Animals to Raise on Hobby Farms

Hobby farmers grow food and raise animals on a small farm, usually between five and 30 acres. The farm is considered a hobby farm if it fails to earn much of a profit and is operated primarily as a hobby, instead of for income. Usually the sale of food or animals, if any, is about enough to offset the cost of equipment and operation.

  1. Sheep

    • Sheep are not very difficult to care for, so they are ideal for the hobby farmer who just has a grassy field and wants to keep sheep for their wool and their meat. Lambs kept for meat should be butchered when they are 5 to 6 months old. The meat of adult sheep is called mutton and is tougher than lamb.

    Goats

    • Most goats only require about 15 square feet of indoor space and 200 square feet of outdoor space, so they work well on small hobby farms. Because they are social, farmers should keep at least two goats at any given time. Dairy goats can produce about 90 quarts of milk per month and meat goats provide 25 to 40 pounds of meat each.

    Llamas and Alpacas

    • Hobby farmers typically raise llamas and alpacas for their fibers, which are nearly as valuable as wool and cashmere. Llamas may also act as guardian animals, keeping watch over smaller animals on the hobby farm.

    Cattle

    • Cattle produce milk and meat in large quantities and typically leave hobby farmers with excess to sell. A typical dairy cow produces about six gallons of milk per day. Cattle kept for meat can eat grass on land that is not adequate for growing crops and are typically slaughtered after their second summer.

    Horses

    • Horses do not produce food, but many hobby farmers raise them or their relatives, donkeys and mules, for companionship and to help with some labor on the farm. Hobby farmers sometimes get into breeding and selling miniature horses, riding horses or show horses.

    Pigs

    • Pigs produce a lot of meat on very little land, making them an ideal food animal on hobby farms. Farmers typically purchase 50-pound feeder pigs and grow them to 250 pounds in about four months, at which point they slaughter them for their meat.

    Poultry

    • Chicken, ducks, turkeys and geese are all raised on hobby farms. Their noisy behaviors keep things interesting, and they produce eggs, meat and down. Ducks and geese can usually forage for their own food, but chickens and turkeys need supplemental feed.