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Goats’ meat is essential to almost all the special occasions in the Philippines, like baptisms, weddings, and fiestas. Aside from this, goats are very popular to every Filipinos because of low initial capital needed in raising them, its fast multiplication and they can fit to the small hold farm conditions. Compared to other meats, goat meats command higher price in the market.

Goats are known to be the “poor man’s cow” because their milk are preferred to be drank by people who cannot afford cow’s milk. Actually, if you will compare it to cow’s milk, goat’s milk is more digested. Yet, despite this fact and its low price, goats’ optimum advantages, such as the main source of milk, haven’t been maximized yet.

About 15 millions of Filipinos are benefiting from goats as their livelihood these days. Because they eat weeds, grasses, tree leaves as well as other agricultural by- products, they only require low maintenance. You can also feed them with 60% rice straw, and 40% paragrass with 10% molasses supplementation to have a better profit. Goats demand continues to rise at 2% per annum and is expected to last up to the year 2020. This is due to the reason that there are several products goats can provide and they have potential market. Aside from its meat and milk, you can actually be goat breeder with private multipliers and government institutions as your market, or you can line into buck services to goat raisers in the village.

Investment in the goat business will include goat house and breeding stocks. You might need to allot some budget for vaccines and veterinary medicines as well as other additional feed supplements if you are into large or commercial operation. Though highly profitable, you will only need minimal capital investment to start this type of business amounting to P67, 250 for 25-doe-level to P349, 000 for 100-doe-level.

Other things to consider when raising goats include:

Transportation- Eventually you will need to move the goats. You can transport them using the bed of pickup for small numbers but for larger numbers, you might need to use trailers. A goat tote or a topper can be used to prevent them from jumping. During wet weather, you can use canvas or nylon as covers.

Water Troughs- Like in other living things, water is a necessity. You can use water troughs if a lake or body of water is not available. Problems to be encountered with this are algae and mosquitoes. To prevent this, you can use chlorine bleach and copper materials. Just make sure to use specific amount which is not harmful to the goats and other animals.

Fences- Avoid the outside of the fence to be attractive for goats to eat to keep them inside the fence. You wouldn’t want the goats to be stucked inside the fence as well. To prevent the goats from sticking their heads through the fence or rubbing on the fence, a use of 1 foot- 18 inches hot wire off the ground and 8-12 inches inside the fence is found to be effective.
Rearing goats in cages have the following advantages:
• It is easier to tend and control goats
• They can be better fed which may result to production of more milk for mother goats
• Growing fodder and grass would only require smaller field space. One-fourth (1/4) hectare of land would be enough for every six female and a single male goat

Care- Regular vaccine is needed for goats. If ever there is a sick goat, it must be separated from other goats and have it checked by a veterinarian. Allowing exercising themselves for 3-4 hours outside their cage is also important.