Storey's Guide to Raising Meat Goats, 2nd Edition: Managing, Breeding, Marketing
344
Storey's Guide to Raising Meat Goats, 2nd Edition: Managing, Breeding, Marketing
344eBookSecond Edition (Second Edition)
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781603422390 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Storey Publishing, LLC |
| Publication date: | 12/08/2010 |
| Series: | Storey's Guide to Raising |
| Sold by: | Hachette Digital, Inc. |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 344 |
| File size: | 8 MB |
About the Author
Maggie Sayer has written numerous articles on animal raising and husbandry. Her Boer goats and dozens of rescued animals share the farm with Sayer and her husband in the Ozark region of Arkansas, where goat production has taken sustainable agriculture by storm.
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CHAPTER 1
Why Meat Goats?
GOAT PRODUCERS ALL ACROSS THE United States are scrambling to provide America's rapidly expanding ethnic population with the goat meat they are culturally used to eating. Thousands of new producers are desperately needed to supply demand. Goat meat production is the fastest-growing segment in American agriculture. If you're seeking an easy-to-enter, small-farm agricultural enterprise with unlimited growth potential, raising meat goats is the answer to your prayers.
Consider this: Roughly 70 percent of the meat consumed globally is goat meat. Goat meat is a major staple in Hispanic, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, African, and Southeast Asian Cuisine. U.S. Census figures indicate immigration to the United States increased by 20 percent between 1995 and 2000. The 2000 census tallied nearly 36 million His-panics, 10 million Asians, and 4 million Caribbean and African immigrants residing in the United States. Add to those figures an estimated 7 million illegal aliens, more than half of whom are of Latin American descent. By 2025, Hispanics will comprise 18 percent of America's population; by 2050, one out of every four Americans will be Latino. Hispanic-Americans are major consumers of goat meat, particularly cabrito, the tender, pale flesh of milk-fed kids generally 4 to 10 weeks old and 20 to 25 pounds live weight.
America's Muslim population also consumes a great deal of halal goat meat — that is, goat meat that is slaughtered and processed according to specific guidelines. Goat is traditionally served at family celebrations such as weddings and birthdays and on religious holidays such as Eid al-Adha. When available, goat is a dietary staple for many Muslims. According to The American Religious Identity Survey conducted in 2001 by the city university of New York Graduate center, between 1991 and 2000, America's Muslim population more than doubled; by 2010, Islam is expected to become the second largest organized religion in the United States. No wonder demand for goat meat is on the rise!
Finally, health-conscious Americans who don't observe the practices of any particular ethnic group are also turning to goat meat, which boasts one-Eighth the total fat found in pork and one-fifth the total fat found in beef and lamb. In fact, it's even lower in fat than skinless chicken. At the same time, goat meat is higher in protein than pork, lamb, and chicken, and has the same amount of protein as beef.
To supply present demand, America imports a tremendous and rapidly increasing amount of frozen goat meat from Australia and New Zealand. According to u.s. Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures, in 1970 we imported 1.29 metric tons of goat meat. In 1990 the figure jumped to 1,361 metric tons, and in 2006 it reached a whopping 11,000 metric tons, valued at $41.8 million!
American farmers are producing more goat meat too. Slaughter of goats at USDA federally inspected slaughterhouses increased 270 percent between 1994 and 2003, when about 634,500 animals (20 million pounds) were processed. And these figures don't include on-farm slaughter or goats slaughtered at state-inspected facilities, estimated at an additional million goats per year.
When the u.s. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural statistic service (NASS) conducted its first goat survey in 2004, the total number of goats in the United States was about 2.7 million, with meat goats numbering some 2.1 million. The numbers have risen steadily since then, with a slight decrease being seen from 2009 to 2010. As of January 1, 2010, there were just over 3 million goats in the United States. Of those, more than 2.5 million were meat goats.
Nevertheless, as American Meat Goat Association president Marvin Shurley said in 2004, "There are only about 2 million goats raised in the United States for meat, but the domestic market could support a herd of 15 million animals." That's a lot of goats, so if you want to raise meat goats, there's plenty of room for you in the industry.
