How to raise goats for beginners, you must know

Goat farming is a business that has commercial purposes or personal use. Goat is an animal that has been farmed for a long time, and is an important source of animal protein. How to raise goats can be done in rural and urban areas with different scales, starting from small scale for personal use, up to large scale for commercial purposes.

This simple way of raising goats has several advantages over other livestock. Goats have a fast growth rate, so they can provide benefits in a relatively short time. In addition, goats have good adaptability to different environments, making it possible to breed goats in various regions.

The method of raising goats requires relatively simple maintenance, compared to other livestock. Goats can eat leaves or grass growing around them, so feeding can be done at a relatively low cost. However, despite being easy to care for, goat farming requires sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to run a goat farming business well.

Goats can produce a variety of products, such as meat, milk, leather and manure. Goat meat is an important source of animal protein, and has a very high demand in the market. Here is how to raise goats that we have compiled from various sources

How to Raise Goats

Goat farming is one of the many farming activities carried out by the community. Goats are animals that are easy to keep and have high economic value, both for meat and milk. Here are some important steps in how to raise goats:

- Seed selection

The first way to breed goats is the selection of good goat seeds. You should choose goat seeds that meet the following criteria:

- Large enough weight: Choose a goat with a large enough body weight, because the bigger the weight of the goat, the more meat and milk is produced.

- Good body structure: Choose a goat with a healthy body, not deformed, and has strong bones and muscles.

- Free from diseases and parasites: Make sure the goat does not have diseases and parasites that can be transmitted to other goats.

- Choose goat seeds that suit the purpose of your livestock. If you want to breed goats for meat, then choose goat seeds that have good meat quality. Whereas if you want to breed goats for milk, then choose goat seeds that have good milk quality.

- Cage preparation

The provision of a good and livable cage is essential in how to raise goats. The cage must have good ventilation, so that the air in the cage can circulate well. In addition, the barn must also be clean and comfortable for the goats.

Some things to consider in setting up a cage include:

- Cage size: The size of the cage must be adapted to the number of goats to be reared. Do not make the cage too narrow, as it can cause the goat to feel uncomfortable and susceptible to disease.

- Bed: Goats need a comfortable and safe place to sleep, so use straw or other bedding to make the goat feel comfortable while sleeping.

- Cleanliness of the barn: Make sure the barn is always clean of goat feces and urine, because a dirty barn can cause goats to be easily attacked by diseases.

- Feeding

Providing a good and balanced feed is the key to success in goat farming. Goats are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. Some foods that are suitable for goats include grass, forage, leaves, concentrates, and seeds.

Here are some things to consider when feeding goats:

- Food quality: Make sure the food given is balanced and of good quality, because good food will make goats healthy and productive.

- Amount of food: The amount of food given must be adjusted to the body weight and nutritional needs of the goat. Do not give too much or too little food.

- Feeding time: Feeding must be done regularly, and adapted to the goat's needs. Usually, adult goats are fed 2-3 times a day, while young goats are fed 4-5 times a day. Do not give food that is too wet or too dry, as this can cause digestive problems in goats.

- Health Maintenance

The health of the goats must always be maintained, in order to remain productive and healthy. Some things you can do to keep goats healthy include:

- Vaccination: Vaccination is important in keeping goats healthy. Make sure the goats get the right vaccinations, and according to the set schedule.

- Medication: If the goat is sick or has a disease, immediately give appropriate medication and consult a veterinarian if necessary.

- Cleaning the cage: The cage should always be clean of feces and goat urine. Do cleaning regularly, to prevent goats from getting sick.

- Hair care: Goat hair also needs to be taken care of to keep it healthy and clean. Do a regular wool wash, and use a special shampoo for goats.

- Breeding

Goat farming is done to get quality and healthy goat seeds. Some things to consider in goat farming include:

- Selection of parents: Choose healthy and quality parents. A good mother will give birth to a healthy and productive child.

- Male selection: The male selected must be of good quality and healthy. A good male will improve the quality of the seeds produced.

- Separation of female and male goats: Separate female and male goats to prevent unwanted marriages. Unwanted matings can produce bad or damaged seeds.

- Breeding management

Breeding management is very important in goat farming business. This is done to produce quality goats. Some things that need to be taken into account in reproductive management include:

- Breeding time: Ewes usually go into heat for 24-48 hours, with an interval of 16-18 days. The period of heat can be known, from changes in the behavior of goats such as screaming, showing certain symptoms, and the distance between the chest and belly increases.

- Pregnancy check: After breeding, check if the ewe is pregnant or not. This can be done by examining physical changes in goats such as increased belly size and fetal heart rate in ewes.

- Care of pregnant goats: Pregnant goats need special care to ensure that both the goat and the fetus are healthy. Give enough food, don't give too much or too little. Make sure pregnant goats get the right vaccinations, and are regularly checked by a vet.

- Marketing

After successfully raising good goats, the next way to raise goats is to do marketing. There are several ways you can do to market goat products, among them:

- Selling directly to consumers: You can sell goats directly to consumers, either through traditional markets, butchers or online.

- Cooperation with meat factories: You can cooperate with meat factories to supply goat meat.

- Sale of seeds: In addition to selling adult goats, you can also sell goat seeds for livestock purposes.

- Pest and disease control

Like other animals, goats are also susceptible to pests and diseases. Therefore, it is very important to carry out pest and disease control regularly, to maintain the health of the goats. Some things to do to control pests and diseases include:

- Keeping the cage clean: The cleanliness of the cage should always be maintained so as not to cause health problems to the goats.

- Vaccination: Routine vaccination is very important to prevent goats from contracting certain diseases.

- Giving medicines: If the goat has been exposed to a disease, the right medicine should be given immediately.

- Slaughter and meat processing

After the lamb is ready for harvest, the next step is cutting and processing the meat. You can do it yourself or with the help of a butcher. Some things to consider when cutting and processing meat include:

- Make sure the goat is satisfied before slaughter to reduce stress.

- Choose the right cutting technique so that the meat is not damaged and remains fresh.

- After cutting, meat can be processed into various types of products, such as sausage, beef jerky, or other processed meat.

- Assessment of livestock business

After starting a goat farming business, the last step is to make an assessment. Evaluation is carried out to find out whether the goat breeding business that has been carried out is successful or not. Some things to evaluate include:

- Goat productivity: Evaluation of productivity can be done by measuring the weight, height and age of the goat.

- Cost efficiency: A cost efficiency assessment is carried out to find out whether the expenses incurred are commensurate with the results obtained.

- Mortality rate: An evaluation of the mortality rate is carried out, to find out whether goats die due to negligence or due to disease.