Goat farming has been in existence for many years and has been done for many countries in the world. 

As a domestic animal, many families in rural are takes goat rearing has a very profitable business and almost every family has one because of its value. 

Goat farming has been a very lucrative business to many people because of what value they can get from its rearing. From goat many things or product can be gotten. Things like meat, milk, skin and wool is gotten from goat.

I will also like to welcome you Farmers Guide where you get practical and experienced ways in farming both in small quantity and commercially. 

What you should know about Goats farming 

In recent years, goat farming in Nigeria and other countries of the world has been a very lucrative business for many. Many people today are starting goat farming business because of low cost of investment and high production. The cost of rearing goat is low compared to other farm animal. 

Also, as a muti-functional animal, goat farmers can harvest many products from goat such as milk, meat and skin. With this, the revenue gotten from goat farming is higher when compared to the cost of taking care of the goat.

Going into commercial goat farming by some people in Nigeria has greatly improve the economy of Nigeria and reduce the high demand for protein and meat. As a country looking for more investment in its agricultural sector, Nigerian government has been improving on its policies to favour investors in this segment of its economy. So starting goat farming business in Nigeria will be very profitable. 

Every year, the world population is on the increase and as such, there will always continue to be high demand for food and protein which makes venturing into goat farming now will be very good. Since there is high demand for goat meat and other of its product, marketing you matured goat will not be a hard thing for you as a farmer. 

Not only providing profit and a source of income to its farmers, goat rearing is also a source of employment directly to the farmers and indirectly to those who produce its feeds, medicine and those who market it. So there are many benefits of starting goat rearing. 

Benefits of starting goat farming 

Like other farming activities like fish farming, snail farming, Poultry business in Nigeria, rice farming, cassava farming, sweet potatoes farming and others, goat farming has numerous advantages and benefits. Goat farming can be done with other livestock like sheep , so it has low stress on rearing them. 

Numerous products are gotten from rearing goats. Product like meat and milk harvested from goat are in high demand by many families due to its nutrition value and it use in some cultural activities. 

As a small sized animal of some weighing 10kg to 100kg depending on their bread, caring for goat is less stressful and their maintenance can be done by any body in the family including the children. 

Furthermore, as a luminous animal, goats eats almost all edible substances like grasses and green leaves. Human food wastes are also been feed to goats. 

In summary, below are carefully verified advantages of goat farming. 

• Goat farming is a source of employment 
• Starting a goat farm requires low investment 
• How to start goat farming is not difficult to find 
• Goat farming and product is not prohibited in any region or culture 
• Goat farm maintenance is less stressful when compared to other livestock 
• As a small sized animal, goat housing do not require huge area of land
• Goat rearing has a low lisk of investment 
• Goats has the tendency to reproduce with 7 to 10 months from birth depending on the goat breed
• Goat meat and milk are of low cholesterol and so good for all age
• Both male and female goats has high market value
• Diseases and spread in diseases are low in goats
• Goats are multi-functional animal producing milk, meat, hides and skin
• Goats are friendly in nature and as such can be reared in open space
• Since there are small in size, special houses are not necessary. 
• The return on investment of goat is high
• When starting goat farming, there is availability of many breed and at cheap rate too.
• Feed are always available
• Dropping of goats is a source of manure for farmers too.

How to start goat farming: Practical guide for lucrative goat business 

In our different villages and some cities today, we see many people who are into rearing of goat in small quantity and many of these people know little or noting about how to start goat farming or and advance knowledge on goat farming. This is to tell you that goat farming is and essay to start, nuture and grow business that any person can start. 

But venturing into commercial goat farming require some good and practical guide on goat farming to grow a successful and profitable business in agricultural sector. 

Knowledge of how to take care of goat like feeding, Milking and selling goats are very important to you as a commercial iat farmer.

The following areas in goat rearing will be treated to guide you as you go into goat farming 

• Suitable Farm
• Best goat breed for your locality 
• Housing 
• Feeding 
• Vaccines 
• Breeding 

Suitable Goat Farm location 

Like in other farming practice and businesses, location is very important. Siting your farm in a suitable place will help in reducing the stress accompanied in that business and improving your business too. 

