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Cost of starting commercial Goat Farming in Nigeria 2024

Rearing livestock like Goats is one of the easiest ways of making money in the Agricultural sector without having to risk your capital. In fact, it’s one of the most profitable farming businesses any farmer can invest in, this is because the demand for goat meat unlike its supply is very high in Nigeria and overseas especially during festive seasons like Christmas, Easter, Sallah and some personal occasions like Wedding, Naming and Burial ceremonies.

The truth is that goat farming is very profitable considering factors like low cost of feeding due to the availability of grasses for these Ruminants. To be precise, Nigeria is home to assorted Goat breeds whose gestation period is 135 days, making your goats to deliver two times per year and in essence, doubling your herd stock in a commercial scale within a short period.

For beginners, it’s advisable to start with between 2 to 10 Goats in other to gain valuable experience before going into commercial production. At least a male and others should be female.

If you want to go into goat farming, there are requirements and practices you’ll want to consider first before venturing into this business of Animal Husbandry. In this article, you’ll learn how to do the following:

  • Design of Goat Structure
  • Proper Selection of Brood Stock
  • General Goat Rearing and Management
  • Treatment and Vaccination of the Sokoto Maradi breed.
  • General Disease Management of Goats
  • Feeding
  • Cost of Different breeds of Goats 2021
  • General Cost of Setting up a Goat Farm

Design of Goat Structure

When designing a house specifically for goat, one thing that will come to your mind is ventilation. The shed has to be well ventilated. Therefore an open space structure is good for goats.

Another thing that’ll come to your mind is raising the structure high only if the place is waterlogged. If the place isn’t waterlogged, no need for high structures.

Thirdly, you should consider building Goat pens with respect to the population density of goats. Building smaller pens for the goats and stocking many Goats in a small pen might not be good for the Goats and therefore might affect their health. You might consider using 5ft by 3ft for a single Boer goat or a single South African Kalahari goat as population density of goats or two West African Dwarf goats for same space. Two Sokoto Maradi Breed of goats can equally be in 5ft by 3ft and gain easy comfort. When designing structures for Sokoto Maradi goats, make sure it’s well insulated in order to avoid cold. Cold is their major problem. However, wood shaven and or sawdust can be used as insulators.

Proper Selection of Goat Breed stock

Good  selection of breed stock plays the major role in the success of any farm. When you want to select good breed stock for your goat farming, always consider first their stature. Never buy animals that show signs of small stature. Secondly, look at their anus (where they pass out faeces to see if they’re excreting watery faeces. If the anus is dry, then consider it diarrhea free. Lastly, look at their eyes. If you notice any form of whitish mucus in their eyes, just know that the goat is sick. Whitish substance in their eyes may also be as a result of cold.

Goat Rearing and Management practices

As I mentioned earlier, Goat Farming is a very lucrative venture if properly managed. There are different management approaches given to different breeds of goats. For example, the West African Dwarf goats are very strong and are very resistant to diseases. They eat green grasses and withstand stresses more than the Sokoto Maradi goats. So you cannot apply same management techniques to the Sokoto Maradi breed, if you do, they’ll all die. The Sokoto Maradi Breed is allergic to cold and doesn’t do well in very cold regions. This is why it’s important to always give it an anti-cold Oxytetracycline injection on weekly basis, if not, their mortality rate would be high enough. If you are already experiencing this, this must be why your goats are dying. Never you apply same management techniques to all breeds of goats.

Treatment and Vaccination of the Sokoto Maradi Breed and General Goat Disease Management

The two major symptoms shown by the Sokoto Maradi Breed are Cold and Diarrhea.
Cold in goats are being treated with weekly injection of Oxytetracycline. Cold has a symptom of whitish substance on the eyes of the affected Goat. In order to treat the affected goat, give 2.5mls of Oxytetracycline injection per Goat. Also make sure you give 2.5mls of Vitamin injection alongside the Oxytetracycline injection. By doing this on weekly basis, your goats cannot die of cold. Another reason why your goats die is due to improper management.

oxytetracycline injection for animals in nigeriaAnother common disease suffered by all goats is Diarrhea. When a goat suffers diarrhea, the Faeces changes to watery Faeces. It’ll result to weakness of the affected goat. In order to treat such goats, give Diaroak to the affected goat. This Diaroak is to be forced into the mouth of the affected goat.  All you need to do is to divide a sachet of Diaroak into two, dissolve half in water and give to the goat in the morning and the other half in the evening, the diarrhea is expected to stop after a day, if it doesn’t, repeat the second day, then give 5mls of Sulphor injection. You can buy VTS sulphor injectable solution. No mater how stubborn the diarrhea is, it’s expected to stop after the the Sulphor injection.

