Goats are lovable and charming animals despite their naughty disposition. In the past, individuals and farmers have kept goats for their hair, milk, or meat. An astonishing 65% of people worldwide consume goat’s milk.
However, the ideal process of raising a goat is by purchasing a baby goat. By now, you probably have some unanswered questions, one of which could be, ‘how much does a baby goat cost?’ Marrakesh, a goat from Australia, holds the record for being the most expensive goat ever sold. The buyer called it a very elegant buck, and it sold for an astonishing $21,000.
Baby goats often cost significantly less than adult goats, yet their price might vary depending on a few factors. Additionally, rearing goats involves expenses beyond simply the cost of the original purchase.
This article will analyze all you need to know about the price of a baby goat, the factors that influence these prices, and the extra costs that come with this purchase.
How Much Does a Baby Goat Cost?
The first thing to do before buying a baby goat is to decide the purpose of the purchase. You should determine if you want to raise goats for milk, meat, or just as a pet. This decision is essential as the breed and sex of the baby goat(s) you want to buy will depend on these criteria.
The least expensive goats available, for instance, are Wethers, castrated male goats. They are among the finest goats for bush removal as well. However, if your purchase is majorly for milking your goats, wethers will be of little use to you.
Based on their gender, breed, and other characteristics, baby goats can cost anywhere from $50 to as much as $800. A juvenile buckling or wethers may be available for as low as $50 at a trade barn. However, a dairy goat doeling with breed certification might cost well over $800.
Weaned kids sell for around $50, while unweaned ones are usually up for sale for about $75. Weaned goats are often a better choice since they are less demanding for them and more manageable for you.
You cannot have only one goat, as you should know! Because they are herd animals, you must maintain goats in herds of a minimum of two to be comfortable.
Be aware that adding more goats will increase the price of various items in the chart. These bills include purchase price, grooming equipment, consumables, and medical supplies. As a result, goats can be quite expensive, but they are well worth it.
Additional Cost Associated With Buying a Baby Goat
You can’t just bring a goat home and assume it would thrive like other low-maintenance animals. Your goat’s unique requirements must be satisfied by its cage and several accessories. These materials are one-time investments, so their initial cost will be high. Their subsequent expenditures will only arise from repairs or replacements.
These additional costs include the following;
Fencing
Goats appreciate freedom and being near people; therefore, the easiest way to keep them is to let them graze freely around your land. However, they will still require a pen that can serve as a base of operations and a mechanism to keep them safe during the night and times you are not around.
This pen should provide them plenty of room to walk about and exercise while keeping them contained, protected, and secure. To prevent escape, this fencing should ideally be 6ft tall. The grids must also be narrow enough to deter a goat from poking its head through.
Prices for this fence can vary significantly because it is available via several vendors. A sufficient number of strong posts will generally cost about $10 for wooden posts and $50 for metal ones. You may buy a new roll of fence for prices between $100 and $300 or get second-hand fencing for far less.
Housing
It’s an excellent idea to construct a shelter inside the fence to shield the goats first from the weather and give them a sense of security. A dog-like house is an excellent choice for providing cover for baby goats, and you can purchase them between the range of $50 and $100.
A quality goat home should be relatively inexpensive and simple to construct. However, for personal constriction, ensure that there is perfect angling of the roof so that rainwater may drain off it easily.
Grooming and Brushing
Goats require grooming much like most other hairy pets do. Fortunately, getting the essential products is relatively inexpensive. You’ll first require efficient hoof trimmers to control your goat’s hooves. Goats need about four hoof trims per year, so spending $10 on a decent pair is worthwhile.
To keep goats clean and healthy, you should brush them periodically. Furthermore, you’ll need to pay $10 to $15 to buy a brush that works well enough for them since they need a firmer brush.
Food
Although goats have a reputation for eating any available food, they aren’t exactly like that. Many goats are quite particular about their food, and these choices start while they are young. Interestingly, feeding goats is not difficult at all, and it doesn’t cost much.
Alfalfa hay, fundamental in goats’ diets, is often the predominant food choice owners make. It is incredibly rich in the nutrients that goats require, and the long strands of hay help with their overall digestion.
Alfalfa hay is inexpensive; you can purchase about 50 pounds for about $19. Given that each goat needs roughly 3 pounds of hay daily, two goats would consume 180 pounds monthly.
Medical Care
Whether or not you’ve been a prudent owner, goats might have some additional health issues. You must educate yourself on every illness that goats might contract so that you’ll know what to watch for and how to respond right away.
Each issue will require a unique approach, which entails various expenses. Vet appointments usually cost somewhere around $100 and $200. Depending on your goat’s condition, you may require a $10 supplement to a $1000 operation fee for treatment.
Bedding
Goats want comfort, but providing it in their cage is simple. All you have to do is cover the floor within their shelter with a thin covering of straw. You may look around to locate the least expensive alternative that is still functional because the straw required shouldn’t be of a specific sort. It only needs a softer surface to lie on and collect the goat’s excrement.
Hay bales of standard size generally cost $0.50 per pound, although discounts are available for bulk orders. Hay prices remain remarkably low since just a thin covering is required, and the hay has to be changed every few days.
Factors Influencing the Price of a Baby Goat
Several distinct factors affect the price of a baby goat. These factors are essential to the buying process that you shouldn’t skip if you intend to get quality. Some of these factors include;
Breed
How much you spend on a goat depends on the breed you intend to buy. For instance, buying dairy goats from established goat breeders is a good idea if you want to grow goats for milk production. However, you should know that working with a professional breeder will necessitate spending a little extra for your baby goat(s).
Furthermore, it’s a fact that purebred goats will cost a little extra. As a result, if you want to purchase a certified Nubian goat, you should be prepared to pay roughly $250 for a kid just about a week old.
Registered and Unregistered Goats
It’s likely that as a newbie, you can’t distinguish between purebred and mixed-breed goats. Anyone can claim to be offering a purebred goat; however, the only way to verify is if they possess the registration documents demonstrating the goat’s history. That is a significant factor in the price difference between registered purebred goats and unregistered goats.
Goats registered as purebreds originate from one breed rather than two distinct breeds. Contrary to popular belief, most purebred goats are not as hardy as mixed-breed goats, making them simpler to care for and nurture. When you start to take into account their productivity, the differences become most apparent. They frequently cost a little bit more than goats without registration.
Sex of the Goat
Female goats can produce offspring that male goats can’t. For this reason, they tend to cost a lot more to acquire. As a result, fewer female goats are often available for purchase since most farmers prefer to retain the best does on their farms. Because of the shortage, there is more demand, which leads to higher prices.
Male goats, on the other hand, often cost less since farmers only require one or two healthy males for breeding, resulting in more male goats in the market. However, male kids tend to be more expensive when the intent for purchase is meat production, as they produce more meat than their female counterparts.
Conclusion
Buying a baby goat is a great investment, regardless of the intent for purchase. Although several factors affect the purchase price, it’s important to note that the price of buying a baby goat is way more than just the actual purchase price of the goat.
This additional cost is essential to maintain the goat, and you must actively consider them before purchasing.
