If you're considering the Oberhasli goat breed, let me fill you in on the characteristics, facts and origin of Oberhasli dairy goats that you may find helpful.

For many homesteaders and goat enthusiasts it can be overwhelming to decide on a breed to start your herd.

Years ago, when I began setting up my off-grid homestead, I read and researched for hours on end and the information was profuse and often contradictory.

Much of the decision depends on your needs.

Mine was milk. Lots of it.

WIth a growing family and a passel of kids (no pun intended) of my own, milk was high on my priority list.

However, I did not have the available facilities for a cow and, honestly, I was a little afraid of being kicked by a 1200 pound animal.

When the opportunity to buy 3 Oberhasli goats practically fell into my lap, I took it as a sign that this was meant to be and I was looking forward to starting my herd.

It didn’t take me long to fall in love with these kind, beautiful goats.

There was no...

A lot of people make money selling “meat goats” or “market goats”, which refer to goats you raise to sell for their meat, as opposed to goats someone might raise for other purposes like producing milk (dairy) or being a pet. Goat meat demand in the United States is steadily increasing, so the profit potential in raising meat goats is good. It helps that goat meat is healthier than other meats. It has about 2/3 the calories of beef and 3/4 the calories of chicken. It also has 1/3 the fat of pork and less than 1/2 the fat of chicken. There is so much demand for goat meat that most of it is being imported from other countries outside the U.S. like Australia. This is why raising meat goats can be a profitable business. If you want to get started with meat goats, there are several things you need to do.

GOAT VIDEO - What Is The Best Breed of Meat Goat?

Video Credit: Rebellion Ranch

1. Set a Goal for Your Meat Goat Business

There...

So you’ve decided to become a crazy goat person like me – you know, the kind of person who wears T-shirts with slogans like “Relax, I’ve Goat This” and posts countless Instagram shots of their goats doing AWESOME goat things.

Ok, well maybe that’s just me... but when it comes to farm animals, goats truly are the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time). They’re relatively small, easy to handle, and full of personality.

Then again, they are also inquisitive and independent – so there will be some inevitable goat shenanigans.

But don’t worry, this startup guide will equip you with some basic knowledge to confidently raise happy, healthy goats.  

Here are the 11 most important things you need to know if you're getting started raising goats.  

1. Choosing a Goat Breed

First, let’s figure out your goals in raising goats. Are you primarily looking for milk, meat, or fiber?

Are you in search of a friendly,...

In the United States today, a majority of milk drinkers tend to drink cow's milk despite the well-known benefits of goat's milk. Even so, that's not the norm worldwide.

A majority of the milk which people drink all over our planet is goat's milk. Part of the reason is the amazing health-boosting benefits of goat's milk.

It has a high vitamin and mineral content, greater ease of digestion, lower allergenic reactions and many other superior benefits compared to cow's milk.

On top of those health benefits of goat's milk, you'll also find that goat milk can be used to produce so many healthy things like goat milk soap, goat cheese and all kinds of goat milk dairy products and bath products.

What is it that makes goat's milk so healthy with so many benefits? Let's take a look...  

Goat’s Milk Nutrition Comparison

Goat’s milk is healthier compared to cow’s milk.

Let’s look at the properties for 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of milk.

Goats are amazing when it comes to clearing overgrown brush from your land and saving on feed costs at the same time. They're also great for starting your own money-making business renting your goats out to others for brush control.

There are plenty of other landowners who are anxious to clear brush and weeds from their property and pastures, and they're happy to rent your goats for the job.

But which types of goats are best for brush control? How many do you need? How do you keep them from running off? How much will they cost?

And won't predators get them if they're turned out on your property to eat the weeds?

In this guide we will share advice we've learned from our own years of experience and from other goat farmers that can answer those questions.

After you finish studying this guide, you'll be able to do the following:

1. Identify the best types of goats to use for brush control;
2. Recite the benefits of using brush goats;
3. Calculate how many goats will be needed to...

Fiber goats can be the basis of a profitable business, as well as an amazing hobby or art form.

