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The
past two years of drought have been tough on most farms, but
particularly goat farms. Cost of hay and feed has increased, while
prices received for goats have significantly decreased. The number of
goats showing up at sale barns has doubled during times of drought, thus
driving down prices. As the market became saturated with terminal
animals, goat prices dropped below their normal market prices. It’s a
prime example of simple economics: an inverse relationship between
supply and price.
During
the drought of 2006, many goat producers felt they could hold out for
another year and things would get better; however, the drought of 2007
was even worse! Hay yields were poor, hay inventories were depleted,
grain prices rose, pasture conditions went from mediocre to bad and
producers scrambled to deal with the situation. Some sold out, some
reduced their herd and those remaining paid premium prices for hay and
supplemental feed. Those who made it through the summer of 2007 will
need a strategy to survive the winter of 2007-2008 and spring into 2008
(excuse the pun). Below are some recommendations.
Hay:
If you have not purchased sufficient quantities of hay to carry your
goats through the winter, you had better secure it now; availability
will not improve and prices will increase! If your situation is similar
to mine, you have been feeding hay year-round since June of 2006. I have
been able to get hay the entire time and stock up for winter of
2007-2008, but associated costs have almost doubled my hay budget. There
are several options: accept the high cost of hay, fence in more pasture
area or cull the size of your herd.
Supplemental
feed: In theory
grain feed should only be fed as a supplement, goats were designed to
perform best on browse and pastures.
In
the real world, my recommendation is to use a commercial formulated feed
specific to goats as a supplemental feed and to shop around for a
quality product at a reasonable price. Feed products such as soybean
hull pellets and meal, corn and corn gluten, cottonseed*, distillers’
grains, ethanol by-products*, peanut skins and other grains and grain
by-products have satisfactory nutritional values. However, the
aforementioned products may or may not be readily available and
affordable in your area. Whatever you do, make sure to use a blend of
products and provide a protein supplement/mineral block specific for
goats. You might be able to substitute food products, but a diet
deficient in minerals can diminish the health, immunities and
reproductive capabilities of your goats!
Pasture
management:
Evaluate your pastures and estimate forage availability for upcoming
winter and spring. Does your farm offer the ability to rotate animals
from one pasture to another; if not, what needs to be done to facilitate
rotational grazing? If you have woodlands available consider fencing in
those areas to accommodate browsing during fall, spring and summer. If
you anticipate inadequate vegetation to get your animals through winter,
plan to purchase supplemental hay and grains, and do so immediately.
Fall is a good time to pre-purchase cottonseed and other grains that
have been recently harvested. Consider putting your animals on harvested
corn/soybean/cotton fields, this allows them to graze vegetation residue
and clean up fields at the same time. Be creative when it comes to
grazing resources.
Planting
ahead: Consider
planting grasses/grains/legumes for fall/winter/spring grazing. Plant
grass seed in the fall to provide spring/summer grazing. Plant winter
wheat, rye and other small grains for winter/spring grazing. And don’t
forget those wonderful legumes (clover, sericea lespedeza, etc.) as a
good source of proteins, tannins (parasite control) and they help fix
nitrogen in the soil.
Selective
culling: Culling
is a negative word among beginning goat producers; however, it is more
practical to purchase quality replacement animals in the spring than
carry faulty animals through the winter. Animals which have health
issues are vulnerable to parasite overloads and are not easy keepers can
be a financial drain on your finances and compromise the appearance of
your herd. Try culling a few of your "problem" animals and you
will be amazed at the reduction in health care expenditures and the
improved appearance of your herd. Be selective, be practical and both
you and your pocketbook will benefit.
Variable
costs such as feed, healthcare and pasture management are the primary
expenditures associated with goat production. Taking time to assess your
farm situation and planning accordingly will minimize stress on you and
your animals, and increase the likelihood your farm will survive tough
times. Inadequate planning and post seasonal purchases result in
production and cost inefficiencies. After all, strategic planning and
sustainability are management issues.
*Be
cautious using these items as sole/primary feed rations, they may be
toxic with excessive use.
Robert
Spencer is the Urban Regional Extension Specialist in the Urban Affairs
and Nontraditional Programs Unit & The Urban Centers in North
Alabama for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. |
