Investment, Costs and Profit
The two big start-up costs are the shed and the breeding stock; the biggest running cost is feed. Income comes from selling crossbred kids at NPR 900 to 2,500 per kg live weight. A well-run small farm typically works towards breaking even over roughly two to three years, but the figures depend heavily on your own feed costs and kid survival rate.
सुरुको मुख्य खर्च खोर र माउ बाख्रा हो; नियमित खर्चमा दाना सबैभन्दा बढी हुन्छ। आम्दानी क्रस पाठाहरू प्रति किलो रु. ९००–२,५०० दरमा बेचेर आउँछ।
Updated
Where the money goes
| Cost | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shed construction | One-time | The largest single start-up cost. Varies hugely with materials. |
| Breeding does (10–20) | One-time | Priced per animal. Local or 75% cross does are the affordable option. |
| Boer buck (1) | One-time | Priced per animal as breeding stock. The highest-value single purchase. |
| Fodder establishment | One-time | Napier planting and fodder trees. Cheap, but needs doing months ahead. |
| Feeders, water troughs, tools | One-time | Modest, but do not skip raised feeders. |
| Concentrate feed | Ongoing | Usually the largest running cost. |
| Vaccination and deworming | Ongoing | Small cost, very high return. Never economise here. |
| Labour | Ongoing | Family labour or hired, but count it either way. |
| Transport | Per sale | To market, or paid by the buyer on farm sales. |
Where the money comes from
On a breeding farm, income is driven by one number above all others: how many kids you successfully raise to market weight per doe per year. Boer crosses help twice over — they twin more often, and the kids reach market weight in about half the time.
- Crossbred kids for meat, sold per kg live weight — the main income stream.
- Breeding stock, sold per animal. Good crossbred does often sell for more than meat value to other farmers.
- Dashain sales, when demand and prices across Nepal peak.
- Manure, a small but real income or an input saved on your own land.
A worked example: 20 does
The point of this example is the method, not the numbers. Work through it with your own figures.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Breeding does | — | 20 |
| Kiddings per doe per year | Boer crosses can exceed one | 1.3 |
| Kids per kidding | Twinning is common in crosses | 1.6 |
| Kids born per year | 20 × 1.3 × 1.6 | About 41 |
| Kids surviving to market | Assuming 85% survival — this is the number to protect | About 35 |
| Average sale weight | At 9–12 months | 35 kg |
| Total live weight sold | 35 kids × 35 kg | About 1,225 kg |
| Gross income at 87% cross mid-band | 1,225 kg × NPR 1,350 | NPR 16,53,750 |
Working out your own profit
Get real local prices
Quote the shed materials, the concentrate per sack and the breeding stock in your own district. Do not use figures from an article.
Estimate income conservatively
Use a lower kidding rate and lower survival than you hope for. If it works on pessimistic numbers, it works.
Count every running cost for a full year
Include the dry months from December to April, when feed costs most and grass is scarce.
Include your own labour
If you would not do it for free for someone else, do not count it as free here.
Add a 15% contingency
Something always costs more or dies. Plan for it rather than being surprised.
What actually decides whether you make money
| Factor | Why it matters most |
|---|---|
| Kid survival rate | The largest single lever on income. Dry shed, colostrum, vaccination. |
| Feed cost per kg of gain | Home-grown fodder instead of bought concentrate transforms margins. |
| Time to market weight | Fewer months eating per kg sold. This is the whole Boer argument. |
| Selling timing | Selling into the Dashain peak rather than just after it. |
| Disease losses | One PPR outbreak can erase a year's profit. Vaccination is trivially cheap by comparison. |
Honest risks
- Disease. A single outbreak can wipe out a year of profit. Vaccinate and quarantine.
- Feed price rises, particularly for concentrate. Growing your own fodder is the hedge.
- Market price movement. Rates are not fixed and drop after Dashain.
- Learning curve. First-year losses are normal. Start small so they are affordable.
- Labour. Goats need checking twice a day, every day, including festivals.
Common questions
Is goat farming profitable in Nepal?
How much money do I need to start a goat farm in Nepal?
How much can I earn from 20 goats?
What is the biggest cost in goat farming?
How long before a goat farm breaks even?
Read next
How to Start a Goat Farm
The steps to start commercial goat farming in Nepal, in the order that actually works — shed before stock, fodder before scale.
PricesBoer Goat Price in Nepal
Current Boer goat prices in Nepal: NPR 900 to 2,500 per kg live weight depending on breeding percentage. Full rate table, what changes the price, and delivery costs.
Grow BiggerFeeding Plan for Growing Goats
How much to feed a goat by body weight, a concentrate mix from ingredients available in Nepal, and the fodder trees goats prefer.
Boer GoatsBoer Percentages Explained
What 75%, 87%, 93% and 100% Boer breeding actually mean, how each generation is produced, and which percentage suits your farm and budget.
Questions about your own goats?
We farm Boer goats in Chitwan and are happy to talk through your situation — which breeding suits your district, what stock costs, or how to fix a problem on your farm.