Goat farming as a profitable business. How to start a business raising goats

Goat's milk is an amazing drink; it contains so many beneficial substances that it can be called the elixir of life.

Goat's milk is healthier than all other types of this product - it is easily digestible and does not cause stomach upset, and due to the fact that it contains virtually no alpha-1s-casein, it is considered hypoallergenic.

Goat milk contains a large amount of cobalt, which is part of vitamin B12, which controls and normalizes metabolic processes and is also involved in hematopoiesis. Due to this, drinking goat milk helps improve digestion, strengthens the immune system and protects against diseases such as anemia.

In addition, goat milk contains choline, lecithin, albumin, globulin and biotin. These biologically active substances help improve complexion, slow down skin aging and make it more elastic. The advantages of a business built on goat milk are obvious: high market price, low competition, relatively cheap farm organization.

Raising goats for meat is considered a less profitable area, although goat meat is considered the most valuable meat product. After all, it contains many nutrients and important microelements. Due to its rapid digestion, this product can be consumed at any age.

Goat meat is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, amino acids and contains a minimum of cholesterol.

Goat meat is easily and quickly absorbed by the body and is useful for people with heart disease, blood vessels and atherosclerosis. This product also has a beneficial effect on the immune system, increasing the protective functions of cells.

Goat meat is also useful for people with spinal problems and helps restore connective tissue. The introduction of goat meat into the diet for a hernia can improve your well-being.

Regular consumption of goat meat has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and reduces the risk of liver diseases, helps prevent liver diseases due to chronic alcoholism and hepatitis.

From all this we can conclude that a properly drawn up business plan, a goat farm built on the production of goat milk and meat, will generate income.

Goat farming as a business

Until 2015, there were no official statistics on the goat milk market in Russia, and the Ministry of Agriculture counted the number of goats and sheep together (the total number of goats and sheep in the Russian Federation as of January 1, 2014 was 23.9 million heads, according to the Ministry). The difficulties are primarily due to the fact that this business is concentrated mainly in individual farms (90%) and is not always quantifiable. Goat milk consumption in Russia is also extremely low - there are no similar traditions. There are approximately 100 goat farms in Russia, the number of goats varies from 50 goats to three thousand. The total number of goats in the Russian Federation is about 2 million, according to Soyuzmoloko. The largest number of goats are bred in the Republics of Tyva, Dagestan, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, Volgograd, Orenburg, Rostov regions and in the Altai Territory. Agricultural organizations produced approximately 5.9 thousand tons of goat milk in 2014.

Russia remains one of the few countries in the world where there is not a single meat goat breed. At the same time, according to statistics, in Russia there are about 1 million goats bred for goat meat. These are mainly outbred animals of wool and coarse-haired breeds. There is no high-quality goat “gene pool” in Russia. The breeding base of the industry is very weak and is currently represented by only three pedigree reproducers for breeding goats of the Saanen breed: Lukoz LLC (Mari El), Prinevskoye CJSC (Leningrad Region), Peasant Farm Rus-1 (Stavropol Territory) and one gene pool farm of the State Scientific Institution SNIIZhK (Stavropol) with a total population of no more than 3 thousand heads.

Production of lamb and goat meat in Russian agricultural organizations in January-February 2016 amounted to 1.32 thousand tons in slaughter weight (2.9 thousand tons in live weight) - this is by 14.5% (by 0.23 thousand tons in slaughter weight) is less than what was produced in January-February 2015.

With the beginning of subsidies for goat farming, small farms began to emerge in many regions, specializing in the production of goat milk and cheese. However, large dairy enterprises are not yet interested in goat milk.

Goat milk is extremely rare in the assortment of modern supermarkets. And in the markets where farmers and rural residents bring their products, it costs several times more than cow meat. And this is explained simply - in terms of beneficial properties, goat milk has almost no competitors. It contains much more vitamins and microelements than cow milk. It does not act as a causative agent of allergic reactions. Plus it is also perfectly absorbed by the body. All in all, a wonderful product.

Due to the peculiarities of production and limited distribution area, goat milk, unfortunately, has become a rare guest in the diet of modern people. And many, having tried a low-quality product once, are afraid to buy it again. To protect yourself from disappointment and enjoy delicious goat milk, you need to buy it only from trusted manufacturers and be sure to check its freshness.

The state program for subsidizing goat farming in many Russian regions should stimulate farmers and serve as an impetus for organizing goat farms that will directly specialize in the production of goat milk and cheeses. This will make it possible to profitably set up a business for breeding goats and producing goat milk. Quite recently there was no market for goat milk, but now demand significantly exceeds supply. Despite the very high demand rate, the supply is very small. This is due to the fact that in Russia there are very few large goat farms that produce products in large volumes. Therefore, the need has long been ripe for the creation of large specialized goat breeding complexes from farms and mini-factories specializing in the production of baby food based on goat milk.

