Heifer International - Selected Publications Raising Goats for Milk and Meat

Goats are some of the most benefi cial animals in the world, providing meat, milk, fiber, fertilizer, and draft power in addition to working as partners in land reclamation. Widely known as the “poor man’s cow,” goats have some under-recognized advantages over other animals. They are readily adaptable, thriving in tropical, cold, dry or humid climates. Given their small stature compared to other livestock, goats can be raised on large or small land holdings. Furthermore, approximately two-thirds of the feed energy used to raise these animals comes from substances which are undesirable, indigestible and inedible by humans.

It is little wonder that goats were among the earliest domesticated animals; records in this regard date back 10,000 years to the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. This may be explained by the fact that goats have gentle temperaments, making them ideal household animals. When the cost of cattle-raising is prohibitive, goats cost very little, are ideal for family milk and meat production and can be easily sold for income. The milk and meat produced by one goat is the perfect balance: it is suffi cient to meet children’s nutritional requirements, without the storage problems associated with the larger supply produced by cattle. In warm climates where no refrigeration is available, the meat from one goat can be consumed by a family before it spoils. And as there are few religious taboos related to the consumption of goat meat and milk. Goat meat, dairy products or offspring can easily be sold for extra income.