Just recently, I was at my county fair where I had the intentions of selling my goat through the livestock sale; when it came to sale time, I could not bring myself to sell her. So, I ended up purchasing her back and it was easily one of the best decisions I could have made. Raising and owning a goat is probably one of the "baa-st" ideas I have ever had!

1. Companionship

Though one might not immediately think of goats as a choice as a pet, these animals surprisingly exhibit many character traits that make them wonderful animal companions. The fact that they are not as traditional as dogs, cats, birds, or fish, goats can actually provide wonderful companionship and entertainment to your home. Most people associate goats as being only petting zoo or farm animals, they do not realize that they are actually very affectionate, loyal, intelligent, curious, and loving creatures. Which is why more people are keeping goats as pets with great success!

2. Business

Another reason to keep a goat is for the business aspect of things. You can also consider the profitability of goat ownership. Depending on your community and the market for such items as fresh, organic goat milk, goat cheese, or goat cashmere, you can develop a business selling these products your goat (or goats) produce. If you get a goat, you can also consider breeding the goats and selling the kids to other individuals or families who are looking to get a goat.

3. Milk

Producing your own milk for the family is healthy and nutritious, not to mention cost effective. If you get a few goats for your home, it can provide you and your family with a regular supply of milk. Another advantage of raising a dairy goat is that they are smaller in size than cows and, hence, are less expensive to house and feed. Goat milk does have a different natural composition than the milk that comes from a cow. Goat milk has also been shown to be often digested more easily by people who suffer from lactose intolerance or minor dairy allergies than cow’s milk. If you or a member of your family is sensitive to dairy, goat milk just may be a wonderful alternative for you.

I could probably rattle on for days about why everyone needs to experience the love of a goat in their life, but I won't. Just trust me that even though there is a lot of hard work that goes into the health and upkeep of a goat, every second will be worth it. One piece of advice I will give is, do not wait so long (like I did) to get a goat, the sooner you start the better and happier you will be! So as you think about all the reasons why you now need a goat, enjoy the following goat jokes:

1. What do you call a goat with a beard?

A Goatee!

2. What do you call a goat on a mountain?

A Hillbilly!

3. What do you get when you cross a goat and a rabbit?

You get a hare in your milk!