Treatment of PPR virus infection in Goats.

PPR virus infection is a very deadly infection in goats, sheep and other ruminants. It kills goats faster than any other infection or disease. The survival of goats with this virus depends on the goat’s immune system.

Symptoms include: Watery faeces, fluid substance oozing out from the mouth and or nostrils. The fluid could be catarrh or in another form. Another symptom include weak or paralyzed legs.  If a goat dies without showing any symptoms, leave it for few hours, if mucus or catarrh starts oozing out from the mouth or nostrils, just know that it purely PPR disease. This virus infection is very deadly and doesn’t pity animals. PPR virus infection has no cure but can be managed by giving the animals PPR vaccination. When affected, use Tylosin medicine to manage it and always add vitamin to their water for strength.

dead goat showing symptom of PPR infection

Deworming of goats

Make sure you deworm all your goats and on monthly basis. The best deworming medicine is Invermectin. Use 1½ for big goats and 1 for small goats. Dissolve in water and force it into their mouth.

Feeding of Goats

Feeding of Goats are mainly in two systems, one is the Extensive Goat rearing and the other is the Intensive Goat rearing (zero grazing) system. There is also an intermediary called Semi-intensive system which along with other categories, affect the feed and feeding pattern of these ruminants. Goats generally feed on leaves of shrubs and vegetables. The Sokoto Maradi breed also enjoys feeding on dry grasses and vegetables too. Goats love eating Beans chaff, Soyabean chaff, Rice chaff etc. But if you want your Goats to look more healthy especially the Sokoto Maradi Breed, bring them out for open grazing within a controlled environment. Since we are discussing goat farming on a commercial scale, emphasis will be on the Zero Grazing method which is feasible owing to its large-scale-friendly nature.

Zero Grazing Goat farming in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and other countries

Zero grazing is the process of rearing goats without bringing them out for grazing or without any pasture or field for grazing. This type of farming is mostly found in the urban city where there are no grazing field or pasture for the animals or where open grazing is prohibited by law.

Zero grazing Feeds

Besides green grasses and other green vegetables, these goats can eat a lot of what we generally call wastes. Wastes like Cassava peels, chaff from processed Pap (Akamu/Ogi chaff), PKC, Beans chaff, Soybeans chaff, Maize chaff, Wheat offal, Brewery waste etc. Another important zero grazing feed which some farmers neglect or are ignorant of is poultry droppings. Poultry droppings is highly rich in proteins and minerals. Poultry droppings contains about 60% protein. Just like Snails, Goats feed on dry poultry droppings. Please do not give your goats fresh poultry droppings. The droppings should be well dried before giving the goats. Also make sure that the dry poultry droppings is free from foreign materials such as paper, metallic objects or other materials that aren’t part of the droppings. Make sure you mix, formulate feeds for them. For example, don’t give your goats only Brewery waste. Give them varieties of feed containing the required nutritious components so as to look healthy for you.

Cost of Different breeds of Goats

The price of Goats in Nigeria is as low as ₦6,000 naira and as high as ₦350,000 naira depending on the size.
Below are the detailed rates in the local markets.
Prices of Goats in Nigeria

Goat prices in Nigeria 2021

Goat Gender Small Medium Large
West African Dwarf (WAD) Female ₦6,000 ₦12,000 ₦20,000
West African Dwarf (WAD) Male ₦6,000 ₦15,000 ₦25,000
Sokoto Maradi Female ₦8,000 ₦15,000 ₦22,000
Sokoto Maradi Male ₦10,000 ₦20,000 ₦45,000
Boer Female ₦45,000 ₦80,000 ₦150,000
Boer Male ₦65,000 ₦115,000 ₦250,000
South African Kalahari Female ₦45,000 ₦80,000 ₦150,000
South African Kalahari Male ₦65,500 ₦115,000 ₦250,000

Cost of Setting up a Goat farm

The cost of setting up a Goat farm is largely dependent on the capacity and type of structure you would want to put in place. We have different types of goat structures. There are the wooden and brick structures. The difference between the two is that the brick houses have pony walls built with 150 or 225 cement blocks of about 900mm height while the wooden pony walls are built with timber and of the same height.