Why are fiber goats so special? Well, you may be surprised to know that some of the most sought-after fibers on the planet, cashmere and mohair, come from fiber goats.

If you've ever worn (or even touched) a cashmere sweater, you most likely were shocked. The word I hear from most people is "luxurious", usually along with "smooth" or "silky".

No wonder so many people desire it. When it comes to sophistication, it's right up there with diamonds or caviar.

Same thing for mohair, which is another luxurious, sought-after fiber for sweaters, socks and other clothing, not to mention lots of other items we all use every day. It's no wonder that fiber goats are in such high demand.

If you're anxious to learn how you can get into your own profitable fiber goat business, or you are a hobbyist/artist who would love to grow and create your own cashmere and mohair for home spinning and...

The nutritional value of beet pulp for goats is often misunderstood.

Beet pulp can be great to feed to your goats. But it's not an entire diet; just a supplement.

For more information about a good overall goat diet, check out our free guide,

"What to Feed Goats".

Also, it's best for certain purposes, but not others. As an educated goat keeper, you need to know when to use it, and how to use it with your goats.

After you read this guide, you'll have a good grasp on the details of the nutritional value of beet pulp for goats, why it's good, when to use it and how to feed it to your goats.

If you're just getting started with goats, you'll also want to check out our free guide,  the "9-Step Essential Beginners Guide to Raising Goats."

Beet pulp has been a mainstay in livestock feed for years. It’s inexpensive, easy to store, and provides an excellent source of easily digestible fiber. (Featured Image Credit: The Horse )

What is Beet Pulp? Where Does Beet Pulp...

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Introduction - Working Goats

Working goats are simply goats that are trained to do work, and goats are amazingly helpful in all kinds of jobs.

You can use working goats to pull a wagon, or you can drive a cart pulled by a harness goat.

A pack goat can help you haul your gear on a hunting or camping trip through rugged terrain, and can be cheaper to feed and easier to train and care for than some other beasts of burden.

A therapy goat can even act as a service animal to assist people in need, due to a goat's friendly temperament and easy relatability to humans.

No matter what type of working goat you may be interested in, if you study this guide, you will then be able to do the following:

1. Explain what a Working Goat is and does;Understand basic working goat terminology;
2. Identify the breeds that make the best working goats;
3. Describe the basic steps required to train a working goat properly;
4. Identify the basic equipment needed for a working goat;
5. ...

Introduction - Goat Anti-Mating Apron

If you think about it, male and female goats were meant to be together, right? Isn't that how a natural herd should be? That's not a problem with a goat anti-mating apron.

Are you having to keep your bucks and does separated? Do you ever feel it's unnatural and stressful for your goats and their families? But you have to avoid unwanted or uncontrolled breeding, right?

There's a solution! Lots of goat keepers use goat anti-mating aprons as birth control for their bucks. This allows you to keep your bucks and does together.

At the same time, you stop them from breeding until you're ready for it to happen. There's another great side benefit of a goat anti-mating apron.  It prevents the nasty habit a buck goat has of peeing on his own face, mouth and legs. That causes staining and urine scald.

Never heard of a goat anti-mating apron (aka a buck apron)? That's okay.

By reading this guide, you'll learn what it is, why/how to use one and...

Introduction - Quick-Start Guide: How to Pick Your First Goats

Buying goats for the first time is exciting. Don't let big mistakes turn your excitement into a nightmare.

We made a lot of mistakes when we bought our first goats. Hopefully, this guide will save you from doing the same.

This Quick Start Guide is a summarized checklist of the critical actions you need to take to make sure you select the "right" goats at the start.

Not all goats are the same, and picking the "wrong" goats, depending on your purpose for them, can lead to lots of wasted time, money and headaches later.  

In this guide we will cover the following 8 "Quick Start" steps to help you pick the "right" goats:

1. Make sure you are legally allowed to keep goats where you live;
2. Decide what your goals will be for your new goat "herd";
3. Choose the right breed and type of goats, based on your goals (dairy; showing; meat; other)
4. Do some goat comparison shopping before buying your goats;
5. Set an appropriate price...