Building Healthier Families with Zero Grazing: How One Goat Can Change Everything
In rural Tanzania, a single dairy goat can transform a family's future—but how the goat is cared for makes all the difference. At Food for His Children, we teach families the power of zero grazing—a simple, sustainable way to raise goats that protects both the animals and the people who rely on them.
What Is Zero Grazing?
Zero grazing, also known as stall feeding, means goats are kept in a clean, secure shelter and are brought fresh food and water each day. Instead of roaming fields in search of grass—which often leads to disease, injury, or conflict—goats stay in one place, safe and well cared for.
It might seem like a small shift, but the impact is enormous.
7 Ways Zero Grazing Changes Lives
1. Healthier Goats, More Milk
When goats stay in one place and are given balanced nutrition, they’re healthier, stronger, and produce more milk—a valuable source of income and nutrition for the entire family.
2. Fewer Diseases, Fewer Worries
Goats raised under zero grazing are less likely to catch parasites and diseases like ticks and worms that are common in free-roaming environments. This means fewer vet bills and less stress.
3. Protection from Harm
With a goat shed, animals are safe from theft, predators, accidents, and bad weather. They can’t wander into someone else’s crops—avoiding conflicts with neighbors and fines from local leaders.
4. Manure = Fertilizer = Food
When goats are kept in one spot, their manure can be collected and used to fertilize gardens, increasing crop yields and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. It’s a zero-waste system that benefits the whole farm.
5. More Time for Families
Zero grazing cuts down on the time spent chasing goats through the hills. Families—especially women and children—can now spend more time on school, work, or growing their businesses.
6. Teachable and Scalable
The goat sheds are simple to build, easy to maintain, and can be replicated across the community. Our team trains each family how to construct a goat shelter, grow nutritious fodder, and use goat products to start small agribusinesses.
7. Good for the Environment
By keeping goats off overgrazed land and using controlled feeding, zero grazing helps restore soil health, prevent erosion, and promote a more sustainable future.
It’s More Than a Shelter.
It’s a Strategy for Transformation.
At Food for His Children, we don’t just give families goats—we walk alongside them, offering training, support, and the tools they need to succeed. Zero grazing is a cornerstone of that journey. It’s a small act with a big impact: better goat care, healthier children, increased income, and the dignity of building a life with their own hands.
Want to see what a goat shed looks like? Come to our Barnyard BBQ Bash on April 26th and explore a real-life demonstration of how goat farming and other simple tools are helping families in Tanzania thrive.
You Can Be Part of the Story
Your gift doesn’t just provide a goat—it builds a shelter, plants the first crop, and helps a family write a new chapter.
👉 Learn more about our programs
Together, we’re not just fighting poverty—we’re raising hope, one goat at a time.