There are all the conditions and prerequisites for successful goat farming in Russia, and the need and prospects for this branch of agriculture have been known for a long time.

The total daily demand for goat milk in Russia reaches 50 thousand tons. Today, the domestic industry does not produce as much goat milk and does not cover the needs of the Russian population for it. Even import supplies are only enough for 8%.

If goat milk consumption increases to 1 liter per capita per year, then production volumes will increase to 140 thousand tons per year. Thus, the prospects for the market are not bad - the domestic goat milk market can increase 20 times or more.

Based on the market analysis, the production segment of goat milk and meat in Russia, including the Tambov region, has sufficient capacity, which indicates a high demand for the products planned for production in peasant farms, and also opens up potential prospects for increasing the number and production of goat milk and meat on the farm.

The main aspect of profitability in goat breeding will be a well-written business plan.

*based on materials from "Tambov RICC AIC"

Dairy products on store shelves are presented in a wide range, but mainly from cow raw materials. There are also goat products in supermarkets, but in smaller quantities and at a fairly high price. At the same time, there is always a demand for goat milk and its derivatives. Therefore, it makes sense to open a goat farm and provide the market with healthy products. Another benefit is that competition in this segment is low or non-existent. So it makes sense to create a goat farm business plan to understand what investments are required, where to choose a location and when the net profit will be received. In the article we will give an example of how a business plan for a goat farm should be drawn up with calculations before the project is implemented.

Basic input for the project

Type of activity: livestock farming, goat breeding.

Address: settlement outside the city, private farmstead.

Premises: brick outbuildings with attic space for hay storage. Room area – 40 sq. m; of which 30 sq. m – for keeping goats, 10 sq. m – for storing equipment, containers, feed. A separate room is for storing milk before sale.

Land for walking herds - 50 acres.

Number of heads: 20 adult goats, 1 female goat. Gradual expansion of the herd due to offspring.

Land and premises for keeping goats on property.

Working hours: daily.

Estimated milk yield: 4 l/d per goat, up to 80 liters per day from the entire herd.

Service list:

Sale of raw goat milk to citizens directly from the farmstead or at the market.
Sale of meat from young animals not suitable for milk production.

Legal form

Based on the fact that an individual has a subsidiary plot that is suitable for raising goats, the home mini-farm will be registered as a peasant farm (peasant farm). Registration is carried out with the tax service. Before contacting the Federal Tax Service, you must obtain an agreement form for the establishment of a peasant farm from the local administration. This form must be signed by all members of the household. The document must indicate:

All members of the household.
The head, elected from among the participants.
Common property, rights and obligations.

The rest of the registration procedure takes place at the tax office. The head of the peasant farm fills out an application indicating the activity codes according to OKVED:

Main activity: 01.4 “Livestock husbandry”.
Additional: 01.45 “Raising sheep and goats.”

When expanding the list of services (processing milk into cottage cheese, cheese), codes for additional types of activities can be added.

Taxation

There are several taxation systems for peasant farms, but for a beginning farmer it is beneficial to use the Unified Agricultural Tax (Unified Agricultural Tax), which does not require strict accounting. The tax is fixed and is paid in two times. This is a preferential system provided for the agricultural sector.

Additionally, you will have to pay land tax and contributions to funds.

Farm equipment

A room for keeping goats has been built, but it needs finishing, communications and equipment for feeding and milking goats. We will enter all the necessary items and costs into the table:

This is an approximate list of costs for equipping a mini-farm. Some tools may be on the farm. You can do carpentry work yourself. For bedding, mow grass that is unsuitable for feeding. The biggest expense is the cost of equipment. You can look at private advertisements and buy used devices.

Additional expenses

In addition to equipping the goat farm with equipment and necessary items, for full-fledged operation you need to buy goats and provide them with food. We will also reflect these costs in the table:

At the initial stage, large investments are required in animals. You can choose cheaper goats, but this may affect the amount of milk. In the future, expansion of the herd will be possible due to its offspring. You just have to change the male so that there is no mixing.

Farm staff

A mini-farm for goats requires constant monitoring and care. Personnel are required for this purpose. In our case, the farm will be run by two families of close relatives who alternately carry out work on the farm. The main functions are performed by the head of the peasant farm. Wage costs go only to the services of a veterinarian and shepherds during the goat grazing season. Part-time or temporary agreements are drawn up with them.

