Cost of owning goats

[moonstone5879]

Hello, my name is Kory. I'm a newbie here
I have become quite interested in owning a couple Nigerian Dwarfs (hoping to find a first freshener and doeling). My main reasons are I have always found goats amazing, and seem to have this connection with them that I don't with dogs and wanted them as pets, and more recently have wanted to get involved with making goat milk bath and body products. I have been doing a bit of research and I guess I just really want to know how much it will cost me to care for a pair. Thanks!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I remember when I just had a pair

I can't remember how much two cost to feed though. I'm reminded every month how much it costs to feed 20 goats.

 

[SkyWarrior]

I had two goats--once.

Feeding? Hmmm, probably a bale of hay every week to two weeks. Depending on what you get, that'll cost $5 to $10. Goat feed? Maybe a bag a month? $15 to $30? I feed sweet feed with 14% protein, so that's about $13.99 for a 50 lb bag. Goat minerals and salt -- maybe $10-$20 bag? That'll last fairly long.

Regular care items like hoof trimmers -- about $20. You'll need a stanchion to care for and milk your does -- build one and you'll spend maybe $50. Vaccinations, dewormers and other health items? Maybe $50 or so total. Other things like disbudders, castrators, and OB products will cost more. Milk pails, strainers, etc, can be pricey. Check out Caprine Supply, Hoeggers or Valley Vet under Goat stuff.

 

[Egg_Newton]

I think what they are trying to say is perhaps you should think about a budget for more than 2 goats. I had also originally stated out only wanting 2 does. And now I'm up to six and it's been less than a year since I started.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I had 2 goats once....

I went through 2 to 2 1/2 bales of alfalfa hay (right now $15 a bale) a month and one bag of goat feed ($21 right now) lasted me several months since I was only giving them about 1/2 to 1 cup a day (for both). I had 2 Nigerians, on dry doe and one wether. Sweetlix minerals (average $23), one bag lasted 6 months or more.

I believe I averaged $35 to 60 a month depending on the month, whether the bales of hay were cheaper or lasted longer, whether I had to purchase the minerals or goat grain that month, occasionally you need antibiotics or dewormers, needles and syringes, vaccines.....

 

[moonstone5879]

Thanks guys I appreciate it! Trying to find a simple cost list by google is harder than I had thought lol!

 

[Goatherd]

Trying to find a simple cost list

Twenty people can have two goats and twenty people will pay different amounts of money to keep those goats. Sure there are basic needs, but as has already been mentioned, what you choose to provide for them or even need to provide will vary greatly.
Some people live in areas where pasture is abundant more months out of the year and others where there is only a few months of green. Others don't even have pasture and need to hay and feed 365.
If you need to use hay, those prices vary incredibly depending upon location and weather factors (drought, floods, etc).

Processed goat feed costs are not comparable as they differ depending where you live.

If they require veterinary care, those costs can be mild to extreme, if you're luck enough to even find a vet that deals in large animals and livestock.

You mention wanting to make soaps and lotions so you will have to breed your goats in order to have kids and MILK which is going to be the foundation of your products. These kids will cost you additional money and if you decide not to sell them, you will have that added cost. Once your does dry up, you will have to re-breed them in order to get milk again.

Now that you have your milk you will need the supplies to make the products. You'll also need to find a market for your products and that can be difficult. Also, there's only a certain amount of profit you'll be making when you factor in your costs.

Long story short...two goats will probably cost you more than you think. Good luck!

 

[GriffinRidgeFarm]

Only two?!? I started a year ago this month with 2 does... now I have 12

 

[Mamaboid]

I started this time with 2 goats in July of 2011. That is what, a year and 3/4 ago? We now have 19. Of course three sets of twins in the last month and half has helped to raise that in a heck of a hurry. As for cost, it can vary so much based on hay prices, weather, breeds, and feeding practices that the only thing you can be sure of is that it will cost more than you plan, hope, or budget for. It is like the doe code, it just will happen.

 

[babsbag]

4 years ago I had 3 goats, I now have 21, not counting the kids on the ground. 7 kids right now with 5 more does to kid before May

I don't feed any grain unless they are on the milkstand. I feed alfalfa hay and it cost me about 180.00 a year to feed one standard size goat. We pay 14.00 for a 100-110 lb bale of hay and 10 bales lasts me 2 weeks, but that will go up as I start feeding all these kids. I used to spend a bunch on bagged grain but decided that good alfalfa and occaisionally some wheat hay was all they needed. They look better than they did when feeding a bunch of concentrates. They do get free choice mineral and browse when they can find it.