A lot of homesteads with a modest amount of space raise some animals for milk or meat. Goats are one of the few that top a lot of people’s lists and it’s easy to see why. Unlike cows, which take up a lot space and need a ton of feed, goats can also produce milk but require only a fraction of the space and food. If raising goats for meat the same idea applies. But are goats all they’re cracked up to be?
Like with any animal there are some pretty big pros and cons to raising goats.
Pros of Raising Goats
- Goats are Easy to Milk – As opposed to cows goats are much more manageable if raised for milk. They don’t produce nearly as much, but that can actually be a good thing.
- Goats are Browsers – Goats will actually eat a lot of different plants. They will eat weeds, shrubs, and other wild ground cover if available and this cuts down on feed costs as well as yard maintenance.
- Goats are Compact – Goats don’t require a ton of space to raise. They are relatively small and really don’t need too much space to roam around in. You still should give them enough space to graze and live healthy lives, but you can do that with much less area than with other animals.
- Goat Milk Products – On top of being easy to milk goat milk makes fantastic products. You can use it to make soap, cheese, and yogurt. While the soap may be the surprising one out of the group it isn’t something you would do with a cow’s milk. Goat cheese and yogurt also tend to be higher end products and are generally able to be priced higher if you are selling excess goods.
- Goats Tolerate Hot and Cold Weather – Being hearty animals goats can tolerate changes in climates and different seasons. They still require some special care when the weather changes, but they don’t tend to mind too much as long as they have what they need.
- Goats are Prolific – when you’re raising goats for meat it’s good to be able to keep your stock of new goats up and being prolific breeders, they make this easy. In addition to a continual stock of young goats you may even have excess young goats that can be sold to others.
- Goats Come in Many Breeds – while this is more of a pick and choose pro for the goats it is certainly a benefit knowing you can get a breed that has the traits you’re looking for. Some are better for milk, some are better for meat, and others are more general purpose goats breeds. There are even some breeds that make for better pets!
Cons of Raising Goats
- Goats are Climbers – Goats can jump, climb, and escape from just about any enclosure if they are not watched closely. They are very good at escaping and will often try to do so when you are not around. They are also smart enough to undo a gate latch, but not necessarily smart enough to avoid danger once they get out.
- Goats Will Eat Anything – Goats are famously know for chewing on anything you put in front of them their mouths. They will eat not just wild grasses and weeds, but also poisonous plants, inedible objects, and just about anything they can chew and swallow. This can be a problem if you have a yard with wild plants that are bad for them or don’t have a neat homestead. Ultimately this can end up costing you more than a few goats if you’re not careful.
- Goats Are Mean – Goats establish social order through headbutting. This can be trained out of a goat and there are clear ways to take care of the problem, but if left unchecked goats will try and bully you or other people on your homestead. This can be especially bad if you have young children, so steps need to be taken to keep your goats in check.
- Goats Are Prone to Parasites – For as hearty as goats are they are especially vulnerable to parasites. The goats can often live with them just fine for long times, but it makes their meat unusable and can in some cases make their milk unsafe as well. There are plenty of things you can do to keep parasites down in you goats, but it’s a big health problem when keeping them specifically for the products they provide you.
- Goats are Loud – If you want a quite life on a small homestead, goats are not for you. They make a lot of noise and will sometimes stay to until late hours just being loud for no particular reason. Some goats also sound like people when they scream which can be unnerving to hear in the middle of the night.
- Goat Milk Spoils Fast – If you’re producing more milk than you need in a day, you’re going to have to invest extra time into preserving it. Goat milk can often spoil in less than 24 hours and this makes it really hard to keep up with if you’re not equipped for processing it.
- Goats Are Garden Destroyers – We mentioned that goats like to escape and eat whatever they can, but they will also eat as much as they can. If goats get out and into your garden they can ruin whole crops in a matter of hours. If you grow potatoes or tomatoes as well, the goats will eat the poisonous leaves, kill your plants, and then become sick or worse die. It’s an easy recipe for disaster.
- Getting Started With Goats is Costly – While goats are not very expensive to keep and raise as far as animals go, installing an enclosure for them, buying your first goats, and paying for vet services initially can be quite pricey. While goats are great for some, and have a really good return on investment if you can care for them, that initial capital to get started can be a deal breaker for many homesteaders.
- Goats are Gross – This is more subjective, but goats can be gross in a lot of ways. We won’t dip into all the ways that they are gross, but just know that they can do things that will make your stomach turn if you’re not ready for it.
Is Raising Goats Right for You?
Goats can be a great animal to raise on your homestead, but you need to weigh the pros and cons yourself before you jump into raising them. They are not a good fit for first time homesteaders just starting out and require far more work than pigs or chickens. Despite them being a bit more advanced, the benefits can outweigh the disadvantages for some and raising goats can be a very rewarding experience. If you think raising goats might be right for you, your next step is to start researching everything you need to get started raising goats and learn about exactly what goes into their care. We hope we’ve helped you take step towards making a decision about raising goats for yourself!