When the Europeans later brought new breeds of sheep and cattle, it led to emergence of commercial livestock sector. Today, the livestock sector production of South Africa is estimated at 900,000 tons of red meat annually. Farmers own approximately 1.2 million pigs. The poultry industry has at least 11 million chickens. Goats are a popular livestock option mainly because of their meat, milk, and fiber. Some consider raising goats as pets. What about you? What is your purpose for purchasing a goat? Your purpose will determine the best goat to buy. The following are tips on choosing a goat based on the purpose of raising a goat. Ethnic buyers prefer non-neutered male sheep or goats since they grow fast. Thus, avoid castrating your animals if you are planning to market them at public auctions. After you drop off your sheep and goats at the stockyard, keep an eye on them to make sure they are fed sufficiently and are placed in a clean and large area. A crossbreed of the Angus bull and a Shorthorn cow, the Murray Grey is widely exported to other countries for breeding. The Murray Grey is great for farmers who are looking for beef cows that are easy to take care of. Australian Brafords can withstand daytime heat and resist tick infestation. They are a crossbreed of Brahmans and Herefords. Sheep are easier to deal with compared to bigger farm animals, not to mention that raising them does not require huge capital outlay. These farm animals are relatively inexpensive in terms of equipment and breeding stock costs. Retired people may consider raising sheep to generate more income for their retirement fund. Interestingly, mares can also carry foals inside their wombs for about three to four weeks from their due date for foal delivery. If the pregnancy lasts much longer than that, seek proper veterinary or expert help. For premature foals, they can still survive under intensive care after a 310-day gestation period.