Required cost components for a 4,500 square feet Goat house

    1. Needed land area: 4,500 square feet
    2. Number of Meta or wooden poles to carry the roof: 34 poles
    3. Number of Cement blocks needed for the pony walls: 4,410
    4. Quantity of Sand needed for mortar: 4.52 m3
    5. Quantity of Cement needed for mortar: 33 bags
    6. Alternatively, use 300mm Wood (facing board) to build stud walls. About 100800 meter length will be needed.
    7. 455 Zinc corrugated roofing sheets of about 660×1800 will be needed
    8. Purlins (Timber) needed is 1850 in linear quantity
    9. 177 m2 Wire mesh to keep away intruders like snakes
    10. Then get a Capenter and a gang of Bricklayers to put everything to shape.

Most, if not all of these building materials will be required to construct a habitable 100 capacity goat pen. In that case, the average cost of starting a goat farm in Nigeria is between ₦450,000 to ₦1,000,000 naira (depending on your location).

Profit: How much Goat farmers make

Having bought good breed stock of goats of about 100 in number with about 85 Does or Nannys. As a Goat farmer, the amount of money you are going to make in a year is about ₦2,000,000. Assuming you spent up to 20% in taking care of them, profit margin will still not go below 80 to 70 percent.That is how lucrative the business can be.


What else do you want to know about Goats? Tell us in the comment section.

Originally posted 2022-11-20 15:02:56.

                               


                               

Comments (35)


  1. Apart from selling goat to final consumers, what are other things the meat of goat can be used for. For example, the huff, intestinal, skin, hair? What are the commercial values of this this?

  2. Job well done, it’s has given fundamental guide lines for taking off of goat farming.

  3. Where can I get pure boar goat in Nigeria.

  4. Where can I get Savana goat and how much does one cost ?

  5. Pls how can I get the exotic breed like Boer, and south Africa’s calaris and red Sokoto’s with price pls

  6. How can I get the boer in Nigeria
    How many plots of land is required for 100 goats under the intensive /semi Intensive

  7. Tieneabasi Sampson

    I’ll first appreciate your work here. You’ve really been of help through this publication.

    First question: Where can I find the Boer breed in Nigeria. And cost or purchasing it.

    Second: How many plots of land will contain the 100 goats as stated in your very extensive write-up?

    What Nigerian breed is a good producer of milk?

    Thank you so much.

  8. We often get asked ” Why is the Kalahari Reds so special?” – well here are some of the top qualities of this excellent breed that should fully answer the question.

    The Kalahari Reds Has:

    1. Excellent mothering ability – they bond well and protect their young at all costs.

    2. Ewes can kid in the field (veld) – less labour needed.

    3. High fertility and excellent conception rate.

    4. Multiple births – twins and triplets, hence very fertile.

    5. Good milk production – sufficient for twins and triplets.

    6. Good growth and good weaning weights.

    7. Export quality carcass – good conformation & tender tasty
    meat that is very healthy.

    8. 100% pigmented – no albinism.

    9. The red colour acts as a useful camouflage against
    predators.

    10. Tolerant of external and internal parasites – very hardy.

    11. Tolerant of temperature extremes – hot & cold.

    12. Highly efficient foragers – can walk long distances and can
    be used to control bush and weeds.

    To buy this wonderful Boer and Kalahari breed, You can reach us on_ 08154695379
    Or WhatsApp us on this link 🔗 https://wa.me/2348154695379

  9. Hello. Please who can link me up with a good breeder. I need 50 sokoto red, 10 WAD. 2 Ram. 08168483734 whatsapp.

  10. Can I talk to someone?

  11. Good evening. Pls I need West African Dwarf female Goats in large numbers.?

  12. Nice writeup an educative one, I have a full 1 plot of land and I am looking to use it for goat farming. How many goats can I start with this size of land? Thank you await your reply

  13. Please, you advised I should start with 10 goat, for how long will I be able to increase the brooder stock? Also, can I start with 100 if I have competent staff?

