Selwyn Times: September 02, 2020

SELWYN RURAL LIFE
Wednesday September 2 2020 Selwyn Times 29
Goats a profitable addition to
sheep and beef farms
Goats can add simple and low-cost
production benefits to bottom-line
profitability for sheep and beef operations,
explains Garrick Batten.
Our feral goats are low-cost breeding
stock with a widespread genetic base to
work with.
Mated to appropriate bucks, they are just
as suitable as other breeds. Controlled by
relatively cheap effective electric fencing
when trained, they can be handled on the
few needed occasions in existing facilities
with only minor modifications.
Sheep farmers most enjoy working with
animals and producing healthy stock.
They least enjoy animal health problems,
dagging, docking, dipping and repeat
manual work.
Appropriate goat grazing management
significantly reduces or eliminates
sheep drenching at $2.20 per SU, no
wool shearing, tailing, dagging at $3
per SU, disease or pregnancy testing or
even vaccinations in the yards. No viral
pneumonia, flystrike, bearings, cast ewes,
reproductive difficulties, facial eczema
to monitor and cure. Easier and quicker
mustering and yard work with intelligent,
easily trained goats.
Feed cost is directly related to goat
stocking rate per ha. Free-ranging low
numbers have minimal additional feed
cost. Adding 10% of goat LW to existing
farm stock LW, will mainly eat unused
and currently wasted feed on hill country.
Clover percentage in mixed pasture will
improve over time at no cost and can
be increased by 25%-plus with more
concentrated goat rotational grazing.
Measuring that benefit from improved
feed quality in other stock is difficult, but
increased store lamb weight from 23-29kg
on clover enhanced pastures could add
$25 per head and earlier disposal.
Goats have a key biological weed
control of environmental benefits without
chemical and diesel use. There’s also
no work safety and application timing
considerations costs, but income from
four-legged control. Even one thistle per
10m² reduces pasture by 8%. Goats also
control scrub weeds as well.
Farmers compare meat prices based on
their experienced knowledge of animals,
products and markets. Goat meat has no
age, sex or carcase finish specifications
and consistently stable schedule value
between 8 and 18 kg. Being able to use
goats as a flying herd to reduce farm stock
levels for any climatic reason – without
price penalty – can be a significant
management advantage.
Goats can have other advantages over
cattle to groom longer pasture. As they
do not like water, even the $5 per metre,
two-wire cattle fence and alternative water
sources are not required for waterway
exclusion.
There is also no NAIT, TB or pregnancy
testing expensive handling equipment. No
pasture treading damage in winter with
lower hoof pressure. Urine patches are
spread more, less intense, with reduced N
loss and contamination.
All animals die and have health
problems by the head, so such events are
significantly more important with cattle.
Cattle reproductive rate, and capital
and husbandry costs comparisons are
magnified by the goat alternative.
Garrick Batten is a lifetime commercial
goat industry expert and published
author. More information: www.
caprinexnz.com
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