How Goats Can Provide for Your Family in Many Ways
Another animal you may want to consider raising for your homestead are goats. Most people think of this animal as being able to provide both meat and milk, but they have other uses that will come in handy, too.
With some goats, you will be able to use the fibers of their fleece to make clothing. Another thing they are good for is in helping with landscaping. Keep in mind that during a survival situation, you may not have access to electricity or gasoline, so your property may become overrun with natural vegetation.
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You can use goat milk for all of your cooking needs, including the creation of cheese. They don’t take up a lot of space and are happy in most living situations where they have access to grass, plants, and trees.
However, you will want to provide them with some sort of shelter that will protect them from both predators as well as extreme weather elements. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but enough to protect them from wind, rain and cold.
Just as chickens have certain breeds that are best for eggs or meat, goats have certain breeds that are best for meat or milk. And just like chickens, there are some breeds of goats that can provide both.
You might want to consider the Nubians or Saanens, which can be used for both meat and dairy. If you are looking for a goat that will provide fiber for clothing that you may need to make for survival purposes, then you’ll want to consider raising some Angoras, which can also be used for their meat.
When raising goats, you’ll find that they are very easy to take care of. One thing you may need to watch is that they don’t accidentally graze on any of your important food sources that you are growing in a garden.