  14. Thank you for this brilliant write-up that is insightful to a starter. I am very much interested in the Kalahari breed and our West African Dwarf. I shall be calling you on WhatsApp. Thank You for your very sincere and excellent write-up

  15. Please how many plots of land will I need for 100 goats?
    To begin goat rearing, how many male and female ratio can I start with to really give me a meaningful commercial prospect?
    How do I source profitable ones as a beginner?

    • Admin BetaPrices

      How many plots required for 100 goats is dependent on the system of goat rearing adopted.

      The recommended ratio of male to female goats is 1:20

      You can contact us, we can supply you good breeds of goats. We only have the Sokoto Maradi and WAD

  16. What can you use to feed baby goats.
    Can i use invermectic to deworm pregnant goat

  17. #DidYouKnow?

    The ideal age to start breeding goats is at 12 months of age. A young buck of 12 months old can be given 20 mature does to start with. A Mature buck can be given 50 does at a time. It is best to keep the bucks away from the does and only introduce to them to the does at the time of breeding. During this period, the bucks are separated into different pens, where they will receive their daily ration of feed, hay, and water. Each buck will be given a selection of does allocated to him. The tag numbers of each doe must be recorded together with the buck’s tag number in order to record the correct history of the kids at the time birth.

    During the breeding period, the Bucks will remain in their allocated pen for a period of 45 days. During the day, the does allocated to the buck will go out grazing and only come to his pen at night for mating. With this system, the buck will cover more does throughout the night and be able to rest during the day. A Doe’s heat cycle is every 21 days and this lasts for 72 hours. The reason the buck stays with his allocated does for 45 days is that if the buck misses her on her first cycle, he will be able to mate with her on the second cycle. Once the 45 days are done, the buck is removed but the does will be monitored to see if any come on heat again. The remaining does that were not service will be given back to the buck.

    For quality Boer goats and Kalahari Red You can reach us on_ 09028396272
    Or WhatsApp us on this link 🔗 https://wa.me/2349028396272

    *GESTATION AND KIDDING*

    The gestation period for does is five months. Once kidding commences the does should be put into individual kidding pens where she can bond with her kids for 3 to 5 days., Thereafter the doe can go out grazing and return to feed her kids at lunchtime and the evening. The does must be looked after well during this period, a supplementary feed can be given once a day. The kidding pens must be kept clean at all times. The kids should not be let out during the first two months, this keeps them safe from predators and helps them to build their immune system.

  18. YussufAdedayo

    Weldone@BETAPRICES your information is brief and very detailed. Thanks for the good work in eradication of unemployment and poverty.

  19. Otu Alphonsus George

    I live in lafia but from cross river state can kalahari red rearing in my place and do well if yes then how much is one cost

  20. Otu Alphonsus George

    I live in lafia but I am from cross river state can kalahari red rearing be able to do well there if yes then how much is one

  21. Akomolafe livestock market place

    How to Start Grasscutter Farming in Nigeria
    Thryonomys Swinderianus commonly known as grasscutter comes from the rodent family and are very adaptable to most tropical vegetations; let’s discuss grasscutter farming in Nigeria!

    Grasscutter meat is highly valued and has been available in the market for a long time in countries like Africa, Asia, Latin America. They are found in mangroves, swamps, rainforests and savannas.
    Grasscutters dwell in farmlands, sugarcane plantations, oil palm plantations and in creeks and are classified as monogastric herbivores.
    Grasscutter farming in Nigeria is on the rise and it’s providing income for a lot of people because the meat is acceptable to most societies and religion. A large proportion of the grasscutter consumed in Nigeria is hunted in the bush. 1kg of grasscutter can cost about twelve times the cost of 1kg of cow meat (beef), ten times the cost of goat meat, and eight times the cost of chicken.

    This makes grasscutter farming in Nigeria a very profitable business to go into. Let’s learn more!

    Contact us on 08144115422

    we ship nationwide

  22. Common Mistakes People Make When Venturing Into Goat Farming For The First Time

    1. Building a mansion at the farm

    You do not need a fancy house when starting your farming enterprise unless you intend to set up an unproductive rural home. Let business lead not comfort and pride to show off on Facebook.