"Because of the familiarity with goats that many cultures have, it is no surprise that as those cultures become established in the United States, they demand those foods with which they are familiar. Therefore, considering the popularity of goats and goat's milk, the growth in the goat industry will continue as long as the ethnic population within the United States continues to grow."
— The Goat Industry: Structure, Concentration, Demand and Growth (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005)
"National estimates based on import data indicate that the United States' supply of goats is deficient — more than 500,000 additional goats are required to meet the country's current demand for goat meat."
— Sandra G. Soliaman, Ph.D., associate professor of animal and poultry sciences at Tuskegee University, in Outlook for a Small Farm Meat Goat Industry for California (University of California Small Farm Center, 2006)
The Pros and Cons of Raising Meat Goats
There are plenty of great reasons to raise meat goats:
* Goat meat is in high demand and prices are on the rise. It will be decades at least before supply catches up with demand. You may have to advertise and promote to establish yourself locally, but due to America's ethnic population explosion, the overall national market is established and rapidly growing.
* It doesn't cost a fortune to get started in goat farming, compared to other livestock species, goats are inexpensive to buy and feed. They don't require fancy housing; simple, three-sided loafing sheds are sufficient in many locales and most existing farm structures can be easily refitted for goats.
* Unlike cattle, goats offer a quick return on initial investment. Their gestation period is five months, compared with nine months for cattle. First-time moms usually give birth to a single kid, but after that, twins are the norm, triplets and quads are common, and quints are not unheard of. Market (slaughter) kids are sold at weaning time, three to four short months after birth. And since most meat breeds come into heat year-round, it's easily possible to achieve three crops of kids in two years.
* Because goats are small and relatively easy to handle, they're ideal for farmers intimidated by or physically unable to cope with larger livestock. Their size makes expensive handling equipment unnecessary in small-farm settings and optional where larger numbers of goats must be vaccinated, dewormed, or sorted.
* Goats are less labor-intensive than most other types of livestock, making part-time goat farming a doable venture.
* Goats require less pasture (and supplementary feeding) than cattle, making goat farming a best-bet scenario for hobby farmers and for sustainable small-farm operations. Six to eight goats require the same amount of improved pasture as a single horse or cow; on rough, brushy graze the ratio is closer to nine to eleven goats to one cow. Furthermore, since goats prefer browse (brush, saplings, briars, and weeds) over grass, they can be pastured with cattle or horses (one or two goats per cow or horse) without any impact on the larger animals' grazing. At the same time, goats effectively control brush and weeds that would otherwise compete with pasture grasses grazing species prefer.
* Finally, goats are intelligent, inquisitive creatures that are just plain fun to have around. A pasture full of playful kids has entertainment value beyond anything you'll see on TV.
Nevertheless, raising meat goats isn't a stroll in the park. Consider these points before committing to goat farming:
* To keep them contained and to keep out predators, goats require elaborate fencing. In fact, fencing is the major start-up cost for most new producers. cattle-proof barbed-wire fencing can be upgraded for goats by adding strands of barbed or electric wire, but tall, heavy-duty cattle panels and woven wire designed specifically for goats are far better choices. Because goats are escape artists, even cattle panels and goat fencing need additional strands of electric or barbed wire to make them goat-tight.
* Goats are vulnerable to predators such as coyotes; free-roaming dogs; wolves; bears; and large bobcats, cougars, and other sizable felines. Predator-resistant fencing is a goat farmer's first line of defense against these intruders. Night-penning goats near human habitation helps too. Established producers strongly advocate keeping livestock guardian dogs (LGDS) with goats; llamas or donkeys can be used in lieu of dogs in certain situations. (see chapter 12 for more on these guardians.) Don't assume horned goats can protect themselves; they can't. Providing adequate protection from predators is a major part of farming goats.
