Goat Breed Buying Guide

Most first goats are bought with the heart. This guide makes sure the head comes along.

The Goat Breed & Buying Guide is the companion to The Farm Binder for the moment before the records start: choosing the breed, finding a seller worth trusting and checking the animal in front of you. It walks the decision in order, from what you want the goats to do, to the breeds that fit your land and climate, to the farm visit, the paperwork and the first thirty days at home. Written for first-time buyers and for anyone adding to a small herd, with the same plain language and the same folder logic as the rest of the binder.

• Decision table: four questions that match breed to your goal, space, climate and market
• 12 US breeds compared side by side: size, main use, milk at peak, butterfat, climate and temperament
• Dairy, meat, fiber and pet breeds profiled one by one, including miniature crosses and wethers
• How many goats, and how much space: sensible first-herd sizes for your kind of land
• Where to buy, ranked for a first purchase, and what to watch out for at each source
• Typical price ranges by animal type, registered and unregistered, so a fair price looks fair
• The questions to ask the seller about the herd, the goat and the sale
• Farm visit checklist: what to look at, what you want to see, what makes you pause
• Paperwork, testing and transport, plus the first thirty days at home
• First-goats budget worksheet and a printable scorecard to compare up to three candidates