Small farms are
becoming more popular as residents migrate to the suburbs or close-by
farms. This movement is further accelerated by the aging population, many
of whom had a rural up-bringing and desire to supplement their income with
small farming operations involving sheep and goats or simply have hobby farms
to occupy the time.
However, many owners of small farms
have limited agricultural backgrounds and desire to get back to the “good”
life. Others have no agriculture background and need training on basic
agricultural practices for livestock production.
That is where small ruminant animals like sheep and goats
have an advantage according to Dr. Jodie Pennington, small ruminant educator
with Lincoln University Extension,
ADAPTABLE TO SMALL FARMS
“Small ruminants such as sheep and
goats work well on both large and small farms but are especially adapted to
small farms as they require limited facilities and are safer to handle than
larger animals—which is important for young children and older adults,” said
Pennington.
Sheep and goats can also use forage
and other vegetation on the farm that is otherwise a negative resource that has
to be mowed and maintained, a time consuming and costly endeavor with high
equipment and gas prices.
“I have had several calls recently
from individuals considering getting primarily goats but also sheep. In
most cases, the individuals wanted to minimize the costs in the potential
operation, make a profit, and use the animals and facilities as a tax
deduction. Some were looking for ways to decrease their tax liability.
But some had also been reading about the record high prices for sheep and goats
and about potential high profits with them compared to cattle,” said
Pennington.
Pennington says a person can make a
good return on their investment with small ruminants if they have good
management and plan their production and marketing activities in a sound
manner. Facilities, equipment, and the animals can be depreciated or
deducted with a Section 179 deduction if appropriate.
“You are not going to get rich with
sheep and goats on a few acres unless an airport or Wal-Mart moves in next
door. But, sheep or goats can be used to supplement your income, whether
in retirement or a full-time job,” said Pennington. “However, it is important
to do a good job of managing the animals or they will be used to decrease
taxes, especially if you do a poor job with them as they can lose a lot of
money quickly if management is less than adequate.”
WORD OF WARNING
One word of warning: small
ruminants require greater management than beef cattle but do have more
potential for profits with good management.
Pennington says anyone thinking
about raising sheep and goats should like animals. If they don’t, then they
should look for another enterprise.
“You also need to have enough time
to take care of the animals. I see people who love sheep or goats, have
good facilities and have knowledge of animals, but their job does not allow
them time to care for the animals. As a result, the sheep or goats do not
perform well. Those producers probably would have been better served by
investing in a less intensive type of livestock or another enterprise,” said
Pennington.
Landowners that decide to invest in
sheep or goats need to decide if they are doing it for a hobby, or a paying
enterprise. The next step is to formulate a budget, even if the animals are
going to be a hobby. It is also important to invest some time in deciding if
sheep or goats are more appropriate and which breed is best.
Pennington says it is also
important to give thought to a marketing plan. Are you going to sell to the
local livestock sale barn, show animals, sell meat or milk or fiber?
Value-added products can take a lot of time and the local sale barn is the
easiest and most popular method of marketing.
Consideration should also be given
to the facilities. Is there adequate fencing, do you need a guard dog, is there
enough feed, do you have a place to buy good animals, and do you understand
practices like vaccinations and deworming?
“If you have satisfactorily
answered the above questions, then you may be ready to buy your animals,” said
Pennington.
For more
information, contact Pennington at the Newton County Extension Center, (417)
455-9500, or by e-mail
Jodie.
(by David Burton, MU Information Specialist)
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