How Much Does a Baby Goat Cost And How to Raise Them
Baby goats are an incredibly cute asset to add to your farm. While they are cute they do come with a price tag! It’s important to know how much they cost and how to make sure you are finding a good one. Read along and don’t miss out on your free baby goat checklist, so you can be prepared! I just want my checklist!
A baby goats price will depend on a few factors. You have to factor in the breed of goat, registered vs. non-registered, and the goat farmers starting price. A baby goats cost can vary anywhere from $100-$900 depending on what you are looking for.
Our Experience with Goats and Lessons Learned
When we first started raising goats we purchased a doe for $600 and a buck for $600. They were both registered but did not come from the best farm. We later discovered the farm we purchased those goats from did not test their animals for CAE, CL, Johnnes, or Q fever. Thank God we learned early on how important testing is for all animals that we bring on our farm. You can read about why testing is important here.
We sold those animals back to the previous breeder and sought out Nigerian dwarfs from tested herds. These breeders were all show breeders and breeds for good genetics. Genetics are incredibly important when raising goats because you want the goat to have good milk production and longevity. We spent $500 on our first two Nigerian dwarf does. Looking back, I feel as though that is overpriced being that we bought them for milk. They only produced 6-16 oz each for us and as a family of 4 that just didn’t cut it.
Fast forward 2 1/2 years later we got a little wiser. We sold all of our Nigerian dwarf goats and purchased mini Nubian and standard Nubian goats. We paid $900 for two full size Registered Nubians (they came together) and $650-$700 was our purchase price for our mini Nubians. They are all registered as well and bred for good genetics. To me the price difference is 100% worth it because the amount of milk we get from them.
Month-To-Month Cost?
One quick point to consider before buying is the month to month cost. This can vary depending on the size of your animal. Obviously pygmy goats will cost less to take care of than Boer goats because of their food requirements. You may want to feed organic feed and this will cost more as well. Will you be getting regular checkups / vet visits? or will you be the care taker? Do you have a shelter? Will you be buying herbs for deworming? Will You be buying essential oils? These are a few questions to consider and important things to realize. It’s not just the initial cost of the goat. When buying a goat, it is a continual investment. This is just like any other pet!
Non-Registered Baby Goat: Is A Cheap Goat a Good Option?
Non Registered Goats will be your cheapest option you can find at local farms or from a sale barn. There is nothing wrong with doing this but it is very important to inform yourselves on what to look for and know when to say no to a goat even if they are irresistible. The cost of goats that are unregistered can range from $0-$350. This is where many people shop when they just want pet goats or just simply can’t afford to buy a registered goat.
Some people even give away a FREE goat sometimes. This may be very tempting especially because baby goats are just so cute! There is a chance that you will get an amazing goat that is unregistered, however it can be risky. Many goats in this price range can have health issues that the breeder may try to hide. Also many goats in this range can have features that are undesirable and can actually be harmful to the goats longevity. Many goats in this price range can be a great asset and be beautiful.
If you do not care if the goat is a purebred but just want a great goat then there is no reason to buy registered if you make sure they come from healthy farms who give proper care to their herd. One tip on buying a cheaper goat would be to talk with a registered goat breeder who disease tests their herd. They may be willing to sell you one of their goats unregistered without papers for a little cheaper. This is a great option because you will have a solid goat and disease free to add to your herd.
*To be clear, I have nothing against unregistered animals but I feel it is fair that you understand the risks of buying cheap goats*
Registered Baby Goat: Is It Worth the Money?
A registered dairy goat or meat goat will have a history of pedigree that is registered with an organization. For Dairy, this is usually the american dairy goat association. This will help keep your herd pure and help you make better breeding decisions. The price of registered goats have a wide range from $400-$1000+. We have had great success around the $500-$800 range. It seems like a lot of money but the higher you go up in price the better the genetics.
Many good breeders keep their prices around this range so it is a comfortable spot to stay around without losing quality. We are a small family farm, so while some $1000 purebred goats would be a great addition, it’s just not affordable for us. It is definitely a goal for us but baby steps.
