Goats a good option: MAFTech

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 266, 6 December 1988, Page 16

Goats a good option: MAFTech

Now is the time to invest in goats says MAFTech Animal Business Technologist Don Wright.

"Goats are currently a good investment. Prices are probably as low as they will go and are starting to increase," he says. Mr Wright, who coordinates MAFTech's goat business in the southern North Island, believes that goats are now a sound financial proposition, particular ly for hill country farmers. At current prices, to return $20 per goat from fibre requires only 120 g of fine white cashmere down, 390 g of cashgora A fleece, or 0.8 kg of the best quality mohair. Many goats are producing

above these levels. "If you add income from livestock saies (for meat or breeding) and take off production costs, gross margins of $20-$30 per stock unit are not uncommon. Nowadays these compare favourably with sheep and cattle returns," said Mr Wright. But this considers only the direct returns. Too often the indirect benefits of weed con- * trol and pasture improvement (usually especially significant in hill country) are overlooked. "If you've got a gorse, blaekberry, o r thistle problem, why

not invest the money you would otherwise spend on chemical control on buying goats. In this way you can spend once and save every subsequent year, with any goat production as a bonus." Goats will also indirectly improve the returns on sheep and cattle says Mr Wright. This is because their different grazing preferences improve the clover content of the pasture. He does however admit that the goat meat market has been in a bit of a trough over the past year but is confident that it is now coming right and believes that the developing live export trade is also very

exciting. MAFTech is actively involved in developing some of these opportunities. "The basis for success is to buy quality does and bucks. Good quality fibre brings good dollar returns. "With mohair, this means animals which have fine fibre low in both kemp and medullation should be selected. For cashgora, fineness and good differentiation between down and guard hair is needed. For cashmere, fineness is again important, and colour less so. Use the right bucks (backed by good fibre test results) as their impaet on genetic gains can be as much as 80 per cent."