* Goats are extremely susceptible to internal parasite infestation, yet as worms become resistant to certain chemicals used in goat anthelmintics, deworming medications are becoming increasingly ineffective. Goats must be dewormed on an ongoing basis and must be tested to make certain the deworming medication used is still working.
* Goat-savvy veterinarians are few and far between, so most producers must learn to vaccinate, diagnose, and doctor their goats themselves. This is sometimes not for the faint of heart; if you aren't willing to do it, find a goat vet before you commit to raising these creatures.
* For the first few years in the goat business, goat farmers can count on making mistakes (sometimes serious ones), even when they have help from vets and goat-wise mentors. Once you have a handle on feeding, kidding, and parasite control, goat keeping is relatively easy, but until then, you'll lose plenty of sleep and probably some goats. There's no way around it; it's part of the learning curve.
"Prices for slaughter kids have risen from $.75 per pound in 1996 to approximately $1.36 per pound in 2005, resulting in an 81 percent increase. From 1996 through 2003 domestic production of goat meat increased 81 percent, imported goat meat by 139 percent, and total meat consumption by 97 percent."
— Marvin Shurley, president of the American Meat Goat Association, in "The U.S. Meat Goat Industry: Past, Present, Future," presented at the Gathering of Goat Producers IV
Finding and Working with a Goat-Savvy Veterinarian
Unless they're goat owners themselves, relatively few vets have hands-on experience with these animals. If you're lucky enough to find one who does, treat him or her like spun gold. If you can't find a vet with goat experience, try to find one who knows sheep (sheep medicine and goat medicine are very similar) or a vet who is willing to work with you and research your goats' needs as problems arise.
One way to find a veterinarian with goat experience is through the American Association of small Ruminant Practitioners website (see Resources). It posts a state-by-state list of such veterinarians. Perhaps the best way to find a vet, however, is to ask other goat producers in your locale for their recommendations; ask dairy and fiber goat owners too. Also ask for names of vets they wouldn't use and why. Narrow it down to two to four vets most goat owners like, then call these doctors' offices and ask these pertinent questions:
* Does the doctor make routine farm visits or must you take your goats to the vet clinic for treatment?
* What facilities are available if patients must be left overnight (or longer)?
* Will the vet come to your farm in an emergency? What about after-hours, weekend, or holiday emergencies? To whom does the vet refer clients when he or she is unavailable?
* How many veterinarians are associated with the practice? If more than one, can clients stipulate which vet they want to attend to their animals?
* If you phone the clinic with a problem, will the receptionist or answering service help connect you with the vet him- or herself (within reason) or will desk personnel relay your concerns and return your call?
* How is payment handled? Is up-front payment required for every call or is the vet willing to bill clients? Are credit cards acceptable? Does the clinic offer payment plans?
If you like what you hear, arrange for a time to visit the clinic. During your visit, note whether the staff is friendly and knowledgeable and whether they'll allow you to speak with the vet. Remember, desk personnel and vet technicians are your link to the vet, so if they make you feel uncomfortable, keep looking. In your tour of the facilities, note whether large-animal lodgings are safe, clean, and arranged so patients can't physically interact with one another. Note what sort of feed patients are eating and ask if you can provide your own feed if you prefer. Also note whether clean water is readily available.
If bedside manner matters to you, in your meeting with the vet, determine how comfortable you are with his or her demeanor. Because you'll likely be performing some routine care on your goats, determine how the vet feels about clients taking on health care procedures such as treating minor ailments and giving their animals shots. Ask the vet if he or she will dispense prescription drugs such as Banamine and Nuflor once it's been determined that you're competent to administer them. Finally, determine how the vet feels about clients researching problems in books or online and bringing the results to him or her for perusal.
Remember that whatever you ask, you should never be made to feel inadequate or stupid. They're your goats, after all, and you'll be footing the bill; if you're made to feel inferior, take your business elsewhere.