Even $500 dollars can be pricey at times, but we wouldn’t risk going any lower. The lower you go on the price range the more flaws you will see in a registered animal. A good breeder knows prices and will discount their lesser dairy goats or meat goats. While registered goats can be a great thing, you still want to be cautious before purchasing. Like I said before, it is important that the breeder has a disease free herd. This will keep your investment safe and healthy for a long time. Another thing breeders do is mark up their prices just because they are registered. It is very easy to fall in love with a goat, but please be careful not to fall for this before you look at the quality of the animal especially if you are buying a very expensive goat.
It is crucial that you look at the body conformation of this animal and make sure it is a healthy goat. Also it is important to look at their milk production and/or meat production, depending on your reason for farming. While no goat is perfect in the $500-$800 range, you can still find quality animals that can improve your herd.
Wether Goat Prices And Buck Prices
Female goats are always more sought after than male goats. I always say that no one wants a buck unless they need one, but someone will always want to buy does. A Wether goat is a castrated male goat and their price ranges from $25-$100.They can be great pets or a great way to learn about goat care. This is especially true when you can find miniature goats that have been wethered. They are small, playful and fun! They are also important if you have a female adult goat that you want to know their heat cycle. A Wether will let you know, that is for sure.
Buck prices have a huge range of prices. Some goat breeders have way too many bucks running around so they will throw them in as a package deal with a doe. A good rule of thumb is that a buck will cost $100-$1000. Bucks are a very important part of your herd but there is less demand for them so you can actually find a really nice baby goat buck for a great price. Some high end breeders won’t budge especially those who come from champion lines.
One Goat or Two?
New goat owners always wonder if they should get one baby goat or two baby goats. Unless your goat will be in your house hanging with you all day, it is important that it has a friend. Kid goats especially need interaction with another goat, animal or human. Goats are companion animals and need a herd. A single goat can get depressed or sick all by themselves.
The first step in buying a goat is to buy two goats! This is the best way to buy goats and honestly the funnest way. Before you know it you will have a whole herd of goats, so you might as well get that second goat purchase over with! Sometimes a breeder may give you a discount for buying more than one at a time. Another option is to buy a wether goat for a companion, and is a cheaper option to get started.
How To Care for Your New Baby Goat
While all goat breeds are very complex and have different dietary needs than most animals, the basic care for your baby goats can be quite simple. If your baby is weaned and eating food, it is a good idea to get a small bag of food from the breeder. Slowly start to transition to your feed by doing half old feed and half new feed. Give their little rumen time to adjust and then add more of the new feed and less of the old until they are completely transitioned. Hay is very important for your new baby goat. This is especially true If they are coming from a dry lot to your farm with fresh forage.
Minerals are also important for parasite resistants and overall health. Clean water is important at least twice a day. Consider herbal deworming with herbs and using essential oils for coccidia prevention. If you don’t want to do herbals then you will want to make sure you have a chemical on hand for coccidia. Keep an eye on their body weight to make sure they are growing healthy and strong. Subscribe to our newsletter and get your FREE baby goat checklist!
I’d love to hear which goats you have on your farm or if you plan on getting any! Let me know in the comments below.
We have a Nigerian dwarf mama and a Nigerian/LaMancha dwarf mama and two babies with “moon spots.” All four have blue eyes and are beautiful! We bought goats to eat the brush in our woods and keep the woods clean but we have fallen in love with them because their personalities are so precious!!
We love our goats too! They really are such loving animals. Moonspots and blue eyes are always so nice to have in the pasture. We just sold our only moonspotted blue eyed buck a few weeks back, he was gorgeous!
Baby goats are so much fun! Great information .
They truly are so much fun! Thanks so much!
I love this! I don’t have the land for goats, yet, but I am always gathering information for the someday projects!!
For sure, it’s never to early to prepare 🙂
We are set up for having a few goats. We thought we wanted to start with two female Boer kids. Unregistered but from a great farm. We are going to build a small barn for them as well and they will have free rein of our property unless if need be ,.. we have a large yard pen fenced off as well. With many large igloos with hay and large doghouses with hay inside. Just wondering what breed would be best to start with. We are thinking Boers. But not sure.
Hi Johanna,
It all depends on what you are wanting goats for. Boer goats are meat goats, so that is perfect if you are wanting meat. If you want milk, I would recommend mini Nubians, alpines, or Nubians. If you just want a pet, Nigerian dwarfs are great goats for pets since they are small and don’t need a huge barn. They also fit easily into igloo dog houses. You can milk Nigerians as well but won’t get a ton of milk from them. I hope this helps!