Recordkeeping, Marketing
and Economics
Goats 101 • Sheep & Goat Toolbox
Recordkeeping
• Records are important!!!
• Keep records that you will use
• Types of records
– Breeding/kidding
– Health
– Economic (costs, sales)
Records
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
Recordkeeping
• Takes time
• Helps to:
– Identify animals to keep or cull
– Identify health issues
– Evaluate marketing
– Track costs/income
– Make tax time easier!
Make or break time
• 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
Marketing
• Lots of options
• Learn what your customer wants
• Consider the benefits and
challenges of different
marketing channels
Marketing Options?
• Methods?
• Products/services?
Marketing Options
• Sale barn
• Ethnic markets
• Pooled/cooperative
sale
• Organic
• Graded sale
• Breeding stock
• On-farm
• Buyer’s club
• Value-added products
• Show stock
• Farmers Market
• Vegetation
management
• Restaurants/stores
• Fiber
• Milk/dairy products
Setting your price
• Variable
• Cover cost
• Build in profit
Break-even Kid Price
(per pound)
% Kid Crop
Doe cost
($/head/yr)
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.
To Enhance Profitability
• Keep costs low
• Manage forages and
animals well
• Pay attention to marketing
Photo courtesy of Susan Schoenian
More information at:
• 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
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