Making the decision to start a goat farm should not be taken lightly. Buying a few goats from the auction and turning them loose on a pasture without forethought is a sure recipe for failure in the goat business. Yet so many farmers do just that. Before raising goats, careful and methodical decisions should be made on what type of goat farm you want to have. Answering a few questions may clarify your purpose in going into the goat business. For example, do you want a few goats as pets and occasional shows? Are you going to use goats for clearing some land and property from unwanted weeds and brush? Are you looking for a profitable enterprise using goats? Are you going to be a commercial goat meat producer? Are you going to maintain the integrity of goat breeds by having a purebred farm and provide the industry with breeding stock?

To be qualified to answer any of these questions, you should get as much knowledge and information regarding goat selection, feeding, housing, and breeding management as possible. Most of the information can be obtained from your local Extension office. Searching the Internet and visiting experienced farmers in your area will prove invaluable. Networking with other
farmers in the business is crucial.

Also critical is farm acreage, location, and suitability for solid goat production. And, finally, market analysis will determine what type of goat business you should consider. You should solicit information from different government agencies such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service, various USDA programs such as Extension, Rural Development and Small Farm Programs and even Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education programs at different localities for their producer support programs. These agencies can help with conservation planning and provide excellent resources to help start your initial
goat production enterprise. Also available are the land-grant universities in goat-producing states.

Information provided in this handbook will help you understand the general aspects of goat keeping and will enable you to ask the best and right questions in your search for more detailed information about proper goat farming and production.

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