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    The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising: A Step-By-Step Guide to Happy Goats, Including Breeding, Housing, Fencing, Dairy, Grooming, and Fiber
    The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising: A Step-By-Step Guide to Happy Goats, Including Breeding, Housing, Fencing, Dairy, Grooming, and Fiber
    The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising: A Step-By-Step Guide to Happy Goats, Including Breeding, Housing, Fencing, Dairy, Grooming, and Fiber
    Ebook194 pages1 hour

    The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising: A Step-By-Step Guide to Happy Goats, Including Breeding, Housing, Fencing, Dairy, Grooming, and Fiber

    By Erik Ben

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    About this ebook

    Imagine living on a farm, rearing your own livestock, and getting all your food from your own garden?

    Gardening can be done anywhere, but raising livestock is typically the responsibility of homesteaders, and it can be an immensely rewarding endeavor.

    If you are looking for a step-by-step guide to happy goats—including breeding, housing, fencing, dairy, grooming, and fiber—then The Beginner's Guide to Goat Raising is the book for you.

    Deciding whether you want to raise goats for business, personal use, or as pets can be challenging, but with a guide like this you will reach your decision in no time.

    Inside The Beginner's Guide to Goat Raising you will learn:

    • the basics of goat breeding
    • which goat breed is best for you
    • the best ways to purchase your goat
    • feeding, housing, and grooming tips
    • benefits of goat by-products

    And so much more that will guide you through your first goat-raising journey with ease.

    From how many goats you should have, and what it would cost to train and keep them healthy, The Beginner's Guide to Goat Raising is the ultimate guide that will teach you why goats are one of the best options for independent homesteaders.

    Whether you want to raise goats for some extra income, as pets, or for self-sustainability, this book will tell you all you need to know and more!

    Get your copy today and find out why raising goats is what you need.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherErik Ben
    Release dateJan 29, 2023
    ISBN9798215674543
    The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising: A Step-By-Step Guide to Happy Goats, Including Breeding, Housing, Fencing, Dairy, Grooming, and Fiber

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      Book preview

      The Beginner’s Guide to Goat Raising - Erik Ben

      Introduction

      Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on a farm? To have your own livestock and get all your food from your home? To have animals to take care of every day? Maybe to even sell products from your animals and even have a small business? You’re not alone. After the mass city exodus of 2020, we have seen countless people start to crave a simpler way of life, turning to activities like farming and gardening to try and get away from the work-hard grind of city life. Much of this involves moving to more rural areas, purchasing larger properties with lots of land, and even acquiring livestock. People who once lived between their high-rises, the office, and the supermarket are now becoming seasoned amateur farmers, finding beauty and simplicity in the rural lifestyle.

      While gardening can be done anywhere, raising livestock is usually done by the more dedicated of homesteaders, and can be an infinitely rewarding experience. Keeping animals around not only gives your home a warmer feel, providing a similar experience to pet ownership but can also be incredibly useful. Livestock can provide anything from wool to eggs to meat to dairy, adding a whole other dimension to your homesteading life. Whether you’re combining livestock with growing food or not, there are a lot of benefits to raising animals.

      Of all the livestock you can raise, goats are one of the best options for independent homesteaders. They offer all of the same products as cows while taking up far less space. They can produce meat, as well as milk, which can be turned into all kinds of dairy products, like cheese, butter, and even soap. They are also relatively low maintenance, and not to mention adorable!

      Why Should You Raise Goats?

      There are three main reasons for raising goats: as pets, for personal use, or for running a business. Most people will have some combination of the three but will lean towards one. You should consider your reasons before you start on your goat-raising journey.

