Some people prefer to keep goats as pets, but for the most part, people keep them for meat and milk. Dairy and beef have many similarities in the way they are raised.
Breeding meat goats has an added benefit in that they can also be milked, so an owner gets both milk and meat from one goat.
They are 4 months pregnant and can have between one and 5 babies. It is important to know that female goats should not be milked until they are one year old, although it is okay for them to mate after 7 months.
As with humans, their babies are best fed their mother’s milk. The reason for this is that the kids receive colostrum, which contains minerals, vitamins and antibodies that make the kids healthy and strong.
Raising goats for meat will require the goats to be fed hay, grain, and grass, until they reach a certain weight. The correct weight will differ from goat to goat, but will mostly be between 35 and 90 pounds.
Whether you are raising them as pets, or for milk or meat, you will need to ensure that your goats are protected from predators at all times. In addition to predators getting to your goats, they can also wander off, only to get lost, which would be a great loss to you, so you want to make sure they are penned up and protected.
The fundamental difference in the way of raising meat goats or dairy goats is the food that is given to them. There are other differences, but there are more common than differences. To ensure that you breed the healthiest goats, you need to provide effective fencing so they stay protected, clean water, good pastures, and last but not least, they need to have plenty of space to walk and run, as well as adequate shelter.