On your Homestead, Goats vs Cows: Cost

On your homestead goats vs cows, find the ideal valuable choice while achieving and establishing your lifestyle. By choosing what fits best, create the delicious desires that fulfill the needs of your family.  Therefore, it would help you reach those goals when you have chosen to raise your own meat, supply milk, and other dairy products.

Whether you prefer goats or cows on your journey to self-sufficiency, there are several factors to consider. Deciding what is going to be a successful investment to produce, determines how you prefer your success to be allocated and prepared. If you are wondering which is the leading choice, check out this article Why Homesteading With Goats Is Best to help you choose.

Initial Purchase

Getting started, the initial cost to purchase goats range from $75-$300. However, the goat kid who’s going to be a great milker, pet, or packer is $500. Once you have decided it’s time to buy, purchase a goat with packgoats.com from a professional breeder to guarantee the best breed and genetics for a healthy goat. It would be worth it to spend extra for a well-bred goat upfront since the chance of preventing future health complications and medical costs are greater.

Cows range from $1000 up to $3000 depending on breed and genetics. Depending on if they are pregnant or sold with the calves. High-quality Angus calves range from $650 to $800. Quite the investment for one animal.

Transporting

Goats when being transported can literally sit on your lap. They are small enough for a couple of them to travel in a dog crate and can easily ride inside your vehicle. As they grow and you travel, a trailer with less airflow is best for goats. Check out this Custom Hauler to accommodate up to 6 full-grown goats and all their gear. This video shares the essentials on the importance to haul safely and have less stress.

Cows, on the other hand, are larger and will need a trailer. Only a couple at a time will fit and can be difficult to load. A livestock trailer can get expensive.

Acreage on your Homestead, Goats vs Cows

Cows need more room to graze and live. 1 acre per head of cattle plus more for with calves. They will prosper with high-quality grass and will not eat weeds.  If needed, check out more pasture information here.

Shelter and Fencing

Goats don’t like to be wet or in the wind. Therefore, they need a three-sided structure with minimal drafts to keep the weather out. The size will depend on how many you want on your homestead to satisfy your needs. This video gives you tips for deciding how to shelter your goats. As for fencing, somehow they can fit through and squeeze under the smallest space. Having a proper secure fence with electric wire will keep your goats safe and predators out.

Cows are much larger and will need more space. As a result, a huge expense will be how big of a barn to build to achieve your homestead goals. Fencing for cows is a lot easier, they respect and most often stay inside the fence. It is the calves who try to escape and get through the electric then figure out how to stay with the rest of the herd. But once they do get out, they are much larger and not so easy to corral back in the field.

Feed

Feeding is going to be the most important thing you do. If you have not invested in how to raise a baby goat course, we highly recommend you do. It is so critical in that first year. Goats grow 50% to 70% of their total growth in the first year and four years to finish. Furthermore, giving free-choice minerals and grass hay, with consuming 1 flake a day for adults, making it more affordable to raise goats. A properly designed and built feeder will eliminate waste and save money.

Cows feed 2% per head of their body weight of hay and also consume 1% of the grain. Whether or not hay is available, a good quality pasture grass and a supplement of grain are needed to obtain their diet. How much to feed can be decided on what your needs are for raising beef or milk. Think, for example, 30 to 42 months, how long you will provide feed till butcher time.

The next most important thing is health. Keeping up on vaccinations, hoof care, fecal samples, and prevention of diseases having the resources and know-how is going to benefit you and save you money. Again investing in how to raise a baby goat course, will give you the confidence to succeed and save on vet fees by teaching you how to give shots yourself, and when to call your vet when needed.

Cows successful production depends on their wellness care, herd management, and healthy calving. Being educated and having the right resources can prevent expensive house calls.

Creating your desires on your homestead comes down to the costs between goats and cows. Depending on your resources and how much you want to invest your time and money, will determine what meets your needs.