Salary costs depend on the personal agreement and the number of services. You can enter an hourly rate.

There are few difficulties in the work of staff on a goat farm, so there is no need to hire specialists. Members of the peasant farm will only have to master the use of the milking machine and the rules for caring for it.

At the initial stage of operation of the mini-farm, the goats will be fed manually. One person can place food and pour water.
Milking requires two people to avoid delaying the process.
To clean the premises, men are required - 2 people (hard work).
The total number of participants is 6 people.

If one of the family members wants to work only on the farm, then an employment contract can be concluded to gain experience and contributions to social funds. Salaries correspond to the regional subsistence minimum. All contributions are calculated from this.

Employees are interested in quick payback and demand for goat milk, so no additional motivation is required.

Timeframe for putting the farm into operation

Goat farming can be started at any time of the year. In our case, the goat farm should start working in the spring so that the goats have time to adapt and can be quickly transferred to pasture. The room (box) has already been erected. Requires finishing, equipment and communications, purchase of animals. The deadlines for the work are shown in the table:

Type of work	March	April	May
Registration of peasant farms	+
Collection of documents for the farm	+
Projects for premises, plumbing, electricity, fire safety, ventilation, heating, waste disposal	+
Purchase of lumber and components for laying communications (pipes, cables, heating elements)	+
Installation of partitions, communications, ventilation, fire systems		+
Purchase of equipment and supplies for the farm		+
Purchase of goats and feed. Equipment installation		+
Checking animals by a veterinarian		+
Search for clients		+	+
Starting a farm			+

Large-scale work is not required to start a mini-goat farm. Therefore, you can prepare and open in three months. In May the weather is warm and greenery appears. The goats will be out on the run most of the day. At this time, the goats' milk volume increases, which gives greater profitability than in the winter season.

Is there any benefit from farming?

A goat farm in the format of a peasant farm on the family’s own land is not designed for industrial scale. But its profitability is obvious if the farmer knows the intricacies of keeping goats and understands where he can save money and where it’s worth investing in full. To understand over what period the return on investment occurs and when the net profit will come, you need to calculate the average monthly income of the farm.

Suppose one goat will produce 5 liters of milk per day. In total there are 20 heads on the farm. The total daily milk yield is 100 liters.

The price for 1 liter of goat milk is 120 rubles. The entire milk yield will cost 12,000 rubles. But in winter, milk yield will decrease due to gestation and reduced daylight. Monthly income is shown in the table:

These are approximate estimates of annual revenue. The indicators can be influenced by various factors:

Adaptation of goats to a new place.
Diseases.
Incorrectly selected diet.
Feeding regimen.
Stressful situations.
Costs of feeding young animals.

Therefore, in the first year, the average monthly income may not be 300,000, but 250,000. We will set this amount aside for further calculations.

The costs include:

Investments at the farm development stage.
Registration and execution of documents, preparation of projects.
Purchase of animals and feed.
Funds to maintain the farm at the initial stage until net profit appears. 1,200,000 rubles were spent.

From monthly revenue we will subtract the costs of feed, components for milking equipment, veterinarian’s salary, vaccines, utility bills, taxes (about 150,000 rubles). Some cost items are not relevant for every month, so costs will vary depending on circumstances.

On average, net revenue remains 100,000 rubles. In 13-15 months, the goat farm will pay for itself and generate a profit of 100 thousand rubles or more monthly. Considering that young animals will appear, which can be kept to increase milk yield, if demand increases, then income may be higher. Additional income can be obtained by selling manure, young goat breeders to other goat breeders, skins, and meat. Therefore, the profitability of a goat milk business is obvious.

Product promotion

When creating a business plan for a goat farm, it is necessary to analyze the market for the presence of competitors with whom you will have to reckon. But there is no serious competition when it comes to goat products. Even if the store has goat milk, cottage cheese or cheese, the price is high, and the consumer is not always confident in the environmental friendliness and nutritional value of the products. Young mothers (and not only) more often choose fresh goat milk from their grandmother.

Therefore, the roads are completely open. It is necessary to think about ways to attract customers at the initial stage. If the milk is tasty, then popular rumor will spread the information throughout the area.

Announcements at public transport stops, at the entrance to shops. You can print them yourself.
Announcement in local media.
Selling products on the market.
You can buy a barrel on wheels and bring milk to residential areas of the city, indicating the phone number on the container.
If milk turnover increases, wholesale buyers can be found.

To reach store shelves, a quality certificate for milk and appropriate packaging are required. These are additional expenses that are feasible for a large farm or dairy enterprise. But we need to strive for this.

