Goats Business In Nigeria (domestic and commercial) make up a healthy portion of the market share of the Nigerian agricultural market.
In Nigeria, there are two major breeds of goats and they include: the local breed and exotic breed.
The local breed is the most popular breed of goats in Nigeria and they includes: West African Dwarf, Pygymy, Sahelian, Red Sokoto or Maradi goats.
The other type of breed which is exotic breed includes; Saanen, Anglo-Nubian, Toggenburg, Alpine, Jamnapari, Boer Goat, Kahalari Reds.
The market for these breed of animals can be found in every part of Nigeria and because the country is blessed with such livestock, it is easy to buy any breed of goats in Nigeria for the right price and occasion .
The best time to get a goat at an affordable price is usually the non-festive period. It is also advisable to buy from local herdsmen in the North if you want to start goats business in Nigeria. In fact we recommend buying from North as you may see the price cheaper than expected if you’re buying in bulk.
Why we recommend buying from North is because it would profit you on the long run as it is cheaper in that region when compared to the south, east or west.
Let’s get into the main discussion;
Types Of Goats In Nigeria (Full List)
- Sahelian Goats
- Maradi or Red Sokoto
- West African Dwarfs
- Pygmy Goats
- Anglo-Nubian
- Toggenburg
- Saanen
- Alpine
- Jamnapari
- Boer
These types of goat can be categorise into their various breeds in Nigeria, The breads includes:
- Local Breeds of Goat
- Exotic Breeds of Goats
Breeds Of Goats In Nigeria:
Now that you know the breeds of goat in Nigeria, let look at the various types of these breads.
1. Local Breeds of Goat
The local breeds includes:
a. West African Dwarf
The goat is found in the forest zone of Nigeria. It possess small body size and short legs which allow them to move easily through thick vegetation in forest regions.
The Colour of the coat varies from black to white and grey or is usually a combination of two or all these colors. Height varies from 40 to 50cm and weight from 18 to 20kg. It is a very hardy breed and resistant to trypanosome.
b. Red Sokoto
They are found mostly in the Sokoto area of Nigeria and part of Niger republic. It possesses a red coat and is considered a good quality for leather production.
It is also the most well-defined breed in Nigeria and weighs between 20 and 30kg.
c. Borno Sahel
These goat possess a fine short coat with colors ranging from white, black, red, or a combination of all these colors.
They have a medium to large body size with long legs which are well adapted to trekking. Males weigh an average of 25 to 30kg while females weigh an average of 20 to 25kg
d. Sahelian Goats
These goats have short fine coats that could be white, black, red, or spotted. They have medium to large body size at maturity.
The ears are short and possess horizontal or drooping horns in both males and females.
The goats are well adapted to long-distance trekking for grazing.
They are found throughout the Sahel or desert areas of Nigeria.
It is a medium or large-sized goat with a long leg that has adapted very well to nomadic life or wide range grazing of sparse vegetation.
e. Pygmy Goats
The Pygmy Goat was formerly referred to as Cameroon Dwarf Goat.
It is an African breed of miniature goats, precisely from West African countries.
However, there are similar goat breeds in the Northern African, East African, and South Western African countries.
Now, Pygmy goats can be found in the United States of America.
2. Exotic Breeds of Goats
The exotic breeds includes:
a. Boer goats
Boer goats or big-sized goats are normally fertile and have high meat production rate. They are characterized with having a white body, red head and red neck.
If you want to venture into goat farming in Nigeria, then you should go for this type as the meat produced by this breed is delicious and nutritious.
Aside their economic value due to size, they can adapt to any environment or weather condition.
The average weight of an adult male Boer goat or its female ranges from 110kg to 135kg.
b. Saanen goats
This breed originates from Switzerland but has widely spread all over the world. The goats are large in size and have a white coat. Females obtain weights up to 65kg and males till 75kg.
With good management, these goats will produce, on average, 3 liters of milk per day.
This breed is known for its intersex or free martin offspring. Therefore horned animals are preferred, but they may be dehorned.
c. Alpine Goats
This breed originates from the Alp region in Europe. The animals have a good size and an enormous variety of color of their coat, from black to white.
The breed has excellent potential for both milk and meat production.
They are medium-sized dairy breed with an average weight of 77kg for adult males and 61kg for adult females.
You would get the best of these goats if they are given plenty water and are allowed to graze freely.
Due to their quick maturity, they breed from 4 to 6 months and can produce twins or triplets as the case maybe.
d. Anglo-Nubian Goats
This breed is the product of crossing Nubian and local breeds in England. The colors vary, but brown and white dominate. Females weigh 60kg and males 70kg.
The animals are very adaptable to the tropics with a somewhat lower production then the Swiss breeds.
e. Toggenburg Goats
It also originates from Switzerland and also is widely spread in the world. The coat is brown or chocolate.
Females weigh some 50 kg and males 65 kg. With adequate care and nutrition, they may produce some 2-2.5 liters of milk per day.
Why Goats Business Is Profitable In Nigeria;
- Goat farming requires relatively low capital but yields high profits.
- A lot of Nigerians consume goat meat daily as such it can be seen as an everyday commodity that is highly demanded.
- Shoes, bags, belts and other leather-base materials are made from goat skin which is a very good source of leather
- Goats are easy to feed and manage as they require minimal supervision
- They also reproduce a lot which means continuity for your business
- Aside from normal consumption, goat milk is used in the production of cosmetics
- Pharmacists also make use of goat offal for drug production
- Even goat faeces are a great source of manure.
How To Start Goats Business In Nigeria:
The number to start a small-scale goat farm is about thirty goats, five males and twenty five females.
The female goats should be more than the males because the females are majorly used for breeding.
The male goats mate with the females to produce more goats. However, for raise-and-sell farmers, males only could be procured because breeding is not in focus.
Goat don’t care for a regulated environmental condition, guaranteed that you have enough portions of land for your goats to wander about freely while feeding on the grass at the same time.
The feeding of goat is relatively cheap because the major feeds they eat are green grass, but formulated feeds could be compounded to enhance fattening, while tuber and roots peels could be used due to the herbivorous nature of the animal.
Latest Prices Of Goat In Nigeria:
The prices of goats in Nigeria are varied from one location to another. Goat can be very cheap in some part of Nigeria like the Northern Nigeria while it can equally be expensive in some other part.
The price of goat in the Northern part of Nigeria like Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Yola Benue, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Plateau, Sardauna, Niger, Adamawa, Zaria, and Ilorin is from N5,000 to N20,000 depending of the size and type of breed.
The prices of goat in the southern states Lagos, Onitsha, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Oyo is ranges from N15,000 to N80,000 depending on the size and breed respectively.
Requirements For Goats Business In Nigeria:
1. The facilities required for proper and effective goat rearing are fencing, shelter or pen, feeding racks, water, loafing sheds, feeds or silage storage, animal sick bay, and manure handing bay.
2. The shelter can be in the form of a fence or a goat pen.
3. A goat pen is a closed space used to keep goats, while a fence is structure built around the pen to prevent straying and poaching.
4. Goats do not necessarily require a huge expanse of land. However, they like moving around.
5. While moving, a farmer should ensure they are not at the same time eating plants that are too near to the ground to avoid them eating up food or ornamental plants. They like keeping enough space from each other.
