In connection with the growing human population and the shortage of protein sources, goats — as undemanding yet highly productive animals that have accompanied humans for thousands of years — will become increasingly important. There are many projects in which these small ruminants, providing a wide range of benefits, serve as the main means of escaping poverty in the most underdeveloped parts of the world. Moreover, they do not have to serve only a nutritional function. For example, due to its biological composition, goat milk is also used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. With the help of genetic engineering, it is even beginning to show promise for the production of cheaper and more effective anti-cancer drugs. What is needed for goat farming?

What to feed goats

In general, goats are more demanding in terms of nutrition than sheep. The basis of their diet consists of roughage feeds (hay, green forage, silage, haylage, straw), supplemented with concentrates (crushed oats, barley, wheat, or corn grain) and vitamin-mineral salt licks. Concentrated feed should be provided carefully to prevent metabolic disorders. It is usually added during the breeding season, to animals in the second half of pregnancy, and to lactating goats.

The goat kids can be fed a compound feed mixture, which is first supplemented with milk and later combined with hay.

Anglo-Nubian goats are more demanding when it comes to feeding because they are highly productive animals that require high-quality commercial feed in adequate amounts to support their performance.

How to care for goats

Goats graze only during the growing season; during the dormant season they are housed in barns. Compared to sheep, goats are selective grazers, preferring grasses and herbs while also enjoying browsing shrubs and trees. If animals on pasture do not have free access to a shelter, they should have simple shelters available for protection against weather conditions. Before being turned out to pasture, goats should have their hooves treated and receive antiparasitic treatment. In dairy herds, udders must also be checked for ticks.

Raising goats

In herd breeding systems, the mother and kids are moved immediately after birth to a kidding pen, where they remain for one to three days. They are then returned to the communal housing area, which includes so-called “nurseries,” meaning pens for kids equipped with infrared lamps during winter kidding periods. Kids stay with their mothers for three to three and a half months.

Dairy goat farming

During milking and the production of goat milk products, maximum hygiene is essential. Milk intended for processing is gently pasteurized and traditionally used to produce cheeses, yogurts, kefir, or consumed fresh.

Goats in small-scale farming

About one-third of all goats raised in the Czech Republic are kept in small-scale farms with up to five animals. The produced milk is intended for personal consumption. The goat kids are raised traditionally with their mothers, remaining with them for at least six weeks. Individual care minimizes stress and health problems. A very similar situation exists on small family farms, where family members provide above-standard care for the animals.

Farms with larger numbers of animals

Demand for goat milk products motivates breeders to establish larger herds of at least 50 to 100 animals. To extend the milk production period, births are scheduled over six to eight weeks. Before giving birth, does are divided into smaller groups in pens where they remain with their kids during the colostrum period. Pressure for more intensive milk production shortens the weaning period, and kids are transferred to group pens earlier. Modern farming facilities increasingly include newly built structures equipped with technological systems that reduce the amount of manual labor.

In intensive dairy goat operations (100–200 animals), farmers aim to start milking as soon as possible after birth and maintain lactation for as long as possible. To minimize coccidiosis in goat kids, many farms use medicated feed mixtures. These farms operate on a semi-industrial basis, processing goat milk products while hired employees care for the animals. Kids are separated from their mothers as early as the second day after birth and moved into group pens, where they are hand-fed mixed colostrum. However, very early weaning reduces the physiological benefits of colostrum due to mixed feeding, unsuitable feeding intervals, and low dosage levels. As a result, kids become more susceptible to disease.

Industrial goat farming

Large-scale farms with 400–800 dairy goats already operate on an industrial basis. Because milk production is the primary goal, kids are separated from their mothers immediately after birth and placed in pens with automatic feeders that provide warm milk replacer at any time throughout the day. Special milk replacer formulas produced for this purpose are very expensive, which encourages the use of cheaper alternatives that may lead to health complications in kids.

Meat production farms

In addition to milk, goats also provide meat. Due to demand for slaughter kids during Easter holidays, births are usually timed for winter.

The Boer goat, a breed specialized for meat production, began to be imported into the Czech Republic in the 1990s. It is a hardy, undemanding breed with a calm temperament that is also well suited for landscape management. In the Czech Republic, Boer goats are still mainly kept as a hobby breed because there is little market demand for goat meat. Yet the meat of young slaughter goats is tender, juicy, and firm in texture, without a strong aroma. Even the intramuscular fat does not produce unpleasant flavors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you start raising goats?

First, you need to decide the purpose of raising goats — whether only for enjoyment or professionally for milk or meat production.

If you want to raise goats professionally and comply with legal requirements, you must first provide suitable shelter, sufficient grazing or exercise space, find a registered breeder from whom you want to purchase breeding animals, arrange the sale, register your farm with the Czech-Moravian Breeders’ Corporation, purchase the animals, and follow the procedures for transferring animals between farms.

If you only want goats as ornamental animals or for grazing a small piece of land, you should choose a suitable breed, such as the White Shorthaired or Brown Shorthaired goat (milk breeds), Boer goat (meat breed), or Dutch Dwarf goat. You must provide suitable housing, feed, and access to water, and then find a breeder willing to sell the animals.

2. Which goat breed is best for farming in the Czech Republic?

There is no simple answer. Every breeder has different preferences and farming conditions, and different breeds appeal to different people. However, statistics show that the White Shorthaired goat and the Brown Shorthaired goat are the most commonly raised breeds in the Czech Republic, making them the most suitable overall for local conditions.

3. How should goats be fed and what feed should be used?

The basis of the diet consists of roughage feeds (hay, green forage, silage, haylage, straw), supplemented with concentrates (crushed oats, barley, or corn grain) and vitamin-mineral salt licks. Concentrated feed should be provided carefully to avoid metabolic disorders. It is usually added during breeding season, in the second half of pregnancy, and for lactating goats.
The goat kids can be fed a compound feed mixture, first supplemented with milk and later combined with hay.

4. What kind of housing and barn do goats need?

Goats require dry, well-ventilated, bright housing without drafts.

Basic requirements:

• Dry and clean conditions — moisture causes hoof and respiratory diseases.
• Good ventilation without drafts — fresh air is important, but direct airflow onto animals should be avoided.
• Sufficient space — at least about 1.5–2 m² per adult goat (more for larger breeds).
• Bedding — straw or wood shavings, regularly replaced or replenished.
• Separate pens — for kidding does, bucks, and sick animals if necessary.
• Outdoor enclosure — goats need exercise, ideally pasture or at least an outdoor run with secure fencing, as they are skilled at jumping over and crawling under fences.
• Shelter on pasture — protection from rain, wind, and direct sunlight.