Additionally, you can promote your goat farm via the Internet by creating a website or page on social networks. Here you will need the help of a specialist, but only at the stage of its creation and promotion. In the future, all the work can be done personally, posting interesting information about the wards, the benefits of goat products, price lists and other interesting events. You can offer a milk delivery service over the phone, acting as a courier.

You need to take care of attracting the target audience only at the first stage and then maintain the reputation of a reliable supplier. There will be no end to customers in the future.

Eventually

Goat farming is a promising business in the field of agriculture. Many farmers choose cows for their purposes, citing the large amount of milk and the possibility of processing into fermented milk products. But there is a lot of competition in this direction, and more serious investments are required.

Breeding goats for profit can be started at home, and gradually grow into a serious enterprise. The state has a positive attitude towards such business plans and helps young farmers with preferential taxes and subsidies. If the business plan is drawn up correctly and has convincing calculations, then success is guaranteed to you. Go for it while the niche is relatively free!

Breeding goats on your own backyard is becoming increasingly popular among the population. These animals on the farm always provide fresh milk, delicious kefir, snow-white and fluffy butter.

This is a fairly inexpensive and cost-effective way to have fresh milk on the dinner table every day, which is equal in value to mother’s milk. There are many examples where mothers, in the absence of their own milk, fed their children goat milk, rich in mineral salts. Most people's opinion about its bad taste and specific smell is wrong. The fat content, which can be stored for a long time even without refrigeration, is higher than cow fat and is 4-6%. A significant content of biologically active potassium has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and promotes rejuvenation of the body.

Kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, butter - homemade products that will always be a useful addition to the family’s usual diet. Raising goats on your own backyard as a business, in addition to side income from the sale of dairy products, brings satisfaction and joy when communicating with these friendly, loyal animals.

How to choose the right goat?

To do this, you just need to be able to choose the right goat, guided by criteria such as body type, age and purpose of keeping the pet. If a goat is required on the farm to produce dairy products, then the choice should be a dairy breed (Saanen, Nubian, Alpine, Toggenburg). When examining, special attention must be paid to the animal’s udder; it should be pear-shaped, voluminous and soft to the touch.

Short teats cause inconvenience when milking, so in this case the choice of a pet should be continued. The main advantage of dairy goats is their high milk yield (about 3 liters of milk per day).

Breeding goats on a personal farmstead for the production and sale of meat can also be a very profitable business, in which it is advisable to choose meat breeds: Greek, Burg, Kiko. Their meat is of high quality and tastes like veal.

A goat can also be kept to obtain wool and fluff (a special type of wool raw material that has no analogues in quality and technological properties). In this case, the most suitable breeds are Angora, Orenburg, Gorno-Altai, from whose soft wool the popular mohair is produced. Compared to other breeds, these goats produce less milk: only 0.5-1 liter per day.

A by-product of keeping goats is manure - high quality from household plots and greenhouses.

The optimal choice would be local breeds that are best suited to the climate of your region. Moreover, popular breeds without proper care and high-quality food may not meet the corresponding productivity indicators.

Signs of a good goat

A good goat should have a wide chest, healthy bones, and straight legs. It is worth paying attention to the jaws. They should fit tightly together. Otherwise, the animal will not be able to grab food with its teeth and bite grass, which will negatively affect its productivity.

When purchasing young goats, you should pay attention to the milk yield of their mother. It is advisable to take a winter brood, because it is stronger and more resilient. Animals must be selected that are active, with clear eyes, shiny fur, and even and symmetrical horns (if any). The shape of the hind legs should be in the form of the letter “P”, not “X”. If possible, it is worth watching the goats run. Those who lag behind and often lie down are not worth taking.

Goat farming is an economically profitable activity

Goat breeding on a personal yard is a very convenient and low-cost type of home business. These animals are unpretentious and optimally adapt to various living conditions. Their valuable biological feature is early sexual maturity; one goat usually gives birth to one or two (sometimes three) babies. Grown-up young animals can be used for meat, which is tasty and lean, it is very important not to overcook it, because an adult goat from 1.5 years of age emits

Setting up a room for goats

Goats on a personal farmstead are undemanding animals, so they can be bred almost anywhere and, unlike cattle, can even be kept on small farmsteads with small outbuildings.

The room for keeping animals must have access to fresh air, be warm, dry and clean, equipped with a manger for hay and a feeder for food waste located underneath. An important condition is the presence of bedding on the floor; it could be straw, sawdust, leaves. Goats love freedom, so it is advisable to keep them in stalls without a leash. The goat should be kept in a separate room (with a fence installed to prevent the milk from acquiring a specific unpleasant odor).

