Is Raising Geese the Most Profitable Choice in 2020? Experts Give Their Advice

In 2019, meat prices rose one after another, prompting many farmers to want to start raising livestock to make money while they could. Chickens, ducks, sheep, cattle, pigs, and geese can all be raised in rural areas, so what is the most cost-effective thing to raise in 2020?

I. Analysis from the growth rate

From the perspective of farming efficiency, when fed the same amount of feed, poultry or livestock that gain more weight will be more profitable. Below is the amount of concentrated feed (kg) consumed per 1 kg of weight gain for each type of livestock and poultry:

Cattle require 9.0 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

Sheep require 8.0 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

Pigs require 4.9 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

Ducks require 3.8 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

Chickens require 2.4 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

Geese require 1.5 kg of concentrated feed per 1 kg of weight gain;

It can be seen from this that raising geese requires the lowest feed cost for growth, and relatively speaking, the farming cost is lower.

II. Analysis from the growth cycle

The growth cycle in farming is also a very important factor to examine. From the perspective of the growth cycle, multiple batches can be sent to market in a year, bringing higher returns. Below is the growth cycle of livestock and poultry.

The growth cycle of geese is 60-90 days;

The growth cycle of rabbits is 90-105 days;

The growth cycle of meat sheep is 150-180 days;

The growth cycle of beef cattle is about 540 days;

Among food-source livestock and poultry, geese are the fastest, with the quickest return on investment and relatively lower risk.

III. From the perspective of returns

In the end, farming still depends on returns. Only when returns are high will people want to raise them. Below is the minimum net return per hundred head (data from the internet; slight differences may occur by region, for reference only):

The minimum net return for meat geese is 889.78 yuan;

The minimum net return for broiler chickens is 118.05 yuan;

The minimum net return for fattened pigs is 29.46 yuan.

When farming, you should choose according to your own actual circumstances. The returns from raising geese are indeed good, and their growth cycle is short and they require less feed.