      Raising Goats as Pets

      The most hands-off option, some people just want to have some adorable goats around for fun! You might milk them from time to time, but your main purpose for your goats is similar to that of rabbits or guinea pigs. These can be great additions to a more aesthetic-focused homestead, giving your property a farm feel without any of the hard labor associated with farm work. This can also be great for families with kids, allowing them to be around animals without having to participate in farm work. Though your goats still need the same housing and feeding standards as farmed goats, you will not need to do a lot of the more hands-on maintenance. This easiness is what makes goat raising for pets the simplest option, while still reaping a lot of the goat-shaped rewards!

      Raising Goats for Personal Use

      Perhaps the most common goat-raising practice, using goats’ byproducts for you and your family can offer some amazing benefits. If you become completely dependent on your goats for all your dairy needs, you can save lots of money on food. The milk you are consuming is also local, chemical-free, and cruelty-free as well. Knowing where your food is coming from can bring a great sense of comfort to a family, and raising your own livestock is one of the best ways to accomplish that.

      Going this route involves considerably more work. You do have to milk your goats every day to keep up lactation, and you will have to make sure everything is stored properly. You will also have to learn about home pasteurization methods and ensure everything you do is safe. There is always a learning curve with any new skill, but you never want to put your family at risk! However, once you have passed the initial time investment, you will see a wonderful return in the form of healthy, local dairy products.

      You can also learn so much about different methods of dairy production, like cheese-making. These methods can be so rewarding, giving you an opportunity for creative expression and flexing your crafting skills. Turn your Saturday afternoons into feta-making sessions, maybe even with your kids, then host a Greek salad night for friends. The people in your life will certainly enjoy all your homemade products, and your family will be much happier and healthier for it!

      Raising Goats for Business Purposes

      Once your goat farm is in full swing, and you’re making delicious goat cheese every weekend, you might turn to yourself and say: Why don’t I try to make some money off this? Taking your goat products to the next level and selling them is another great way to maximize the financial potential of goat farming. Not only will you be saving money on milk and cheese, but you will actually be able to make back some of the money you have spent on your goats and turn a profit. Just make sure to give your goats the appreciation they deserve. After all, they’re doing some of the work too!

      Of course, this method of goat raising requires even more work than personal use. The safety measures must be much more rigorous, and you will likely be outputting far more products than you would for your own family. You might even have to purchase more goats, and thus expand your land, as your business grows. However, like with personal use, your efforts are sure to be rewarded. Plus, people in your community now have access to your wonderful local dairy products as well!

      Overview

      Now that you have had the opportunity to review the possible reasons for raising goats, you are ready to start learning about the step-by-step process. In this book, we will be guiding you through 10 chapters, all focusing on a different part of the goat-raising process. You will be guided through a series of steps, from choosing your goat’s breed to building their enclosure to feeding them. Through these steps, you will gain a thorough understanding of the goat-raising process from start to finish, and by the end, be able to decide if goat raising is right for you!

      Chapter 1: The Basics of Goat Raising

      Unless you come from a farm background, goat raising is likely something fairly foreign to you. But don’t worry: Goats are not scary creatures. On the contrary, they are some of the cutest, most delightful farm animals to have around. Rest assured that the moment you get your first goat, you will fall in love right away with their playful nature and beautiful appearance. In this chapter, we will be outlining all the general characteristics of goats: their personalities, their physical needs, and some of the concerns that might arise while raising them.

      What Are Goats Like?

      Goats are recently gaining a strong reputation for being one of the friendliest animals, being even as affectionate with humans as dogs, developing strong social connections with the people that keep them. They are even safe to have around children. Due to their small size and gentle nature goats, especially smaller breeds, can be a great addition to your child’s life. In fact, goats were actually the first species to be domesticated by humans thousands of years ago. Suffice it to say, humans have a long and strong connection to our goat friends.

      Though, it is important to note that their long-standing reputation for being difficult does not come from anywhere. Most of the social problems you will face with goats involve their strict pecking order. Goats structure their society around a dominant male and a dominant female, meaning that there will be two goats in particular which have the highest order amongst the other goats, higher sometimes even than you! You will have to cater to this hierarchy in order to have the ability to take care of your goats.

      The most chaos that

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