Breeding goats on your own backyard: feeding

For feeding goats, fresh grass is considered the optimal food, which is also the cheapest food, due to which there is a significant increase in milk yield. Therefore, in the summer, animals must be taken out to pasture, where they independently obtain their own food. In the evening, they should be fed with root vegetables, potatoes, vegetables, grains, and previously prepared branches from bushes or coniferous trees.

When making hay, it is not recommended to use herbs that impart bitterness and odor to milk (tansy, chamomile, horsetail, wormwood and mustard). As additional food, animals are given dried brooms from branches of trees and shrubs; it is useful to feed them pine needles during the cold period. As a drink, mashes are made, which significantly increase milk yield, for the preparation of which kitchen waste, dried bread remains, beetroot, carrot peelings, steamed oats or bran are mixed with warm water.

In winter, goats need to be walked to increase their appetite and reduce the risk of hoof disease.

Goats should always have water available and at room temperature. It is recommended to add lick salt to the feeder; if it is not available, the swill just needs to be salted.

We raise goats in our own backyard

It is advisable for goats to have offspring in early spring. The kids born during this period are the most developed and strong. For this purpose, mating must be carried out in September-October. Goats can be born when they reach 1.5 years of age; Mating is allowed from 7 months of age, very preferably with an unrelated goat to obtain high-quality non-hybrid offspring. The mass litter is mainly observed in March. Usually by autumn the kids are already well developed. Females are sold to other farms or kept as replacements for old queens; male goats are sold for meat or raised to replace the breeding goat. To avoid inbreeding, it is preferable to exchange young stock with other farmers.

In the first days, newborn goats should be fed colostrum, then for a month they should be fed 4 times a day with liquid oatmeal or semolina porridge (with milk), followed by a transition to three meals a day.

Gradually, babies should be accustomed to mixed feed, hay and leaves; this causes faster development of the stomach.

7-9 years is the average duration of use of a goat in a personal yard.
Raising goats on your own backyard is economically profitable due to the low costs and peaceful nature of these clean and friendly animals.

Goats have been popular pets in households for many years. They are easy to care for and eat economically. Goat waste products have a high price on the market and are in demand. That is why raising goats at home for beginners is a win-win activity. Even in the absence of any knowledge and experience in this field, you can get a stable and high income.

Briefly about business

The first stage from which goat breeding begins in a household consists of purchasing young animals or parent herds that will produce kids. The pedigree of animals plays a vital role in the future productivity of the offspring. Breed, heredity - all this is carefully studied by breeders.

The business itself is very promising and does not require serious expenses. It adapts perfectly both at home and on an industrial scale. Goat products include milk, meat, fluff, and wool. This entire spectrum can be implemented to obtain maximum income.

We offer a detailed study of all stages of goat breeding, from the selection and mating of parents to the care and maintenance of goat kids. Following all the recommendations will create favorable conditions for the growth of goats, which will produce good milk yield and quickly recoup the investment.

Goat selection

So, where to start goat farming as a business and how to succeed? Purchased kids may not live up to expectations, so it would be wiser to breed the offspring yourself. To do this, you need to select a goat-producer. The health and productivity of the offspring will depend on the male.

The goat must meet the following criteria:

purity of the breed;
absence of external defects;
health;
high hereditary productivity;
age from 2 to 5 years.

The last factor is especially important. Males that are too young (under 1.5 years old) are not recommended for mating. This can hamper the further development of the animal and negatively affect the offspring. Likewise, individuals over 7 years old are not used for breeding.

Mating goats: basic methods

Having purchased a sire and a breeding goat, you can start mating them. Animals must be of the same breed and in no case have family ties. Mating of a male with a female is carried out in any convenient way. At home, a harem is best suited.

The goat covers the goats on his own. The participation of the goat breeder during mating is not required. It is enough to select a herd and keep them together for about 2 months. However, the productivity of the method is low, since after mating the goat loses interest in females for a long time.

Another way of mating is to keep the bucks and goats separate. The goat breeder will need to alternately introduce females to the goat so that the animals mate.

All manipulations are carried out exclusively during goat hunting. It occurs 10 days after the longest day of the year. Typically the date falls between September and February. In another period, mating is not effective and may not take place.

It takes 150 days to carry a baby goat in the womb. During pregnancy, a goat requires special care and maintenance. She should be given the best place and take care of regular and nutritious meals.

Lambing and raising kids

The appearance of the first offspring is an important stage in goat breeding. The breeder will have to take care not only of the newborns, but also of their mother. The process of goatling, as well as further rearing, with the right approach, will provide the new generation with good health.