Once you've selected a vet, don't wait for an emergency to use his or her services. Schedule a routine farm visit. Does the vet arrive promptly, or, if he or she is held up, does someone from the vet's office phone to inform you of delays? How does the vet interact with your goats? Are you comfortable with his or her attitude and medical care? If so, congratulations — you've found your goats a vet!
In turn, it's only fair to treat your new vet right:
* Have your goats confined and ready for treatment when the vet arrives. Chasing wayward goats across a 50-acre field is not in his or her job description.
* Learn to handle emergencies on your own until the vet arrives. A country vet may be 50 miles away on another farm visit when you most need him or her. Make certain your cell or cordless phone works in the barn in case the vet needs to talk you through a procedure. Stock well-equipped first-aid and birthing kits and know how to use them.
* Don't, however, wait until a minor problem escalates into an after-hours or weekend emergency. Know what you can and cannot do yourself and involve the vet as soon as you're clearly out of your depth.
* Be there during the vet's visit. Your animals know you and they'll behave better if you're there to help. If you don't understand a treatment, ask questions. If a follow-up treatment you'll have to administer entails detailed instructions, write them down and follow them to the letter.
* Furnish a comfortable, weatherproof, well-lit place for your vet to work. Provide any restraints necessary to secure your goats.
* A cold beverage on a sweltering summer afternoon or a steaming cup of coffee in the winter is always appreciated. And always settle your bill when payment is due. Good goat vets are hard to find.
There's More Than One Way to Raise a Goat
Goats are amazingly adaptable creatures and can be raised under widely varying conditions. Large-scale goat ranchers often raise goats on vast tracts of western rangeland or southern brush. Goats are expected to fend for themselves with little or no supplementary feeding and with minimal human intervention. Livestock guardian dogs protect these goats from predation, but no one trims their hooves, doctors sick goats, or assists at kidding time. Goats are wild, so they're run through handling systems for occasional deworming and annual vaccinations. Most kids are collected at weaning time and shipped to market; better doelings are sometimes retained as herd replacements or raised to be sold as adult breeding stock. Nowadays, does in these herds are mainly hardy crossbreds produced by breeding spanish does to Boer, Kiko, or improved Myotonic bucks. Herds of 1,000 to 3,000 does are the norm.
Other producers utilize smaller pastures and woodlands for smaller herds. Some of them cross-fence pastures into paddocks as small as 1/2 acre apiece and practice rotational grazing by moving their goats to fresh graze or browse every few days. Most (but not all) smaller-scale goat farmers routinely trim hooves, deworm on schedule, and monitor their does when they give birth. Since these goats are handled more often than those in the first group, they're generally tamer than their range-raised cousins.
"Since 1994, there has been an increase in goat meat imports at a rate of 30 percent annually and domestic slaughter has more than doubled since 1980. ... Of all red-meat species, only goat meat consumption has increased significantly over the last two decades."
— Doolarie Singh-Knights and Marlon Knights, in Feasibility of Goat Production in West Virginia (West Virginia University Bulletin 728, 2005)
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Storey's Guide to Raising Meat Goats"
by .
Copyright © 2010 Sue Ann Weaver.
Excerpted by permission of Storey Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
1 Why Meat Goats?,
2 Before You Begin,
3 Which Breed?,
4 Where (and Where Not) to Buy Goats,
5 Selecting Breeding Stock,
6 Think Like a Goat,
7 Goats on the Go,
8 Meat Goat Housing and Facilities,
9 Feeding Meat Goats,
10 Keeping Goats Healthy (and What to Do When They Aren't),
11 Parasites 101,
12 Livestock Guardians,
14 Marketing Meat Goats,
15 Promoting Your Goat Business,
Appendix A: DEFRA's Code of Recommendation for the Welfare of Goats,
Appendix B: Photograph Your Goats,
Appendix C: Identify Your Goats,
Appendix D: Trim Your Goats' Hooves,
Appendix E: A Milk Goat for the Kids,
Appendix F: So You Want to Show Meat Goats?,
Appendix G: Clipping for Shows,
Appendix H: Emergency Euthanasia,
Resources,
Glossary,
Index,