Marketing of milk and progeny
Goats can be kept for subsistence or commercial production. Goat’s milk can be marketed as fresh (frozen) milk, dried milk, cheese or yoghurt and ice cream. Surplus animals can be sold or slaughtered.
Fresh milk production
Many people are allergic to the proteins in cow’s milk but not to those in goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is higher in protein and minerals than cow’s milk.
agriculture,
forestry & fisheries
Planning is important when starting a dairy goat enterprise.
Goat’s milk is usually sold fresh or frozen and should be in sealed
containers (usually plastic bottles or sachets). Fortunately freezing does not affect quality.
Processing into powder is too expensive for most producers.
Folic acid supplements may be necessary as goat’s milk may be deficient in this acid.
Hygiene is of the utmost importance in milk production. If possible
pasteurisation must be carried out during which the milk is heated to 73 °C for 15 seconds (or 63 °C for 30 minutes in the case of cheese). Because pasteurisation plants are expensive, the milk may be heated on the stove.
Boiling, however, will change the structure of the milk so that it may have a different taste.
Cheese
Cheese can be made either from pure goat’s milk or blended milks. The final product should be attractive to the consumer, distinctively packaged, of consistent good quality, readily available and acceptably priced. Milk sold to cheese manufacturers will not fetch the same price as that of fresh milk sold direct to customers.
An alternative strategy is to plan kidding to be spread out over several months. The peak of milk production will then be less of a problem because there will not be a surplus.
Other products
The market for goat’s milk products has generally not been developed.
A market for products such as yoghurt and ice cream will have to be established. Milk can also be sold to consumers or cheese manufacturers.
Goat’s cheese
Breed of goat
There are many breeds of dairy goats including Saanen (white), Toggenburg (grey or brown with white stripes on the face), British Alpine, French Alpine, Anglo- Nubian and many others. The high-yielding Saanen is the major breed in South Africa. Herds in other countries have serious diseases. Crossbreeds are more resistant to heartwater.
Selecting goats
Saanen are rare and you may have to travel long distances to visit herds. A number of herds should be compared (type or animal, prices and management systems). Breeding records are important to avoid inbreeding.
Females
A goat that has already
had one or more kids will have shown her potential.
Mass-for-age, strength of the legs and feet, soundness of teeth, shape and health of the udder (poorly attached, abnormal or hard sections from a previous infection) should be observed. The goats which are lost should be replaced by young ones.
Nubian goat
Toggenburger doe
Males
Males should be strong, healthy and well-grown. Naturally polled or related animals should be rejected. Dehorned males are acceptable. The number of animals bought depends on herd size, amount of money, the size of the market that you wish to supply and the rapid reproduction rate of goats.
Productivity
Production depends on the genetic potential the way in which management allows this potential to develop.
Fertility
If goats are managed properly the first kidding can take place within one year. Half the goats will have twins at first kidding and all will have twins at subsequent kidding.
Lactation after kidding usually lasts ten months. If lactation lasts longer, goats will have to be dried off deliberately.
In the summer rainfall areas kids born in early summer usually do better than those born later.
It is a good idea to spread out the breeding season so that the goats do not all kid at the same time. This will ensure continuity of milk production.
Milk production
Milk production reaches a peak during the first month or two of a lactation.
Colostrum, the first milk from the udder, is essential for the kid’s immune system. Kids can be taken away from the mothers after a week and reared separately. Supply about 1 l milk per day. Substitutes can also be used.
Saanen doe with her twins
Milk yields
A Saanen goat could produce 1 200 l of milk over a ten month period. High producers should be kept. Lifetime productivity depends on fertility, milk yield, disease (mastitis) and conformation (firm udders, legs).
Disease prevention and control
Disease prevention includes routine vaccinations, dosing for internal parasites and dipping or spraying against external parasites.
Purchase of equipment
Equipment for animal management includes hoof-trimmers, a dehorner, syringes and needles for vaccination as well as a burdizzo or elastrator for castration. Some items may be expensive. Ear tags, collars or neck chains may be further items.
Equipment for milking and milk processing includes a clean place to milk, a source of water and a clean bucket. A milking stand can also be purchased.
Milking should be a pleasant experience for the goats. A small quantity of feed may be a good incentive. The average milker may become too tired if he has to milk goats for more than two hours. Usually the milk producer soon wants to install a milking machine but beware of buying a machine which may soon prove to be too small.
Milking
The milk must be as clean as possible.
Cooling and storage
The milk must be cooled as soon as possible and then kept at 4 °C. In the case of large quantities of milk the
farmer will have to buy a Saanen doe
cooling tank. The tank should be large enough to accommodate future milk production from increased production.
Packaging
The milk can be poured into plastic bottles and sealed by means of aluminium foil tops or screw-on caps, or into sachets or into waxed cardboard boxes. Small quantities can be done by hand, but large quantities will require a packaging machine. The containers must be bought in sterile condition and are not re-usable.
Cost
Visit other farmers to see what they use as well as suppliers of equipment.
Determine their ability to supply back-up services. Compare quotes before making a decision.
Other facilities
Plan for an adequate pen with good fences (not barbed wire), shade and shelter, watering points as well as feeding boxes. A secure place to store feed, a crush and gates for sorting, a separate kid nursery with slatted floors and a separate pen for billy goats some distance from the milking goats are also needed.
An adequate supply of clean water and electricity for the milking and cooling equipment are essential.
Workers
For the subsistence producer four workers are needed to attend to the animals (feeding and milking). You could do this yourself. In the case of commercial producers help is definitely needed but the number of workers depends on the profitability of the enterprise.
Capital required
Very little capital is needed when goats are kept for subsistence purposes but for commercial enterprises large amounts of capital may be needed.
For further information contact MEDUNSA Tel: 012 529 4751/40
Nubian goats
2011 Third print 2001 Second print 1997 First print Compiled by
Directorate Agricultural Information Services, Department of Agriculture and MEDUNSA
Printed and published by Department of Agriculture Obtainable from
Resource Centre, Directorate Agricultural Information Services
