Dairy and Meat Goats

Dairy goat production is an alternative livestock enterprise suitable for many small-scale or part-time livestock operators. Some producers market goat milk or cheeses processed on-farm. Others sell milk to processors. Dairy goat producers can also consider selling the animals to hobbyists and youth involved in vocational livestock projects. Meat goats were one of the earliest animals to be domesticated and are often underrated as farm livestock. Goat meat is the primary source of protein in many parts of the world.

Dairy Goat Links

• Costs and Returns for Organic Dairy Goat Production - Rutgers University
• Dairy Goat Production (PDF: 122 KB / 8 pages) - Penn State University 
• Goat Dairy Foods - Dairy Research and Information Center, University of California
• Your Dairy Goat (PDF: 3.67 MB / 24 pages) - Washington State University

Meat Goat Links

• Meat Goat Herd Health Management - University of Florida 
• Meat Goat Resources - Maryland Small Ruminant Page
• Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats (PDF: 657 KB / 20 pages) - ATTRA
• Sustainable Goat Production: Overview (PDF: 409 KB / 12 pages) - ATTRA

Associations and Other Resources

• American Boer Goat Association
• American Dairy Goat Association
• American Meat Goat Association
• Boer and Meat Goat On-Line Magazine
• Dairy Goat Journal
• Dairy Research and Information Center - University of California
• E-mail Discussion Group About Meat Goats - University of Minnesota-MISA
• Minnesota Dairy Goat Association
• National Goat Handbook (links) - University of Maryland
• Some Goat References - University of California
• The Goat Farmer Magazine

MDA Contact

Meg Moynihan
Minnesota Farm Opportunities
651-201-6616
Agricultural Resources Management and Development Division