined to too small an area of land.