Small-Acreage sheep or goat breeder

Other farmers, hobby farmers and lifestyle block owners looking for breeding stock, plus local butchers, agents and direct buyers for meat animals.

Sale of lambs or kids and surplus breeding animals, priced per head. Income comes in seasonal lumps after each breeding cycle rather than evenly each month.

• Comfortable handling livestock
• Basic animal health and breeding knowledge
• Fencing, yards and general farm maintenance
• Record keeping

• Property Identification Code (PIC) and livestock identification and movement rules (NLIS), which vary by state, so check with your state agriculture department
• Animal welfare laws, biosecurity and disease reporting duties, so check your state's requirements
• Public liability insurance, and farm insurance for stock, fences and equipment
• Drought, feed costs and fluctuating prices can squeeze returns, so plan for bad seasons
• Council approval for a home-based or rural business, and for any on-farm sales

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your land or lease, the animals you buy, and fencing, yards and equipment. Feed costs and bad seasons can squeeze returns, so plan for them.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $2,500, depending on flock size, how many lambs or kids you sell, and whether they go as breeding stock, weaners or meat. Drought and fluctuating prices can affect results.

Check Property Identification Code (PIC) and livestock identification and movement rules (NLIS), which vary by state, with your state agriculture department. Also check animal welfare, biosecurity and disease reporting duties, council approval, and public liability and farm insurance.