When you have access to basic farm requirements and equipment and its close to you at the farm, costs will be greatly reduced. Some things that makes farm suitable for rearing goats are

• Nearness to market 
• Access to clean water
• Good good to the farm
• Pollution free environment 
• Availablility to food 
• Fertile land to enable the cultivation of grasses and plants for feeding the goats
• Availability of veterinary services and shops

Choosing the Best breed of goat for your locality 

It is very important that when starting goat farming business in Nigeria that you should source for the goat breed that is of high demand to the people in your locality. Commercial goat rearing is profit orientated and as such you must make plans for that. 

So the type of goat you must stock in your farm must be the one that is needed locally before you head to the international market.

There are many types of goat breeds available around the world for rearing in the goat farm there are ones like  Dwarf goats of Nigeria, Cashmere goats,Pygmy goats,  Black Bengal goat, Mountain goats, Boer goats etc.

Also since goat is a muti-functional animal, you need to look for any of the product that people need more and rear that one.

Bellow are some of the product of goat according to its breed.

Milk Productive Goat: These goats are the breeds that produces milk in high quantity and is advisable if your aim of rearing goat is to milk them. This breeds of goat  are Alpine, Anglo Nubian, Saanen, Toggenburg, Barbari, Beetal, Malabari, Marwari, Damascus, Black Bedouin, Jamunapari, Kamori, Sudanese Nubian, Jannei, Kilis etc.

Goat for meat: When you have the aim of farming goat for the purpose of selling them for meat, then this meat productive goats are the best. They  are Boer, Frisian, Katjang, Ma Tou, Sirohi, Sudan Desert, Black Bengal etc.

Milk and Meat: There are some goat breeds which are known for both milk and meat production. Breeds like Black Bengal, Black Bedouin etc are both milk and meat productive goat breeds.

Kids Productive Goat: when you want to go into bringing up new or young kids and selling them to others to grow to maturity, then this breed of goat is for you. Goats like Barbari, Boer, Black Bengal, Katjang, Ma Tou, Crayola etc. are famous for kid production.

Goat Breed For Skin production: If you need goats to sell for the purpose of skinning them, then goats like Black Bengal, Maradi, Mubende etc produces very high quality skins.

Popular Goat breeds in Nigeria 

Pygmy goats. These are the goat breed that serves as pet to the owners and also used for goat shows. Onlike other breed of goat that is reared for either meat, milk or skin production, pygmy goats are reared as pet.

 Nigerian dwarf goats and pygmy goats are of different colours and sizes and are common in Nigeria  

Cashmare goats are the breed that is well known and used for wool production.  goats are very expensive and demand exceeds supply which attracts investors

Good goat house

In the local mode of goat farming, it owners allow the goats to walk around the communities and sleep on any place that they see. But this is not the best best way for commercial goat farmers.

For commercial goat farming, the goats need to be provided with good and well design goat house. Housing is very important for the health of the goats. When placed in a good house, the goads are protected from

• Predators 
• Diseases 
• Thiefs

Furthermore, for better production in meat, milk and kidding, a good shelter for the goats us very important. 

In the housing, effort should be made to make it clean and neat. 

The house should have the following 

• Good ventilation 
• Clean environment 
• Good water
• Protective from predators 
• Spacious 
• Enough lighting 

Feeding 

In commercial goat rearing, good feeding program and management is necessary for optimal yield and lucrative business. To have a well grown and healthy goats, you need to feed them well. 

Goat feeds on everything that humqns eat and also grasses, plants, shrubs, weeds and herbs. When you provide your stocks with enough feed at the right time, you will get the required result in your goats at a short time.

There also need other things like protein, vitamins and water, so you do well to add them for profitable goat farming. 

Medication  

Like other livestock farming, there are diseases that do attack them at different period in their live, some of this diseases can be prevented by vaccination. When this is done correctly and at the right time, these diseases will be prevented. 

Some of the common diseases of goats are Foot and mouth, PPR and Anthrax.

Goad Breeding 

When you have bith male and female goats in you goat farm, thennyou don’t need worry. Goats breeds naturally on their own to produce you with the right kids.

The rate of breeding in goats mainly depends on the type of goat you have. Some goat type breed faster than others.

Summary 

After going through this article, how to start goat farming in Nigeria will mot be a difficult thing for you again. There are many breed of goats you can rear on you farm. So make out the time and start today. 

• How to start goat farming are
• Choose a good farm location 
• Build a goat house
• Select the best goat breed for your locality 
• Feed you goats well
• Vaccinate your goats and
• Market when matured