Recordkeeping, Marketing and EconomicsGoats 101 • Sheep & Goat Toolbox

• Records are important!!!• Keep records that you will use• Types of records

– Breeding/kidding– Health– Economic (costs, sales)

Recordkeeping

http://www.sheep101.info/201/Forms/BarnRecordgoats.pdf

Records

http://www.sheep101.info/201/Forms/Doerecord.pdf

Records

Records

http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/Record%20Books/ES06-142%20Goat%20Guide.pdf

Records

http://www.famu.edu/goats/UserFiles/File/Record_Keeping.pdf

Records

• Takes time• Helps to:

– Identify animals to keep or cull– Identify health issues– Evaluate marketing– Track costs/income– Make tax time easier!

Recordkeeping

• Marketing is what sets your farm apart

• Dependant on:– Farm and lifestyle goals– Local access and demand– Your ability/desire to create demand– Personal preference– Time you are willing to invest– Income goals

Make or break time

• Lots of options • Learn what your customer wants• Consider the benefits and

challenges of different marketing channels

Marketing

• Methods?

• Products/services?

Marketing Options?

• Sale barn• Pooled/cooperative

sale• Graded sale• On-farm• Buyer’s club• Farmers Market• Restaurants/stores

• Ethnic markets• Organic• Value-added

products• Breeding stock• Show stock• Vegetation

management• Fiber• Milk/dairy products

Marketing Options

• Variable

• Cover cost

• Build in profit

Setting your price

Break-even Kid Price (per pound)

Doe cost ($/head/yr)

% Kid Crop

75% 100% 150% 200%

30 .67 .50 .33 .25

40 .89 .67 .45 .34

50 1.11 .83 .55 .42

60 1.33 1.00 .67 .50

Assumed market weight: 60 lbs.

• Keep costs low• Manage forages and

animals well• Pay attention to marketingPhoto courtesy of Susan Schoenian

To Enhance Profitability

• www.sheepgoatmarketing.info

• Marketing chapter in the Small Ruminant Resource Manual, and

• Tips for Marketing Sheep and Goats series (Live Animal, Meat, Dairy, Fiber, Vegetation Management Services) at www.attra.ncat.org

More information at:

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