# Commercial Dairying?



## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Anyone got any good resources on commercial goat dairying?

I've been offered a facility that could easily convert to a commercial goat dairy, with the addition of a milking parlour. It could theoretically be set up to milk 300+ does, all intensively housed, plus associated replacement doe kids, goatlings, bucks and capretto kids. 

All infrastructure is there and in reasonable condition. By that I mean its a huge great shed/barn, floor is slatted for easy cleaning, all pens are either solid concrete walls or portable panels, the barn has good ventilation and cooling including natural and fans, has associated silos for grain and hay shed for hay, feeders etc. that could be modified for goats, adjustable ramp for truck or trailer, cleaning out and waste treatment system. The big things to get this up and running will be:

- replace roof on the shed
- build milking parlour
- source goats
- give the whole facility a really good scrub down

So basically I'm just looking for any resources you might have/know about regarding commercial dairying, to help me decide whether to go ahead with this project.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

well I would say go for it, but i have no information watsoever 
And if i lived closer i would help you clean up the place alot. Its a shame


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

Well, I know of a couple goat dairies here in US.

Websites:

http://pholiafarm.com/construction%20pictures.htm

http://splitcreek.com/tour.shtml

Not sure how helpful those will be, if any. . . .

I have not a clue about running a commercial dairy or of the regulations in Australia. I am assuming they are very different from here. In US, you must be Certified Grade-A dairy. This involves lots and lots of money to get started, yearly testing on all animals for TB, Brucellosis, etc. So, yeah. I'm not much help.  Maybe someone else can be of more help.


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## goatkid (Jan 17, 2009)

I don't know the rules in your country for dairies. I'd definately check into that first and know the requirements before building your milk parlor setup.


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## BeeLady (Dec 12, 2008)

At least you would have an excuse to buy an almost unlimited number of goats if you got into commercial dairying!


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## badnewsboers (May 9, 2008)

Yeah, there's not a lot of goat dairies in the US because of the strict regulation and high costs associated with them.

Most prominently in my mind in the US though is the Ryals Goat Dairy. They were the top breeders of Boer gots for a long time and despite a dispersal sale have come bacl with a force. But they also have dairy too now. I've heard their cheese is amazing! Here is the link to their site: http://www.rockingrboers.com/


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

Theres a goat dairy up here in Minnesota called Poplar Hill farm, as far as I'm aware, they have 900 milking does. 
What kind of insurance can you get on the place?

http://www.poplarhillfarm.com/
http://www.smalldairy.com/

It looks like the smalldairy site will help immensly, its been in my favoraites for months but I've never looked at it much


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## QualityCaprine (Nov 24, 2007)

My does are at a cheese dairy. Depending on you State, she may have all the info for you. http://www.shadowbrk.com/index.php


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