Goats serve a wide variety of purposes and are kept for a number of different reasons.
While visiting my friend’s dairy farm the other day, I noticed he had some newly acquired Anglo-Nubian goats.
I have a herd which I keep as pets, so I was straight away interested to know how much he had paid for them.
His answer was much different from what I had paid, so I was interested to know how much they sold for on average.
So, how much does an Anglo-Nubian goat cost?
The price varies a lot, from between $300-$800 USD. The answer will depend on gender, age, breeder and pedigree, since goats are not just pets but can also be highly profitable. If you are looking to buy one as a pet, you are likely to pay somewhere from $300-$400 USD.
So, the answer is a bit more complicated than you might think.
Goats aren’t like, say, purebred dogs, where the pedigree is really the most important thing.
Sellers have to take a lot of things into account, and the demand will drive the price in certain directions.
Of course, when we say how much does an Anglo-Nubian goat cost, we can talk about the initial price of purchase.
But there are lots of other things to keep in mind over the course of its lifetime.
So, let’s look at how much keeping and raising Anglo-Nubian goats costs.
How much does it cost to raise an Anglo-Nubian goat?
Goats aren’t like other pets.
The initial cost of purchasing the animal itself my not be enormously high, but there are a lot of things you’ll need to keep in mind before you go ahead and buy one.
The first thing to note is that it is never good for the goat to just have one.
They are highly social herd animals and need members of their own species living with them to be happy.
Even if you spent 24 hours a day with them, they would still not be entirely happy without other goats.
So, bear that in mind; you’ll need to factor in the cost of multiple goats.
Then, you’ll have to consider the amount of land you have available.
Goats are certainly not house pets, and need a large, outdoor space to roam.
This is for a few reasons.
For one, they’re simply very energetic animals who need space to run around and play.
But, more importantly, goats are browsers, unlike sheep and cattle who are grazers.
This means that goats spend a lot of their time roaming around looking for forage to eat—be it weeds, leaves, shrubs, anything they can find.
Being able to do this is essential to their wellbeing, both for nutrition and for exercise.
So, you’ll need to have a large pasture that you can dedicate to your goats.
You should have minimum 2 or 3 goats in your herd, and they will need at least half an acre of pasture.
If you’re lucky enough to already have this much space, great!
If not, you’ll need to find a property with this space if you want to raise an Anglo-Nubian goat.
You’ll also need space and money to build a shelter for them.
Anglo-Nubian goats like to be penned individually when they sleep, with each having at least 4 square meters of space.
The shelter will also need somewhere communal they can take shelter together in the rain, and it’s usually best to have a place to store grain and equipment in there.
Again, you may already have an appropriate structure on your property.
If not, you’ll need to have one built. This is not likely to be a small expense.
Then, you’ll have to think about food. Goats’ diets are not all that complex, but they can change depending on certain things.
A goat’s diet will consist mostly of grass hay, of which an adult will eat around 2 pounds a day.
Grass hay is readily available and affordable. Milking and kidding does, however, may need more calcium than they would get from grass hay.
Most people would substitute alfalfa hay at this point, which is more expensive than grass hay.
So, if you wanted to milk or breed your goats, you’re likely going to pay a bit more for their care.
Those are all the major expenses that come with owning Anglo-Nubian goats, on top of the cost of purchase.
Now, let’s consider how long your Anglo-Nubian goat will be around.
How long do Anglo-Nubian goats live?
The final thing you’ll need to think about is the overall cost over the goat’s lifetime.
Life spans range a fair amount in Anglo-Nubian goats, but generally those that are well cared for will around 10 to 12 years.
So, keeping goats is not something you should take on lightly.
They will be around for a long time.
Anglo-Nubian goats are, in general, very hardy creatures, and are highly resistant to weather and disease.
Goats don’t need a great deal of medical care, but they are likely to need to see the vet over their lifetimes.
Vet’s bills are not cheap, so this is your final expense to consider.
Your goat will be around for quite a long time, and will need to be seen by a specialized vet.
Ordinary veterinarian surgeries are unlikely to be able to care for your goat.
So, then, keeping Anglo-Nubian goats is highly rewarding and will pay out dividends in the companionship they provide.
They’re wonderful animals filled with happy energy.
The cost of purchasing a goat is only the first step, and there is a lot of other expenses you’ll need to consider before going ahead with it.
If you think you can handle everything I’ve listed here, you’ll have no problem raising your Anglo-Nubian goats well.