France is a land of cheese-making tradition, and the goat sector occupies a prominent place there. As the world's leading producer of goat's cheese, our country offers numerous opportunities for anyone wishing to start a goat farm. Whether you are an investor or an entrepreneur looking to change your life by acquiring an agricultural property, understanding how this sector works is essential.
The French herd is mainly made up of two dominant breeds: Alpine goats, recognizable by their chamois-colored coat, and Saanen goats, completely white and renowned for their excellent milk production. These animals form the core of the goat herd and are the foundation of the farm’s economy.
There are generally two main types of economic models when selling goat farms or taking one over. The first focuses on pure milk production, with a dairy contract that guarantees the sale of the milk to cooperatives or private companies. The second model, highly prized for the added value it brings, is on-farm cheese production. This requires specific facilities such as an on-farm dairy, enabling control of the chain from production to sale.
To be successful, such a property must have suitable equipment. The livestock building is central: it is often a free-stall barn where the animals can move around, feed and rest comfortably. Since goat feeding is crucial for milk quality, the farm must have a forage storage area and an agricultural shed to shelter hay and cereals. Meal distribution can be automated or manual depending on the available livestock equipment.
Milk is collected in the milking parlour. Today, mechanical milking is the norm to ensure hygiene and reduce the arduousness of the work. For those targeting cheese production, the presence of a processing room that complies with health standards and a maturation cellar is essential.
Geographically, goat farming is present everywhere, but certain regions stand out. Nouvelle-Aquitaine (particularly Poitou-Charentes), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Centre-Val de Loire concentrate a large share of goat farm purchase offers. These regions have a dynamic ecosystem, both for milk collection and for direct sales and short supply chains, enabling producers to add value to their products on local markets.
Finally, land plays a key role. The Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) must be sufficient for the spreading of effluents and, depending on the system chosen, to provide pasture for the animals. Having suitable agricultural land, ideally with consolidated plots around the buildings, greatly facilitates day-to-day management and animal welfare.
Acquiring a rural property is a major step. Whether you are aiming to take over an existing farm or to create one, several criteria must guide your search, and consulting our buying guides can be invaluable in structuring your approach.
The first point of attention concerns the condition of the infrastructure. When visiting a goat farm for purchase, check that the facilities comply with regulations. Bringing the livestock building up to standard and, above all, the effluent treatment installations (pits, manure storage areas) can represent a significant budget that needs to be anticipated. Likewise, if the project includes processing, the processing room must comply with current European hygiene standards.
The herd is your working tool. It is essential to assess the health and genetic quality of the animals, whether they are lactating goats, young female goats for replacement or billy goats for reproduction. A healthy herd is the guarantee of sustainable production.
The economic model must be consistent with the available area. The number of hectares must make it possible to produce part of the feed (forage autonomy) or to ensure grazing if you opt for organic or pastoral farming. In some cases, a mixed farming and livestock system allows you to diversify income and secure the activity against climatic or economic hazards.
Financing is a key stage, particularly for young farmers setting up (DJA). It is essential to build a solid farming project to convince banks. Analysing the transferor’s financial statements, assessing profitability (gross operating surplus) and transferring payment entitlements (CAP) are crucial elements. To secure the transfer price, relying on land valuation studies is often indispensable. Do not forget to check the existence and validity of contracts, particularly the dairy contract if you do not process all your milk.
Ma-propriete.fr is designed to make it easier for you to find a goat farm for sale. Our specialised portal offers a powerful and intuitive search engine. You can filter farm listings according to numerous precise criteria: location (region, département), budget, as well as area in hectares. This enables you to quickly target properties that match your farming project, whether it is a small family farm or a large industrial structure.
We know that responsiveness is crucial. That is why we offer you the possibility of scheduling the creation of email alerts. By saving your criteria, you are informed in real time as soon as a new goat farm for sale is published on the site.
Our platform brings together listings from various sources: specialised estate agencies, notaries, SAFER, as well as private sales between individuals. This diversity gives you a comprehensive view of the market. In addition, each listing enables you to make direct contact with the seller or intermediary via a secure form, making it easier to exchange information and arrange viewings.
The geolocation of listings (depending on the seller’s choice) helps you to locate properties in relation to services, dairy cooperatives or consumption areas, an asset for assessing the potential for direct sales.
You are an owner and you wish to offer a goat farm for purchase or sell your farm? Ma-propriete.fr is the ideal partner for a successful transaction. By publishing your listing on our portal, you benefit from exceptional visibility among a targeted and qualified audience. With thousands of monthly visitors passionate about the rural world, your offer is seen by serious project holders.
We understand the challenges of farm transfer, particularly the need for discretion. That is why we give you full control over the confidentiality of your listing. You can choose the level of geolocation: you can locate the property at municipal level, or simply at département or regional level, thus protecting your current activity and your privacy.
The user-friendly interface allows you to create an attractive listing in a few minutes, highlighting your farm’s strengths: the quality of your milking parlour, the potential of your consolidated plots or the profitability of your goat farm.
To maximise your chances, your listings are not only visible on our site. They can be published in several relevant categories (agricultural property, land, etc.) and are shared on our social networks, in particular our Facebook groups specialising in rural property, thus reaching an even wider community of potential buyers.
Beyond simply publishing listings, Ma-propriete.fr positions itself as a true partner for your rural projects thanks to a range of complementary services:
Whether you are looking to acquire a goat farm to produce your own Pélardons or Sainte-Maure, or whether you wish to transfer your working tool, Ma-propriete.fr is the link between your dream and the reality on the ground.
