Iowa ranks third in the country among states for raising and milking goats. Extension Dairy specialist Fred Hall calls goats a gateway livestock enterprise, similar to chickens. Hall says it allows people to get into the milk business at a much lower cost than buying cows. He says he’s seen the goat gateway lead to bigger things, including cheese and yogurt production. Goats have another advantage over cows, according to Hall, goat milk has a higher yield. Hall and I-S-U Extension recently held some informational sessions for those interested in getting into goat milking.
