My first inclination of this story was via a Facebook friend with the following Status update
" Trending today on social media ug: GOATS! "
It was fairly obvious something was going down in Uganda that I was totally unaware of.
Steps to start your own goat farm
Recently President Yoweri Museveni said lecturers who do not want to go back to work can go and rear goats because there is no money to increase their salaries.
Many people have been worked up and are uttering all sorts of words because of the President’s statement. But have you heard the statement ‘there is a silver lining behind every cloud’?
Dear lecturers and fellow Ugandans, raising goats can be one of the most enjoyable farming experiences.
I am not sure that is the message that the lecturers wanted to hear.
Goats are easy to rear because they do not have complicated feeding and medication requirement. In addition, goat meat is known to have inelastic demand locally and in the Middle East. Paul Sembeguya of Sembuguya Estates in Sembabule district is one farmer harvesting millions of shillings from goat rearing.
Goats are easy to rear because they do not have complicated feeding and medication requirement. In addition, goat meat is known to have inelastic demand locally and in the Middle East. Paul Sembeguya of Sembuguya Estates in Sembabule district is one farmer harvesting millions of shillings from goat rearing.
I assume he isn't a retired university lecturer.
There are many ways of rearing goats. You actually do not have to stop lecturing or resign your other job to rear goats. You can do both.
There are many ways of rearing goats. You actually do not have to stop lecturing or resign your other job to rear goats. You can do both.
Well I am sure that will come as a relief to all those university lectures, well at least until one from the Economics Department explains how the laws of supply and demand for a product with " inelastic demand " effect price.
Here are common ways to start your goat farm.
Pick the breed(s) you want. Decide if you want the goats for meat, milk or fiber or a variety of each.
Get a good goat book. Something that will teach you all the basics of goat care such as how to perform a health check, goat diseases, breeds of each variety of goats, recommended space per each animal and probably some handy first aid notes. Most of all, consider this an invaluable reference, even something to look back to in the future.
Here are common ways to start your goat farm.
Pick the breed(s) you want. Decide if you want the goats for meat, milk or fiber or a variety of each.
Get a good goat book. Something that will teach you all the basics of goat care such as how to perform a health check, goat diseases, breeds of each variety of goats, recommended space per each animal and probably some handy first aid notes. Most of all, consider this an invaluable reference, even something to look back to in the future.
This sound like very good advice, so much so I have taken the liberty of suggesting a couple of titles.
Buy some supplies. Shop around for food and water troughs; compare grains and be certain to pick out a balanced mineral meal to be fed to the goats as this will most certainly supplement the required minerals that could be missing. Also bear in mind that goats will get hurt every now and then and will need medical attention, make your own ‘goat’ first aid kit; your vet can recommend what to stock the kit with.
Build a fence. Buy fencing supplies for your farm. Be sure to get the services of a person who has built a fence before and bear in mind that goats will climb and rub themselves on even the toughest fences if not prevented. They may also try to squeeze through even the tiniest spaces even when it is obvious they cannot make it through, just make sure you build a separate strong buck pen in which the fences must be very strong, sturdy and very high. Keep in mind that this fence will keep your bucks in rut from your does especially during heat.
Now that I can do. I seem to have spent a life time building fences.
Build a shelter. The goats will need a place to shelter especially when the weather gets tough say during the rainy season and also during the dry spells. A small pole barn will work just fine, make sure the door is facing away from the weather. Goats can withstand the cold to a certain degree but they may need to be protected from the rain, having a draft free building will help them keep warm enormously. Make sure your buildings are compatible for renovation and provide the room for expansion, should your herd expand in future. Even if you don't think you will need the room, all too often you do and don't have the resources to do so with your current building if it was not factored in at the start.
Build a shelter. The goats will need a place to shelter especially when the weather gets tough say during the rainy season and also during the dry spells. A small pole barn will work just fine, make sure the door is facing away from the weather. Goats can withstand the cold to a certain degree but they may need to be protected from the rain, having a draft free building will help them keep warm enormously. Make sure your buildings are compatible for renovation and provide the room for expansion, should your herd expand in future. Even if you don't think you will need the room, all too often you do and don't have the resources to do so with your current building if it was not factored in at the start.
I don't do barns.
Buy a couple of does and a buck. Get another goat owner's help here. Make sure to buy good quality goats, and not something someone is just trying to get off their hands. Your goat book will be helpful here, tell the seller what you’re looking for, honest breeders and owners will let you know if the goat is not for you, be discerning.
Buy a couple of does and a buck. Get another goat owner's help here. Make sure to buy good quality goats, and not something someone is just trying to get off their hands. Your goat book will be helpful here, tell the seller what you’re looking for, honest breeders and owners will let you know if the goat is not for you, be discerning.
Goat farming is starting to look like a complex undertaking. I can see why President Museveni is recommending it as an activity for the learned members of society.
Breed your does! Watch your does carefully. When they go into heat, put them in with the buck for a couple of days, or until you think they have mated. The longer they have been with the buck, the larger range the expected due date will be, naturally this is important to some and not to others. A normal gestation period is 145 to 155 days, 150 being the average. Remember, bred and milking does need some extra care and may require you hire another hand.
Breed your does! Watch your does carefully. When they go into heat, put them in with the buck for a couple of days, or until you think they have mated. The longer they have been with the buck, the larger range the expected due date will be, naturally this is important to some and not to others. A normal gestation period is 145 to 155 days, 150 being the average. Remember, bred and milking does need some extra care and may require you hire another hand.
Breeding followed by 5 months of worry, this idea is starting to look a little disconcerting.
Choose where to sell your product. Whether for meat, fiber, milk and cheese and even kids, it is important to have a market ready, just make sure you have somebody to buy.
Choose where to sell your product. Whether for meat, fiber, milk and cheese and even kids, it is important to have a market ready, just make sure you have somebody to buy.
This advice I think might be critical. "...just make sure you have somebody to buy."
Sell your product. Research what others are selling for in your area. You don't want to charge so much that you won't get business or so low that you lose money.
Build up your farm. As you get more customers, your demand will grow. Enlarge your pastures and buildings to accommodate the new additions and breed more goats.
Sell your product. Research what others are selling for in your area. You don't want to charge so much that you won't get business or so low that you lose money.
Build up your farm. As you get more customers, your demand will grow. Enlarge your pastures and buildings to accommodate the new additions and breed more goats.
Well if you have lasted this long you now know as much as I do about farming goats and while that might not be a lot it is quite possibly more than President Museveni although I might be wrong on that.
You are now good to go. But if you need finer details please, do not miss you copy of the Harvest Money pullout published every Tuesday by the New Vision.
You are now good to go. But if you need finer details please, do not miss you copy of the Harvest Money pullout published every Tuesday by the New Vision.
Unfortunately New Vision don't seem to put Harvest Money on line, but hell you can probably wing it. Interesting animals goats.
Now that's something to think about.
Hat Tip: Ann Natukunda
Very good information. Helpful for the beginners.
ReplyDeleteAll goats are beautiful.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteservices
No bad
ReplyDeleteThanks and that i have a dandy give: Whole House Renovation Checklist Pdf remodeling and renovation
ReplyDelete