    2. Starting big without Proper Guidiance From experience farmer like us.

    Only the grave starts on top, every other thing starts small or medium. Starting small is not a weakness but a strategy. There are too many advantages of starting small.

    3. Producing without the market.
    – it’s safer to ‘produce for the market, than to market the produce’. That’s one of the advantages of starting small. Let the real customer guide you. The market is your greatest teacher.

    4. Working on assumptions.
    – untested assumptions are very costly. Never put a big budget on assumptions. Thank me later!

    5. Hiring unqualified and family people.

    Only a fool will entrust an N1,000,000 investment in the hands of an uneducated relative or some cheap guy or illiterate couple desperately looking for a place to stay. If farming is a business, then get trained people. Never hire anyone you can’t fire! Unless it’s urgent avoid relatives! Hire the best you can and don’t trust them!

    6. Setting too short time frames.

    Farming is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. This is the reason many backyard goat farmers never make any money. Although goats are ready in 6 months, your money is usually abundantly ready after years of consistency. Get in with a plan to evaluate at least 2 times in 5 years! Anything less will not give you an informed perspective.

    7. Investing in infrastructure without production

    Your business is farming not buildings. Invest in stock not structures. If possible have temporary structures for your goats or chickens. Too many people build structures for 2.5 million and buy cheap stock (like goat) for 20,000. Very unwise! Start with the cheapest or free structures but with the best breeds/variety of what you want to grow! Contact us today for high quality foundation stock, You can always reach us on call or whatsapp 08154695379….

    8. Working without a plan can set you up for failure so before you start you should contact us for a confirmed tested and trusted business plan.

    #letssucceedtogether #UnmatchedBreeding #UnrivalledGenetics #LetsMakeItTogether #tipoftheday

  23. MAHMUD MUHAMMAD

    Thank you so much for this honest advice.

  24. Waw, this is awesome 👍 thank you for this educative write up indeed am blessed.ance again thank you.

  25. Waw this is awesome thank you for this educative write up indeed am blessed.ance again thank you.

  26. Imaenyin Udoekpo

    i really appreciate your effort in this line of business. i had interest in farming particularly poultry but got frustrated as i used wrong personnels.
    I started poultry farming in a small scale in my house and realised profit which interested me to expand it to a larger scale . The business came to a hault because of mismanagement of inexperienced staff i had as i relocated to another state.
    Please i nead more of your advice before i start goat farming, considering my unavailability in the farm.

  27. How much in estimation can a beginner budget for goat medication, vaccination and veterinary services. Thank you.
    Where can I see good quality breed to buy I based in ikorodu side Lagos
    Thank you

  28. Goats Farming As A Business: A Noble Profession.
    Goat is a hollow small ruminant animal.Goat is reared for its meat, milk and hide and skin. Goat milk is the richest of all the milk produced by animals including man.
    And we remain your best plug for high quality Boer, Kalahari red, Savannah goats and (WAD) West African Dwaf Goat.
    Nigeria goat rearing business is very lucrative, you need little or no guidance to succeed whether for personal consumption or business, the demand for goat is high and will Continue because of the population growth, goat business has really gained popularity.
    You can get all your favorite goats breeds at EASY FARMING LTD.

    Price list for boar, Kalahari and savanna breed.
    3months old DOE and BUCK…..#35,000
    6months old DOE & BUCK——-#45,000
    9months Pregnant DOE ……#60,000
    Mature DOE & BUCK—–#70,000

    Savannah/West Africa Dwarf #25,000

    COLONY(1male and 3 females)..#150,000

    Goats feeds 20kg————-10,000

    CALL 08154695379 OR MESSAGE ME ON WHATSHAPP http://wa.me/2348154695379 for full info or visit us at No 21 Cashew Village Ijebu North East Ogbogbo Precisely After Ago Fulani Camp Ogun State Nigeria…

  29. I am currently close to Asaba, I want to start Goat business. If I buy, how do I get supplies. I need a colony.

  30. Please, how much on the average is the cost of one tonne of goat supplementary feed such as spent grains or other mixed supplements?

  31. I live at Ido LGA in Ibadan. I tried goat farming before, raising almost 500 sherds but it failed due to disease attacks. I need some level of partnership from experienced farmer to help set us up again in a small but correct way.
    If you are interested pls call me at your convenient time. The above number is also my WhatsApp number.
    Thank you

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