A Goat's Milk Cheesemaking Business

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The Aiellos believe that once the Belle Terre operation is in full swing, the feta should net about $3,000 a month, which translates to about $1,000 of annual income per doe. (In contrast, during the veal-raising venture, the Aiellos earned about $300 per milking doe each year.)

A PROFITABLE SIDELINE

Careful herd management is an integral part of Belle Terre's five-year plan. From a foundation of seven registered Nubians, the Aiellos have built up a milking "core" of 20 does. They hope to increase the total to 25 during 1982 .. . and to 30, the maximum practical number that they can hand-milk, by 1983.

The breeding program is arranged to allow a 305-day annual lactation period . . . during which each doe produces an average of 2,000 pounds of 5% butterfat milk. This schedule permits the family to take a break from cheesemaking during December and January (and gives the animals a rest, as well).

Does are bred beginning in September, and most of the kids are born from mid-February to mid-April. During the past few years, the couple has carefully upgraded the herd by purchasing quality bucks from the West Coast (they have four now), and they've achieved an average of just under three kids per doe during each breeding season.

In 1981, about 60 registered Nubian kids were born. Of these, 15 young does were selected—on the basis of their conformation and milk-producing potential—to be added to the Belle Terre herd. Another 20 or so does were sold for between $250 and $300 apiece.

Of the 20 or 25 buck kids born, seven or eight quality animals, expected to become good breeding stock, were sold for between $300 and $400 each. The other bucks were auctioned at the livestock market (at a loss) for about $25 apiece. Jerry and Suzanne try to market their kids before the animals reach two months of age, in order to avoid running up prohibitive feed and shipping costs.

The Aiellos estimate that each doe brings in $500 each year from kid sales . . . an amount that just about equals her upkeep!

You can see, then, that the sale of registered stock is an important part of Belle Terre's income . . . and the Aiellos anticipate grossing as much as $15,000 annually from this facet of their enterprise over the next few years. They emphasize that any homesteader who's seriously thinking about starting a goat herd should purchase registered animals . . . with an eye toward future income from the sale of offspring.

THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR PLAN?

As mentioned before, Jerry and Suzanne designed their cheese plant to comply with the regulations concerning purchased milk . . . in case they decide to expand their operation and need more raw material than their herd can supply. If the feta sells as well as anticipated, they plan to start buying additional milk in 1982.

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