# Best way to sell buckling goats? Located in Missouri.



## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I just got into goats last year and had 6 goat kids this year. I had no problems selling the females for $100 each. The 3 males are a different story. People are offering like $15-25 or offering to take all of them off my hands for free. I had them advertised on a local/regional classifieds site somewhat like Craigslist for $75 each. They are mixed-dairy breeds.

I am now likely going to take them to a sale barn which I hate to do but don't want to be stuck with tons of goats and I suspect at least one of the does is ready to kid again in the next few months as the buck ran through two electric fences and likely got her. She is a couple months out from this incident and appears to be showing.

I am curious if someone else has a better way to market these than the sale barn? What are the best sale barns to use? I am located near Rolla, MO and will consider any in counties adjoining Phelps County. Nearby towns include St. James, Vienna, Cuba, Salem, and St. Robert/Waynesville/Ft. Leonard Wood. I suspect I will only get around $1 per pound but figure it is better to get something than be stuck with more buck goats than I can handle.

These have been vaccinated, wormed, and dehorned. Between this and all the feed, I would be taking a loss at $75 per head.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thank you,

Conor


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

have you tried selling them as wethered pets?
Around here the dairy bucks are usually offered as that. Wethered pets or "great brush clearing goats". Here we have farm ads and Craigs list. Seems like most people use both.


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I just looked at some of the Craigslist sites around here. For some reason I thought that they didn't allow the selling of animals much like they are with firearms. I guess not as there were LOTS of goats. Unfortunately they were either high-dollar purebreds or dirt cheap. Unfortunately I think the sale barn is the best way to go with these.

I didn't wether them as I figured some might want them for breeding purposes and figured others could have them cut or banded if they desired. I don't think I will spend the $25 to dehorn them next time if this is all people will pay or they go to the sale barn.

Conor


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It really depends on area. If goats sell for very cheap in your area, then maybe the sale barn would be best. People around here sell their wethers for $50 to $100.


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## OakHollowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

We paid $75 for our pet whether when he was 2 weeks old. He is the biggest love bug.  We just sold our 13 week old registered Nubian buck for $125. I think you will have a much easier time if you get into registered purebreeds. You can sell the does for more too. Of course, any breed or mix can make great pet wethers, pack goats, or cart goats. 

I know a lot of people who have to take their bucks to the auction. It is really hard for them, because they are all very well bred bucks who were bottle fed and loved. I guess when you have more than one buckling to sell, it can be very hard to find homes.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Hold on to them until the end of July and take them in then. There's a Muslim holiday Aug 8. That's when you would get the most for them.


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions. While the females seem to go without any troubles, the boys seem to not sell well at all in this area. Lots of people have goats but lots of them haven't been taken care of and are not healthy. These sell cheap and drag the price of others down for the entire area.

I will hang onto them through most of July. I was unaware of the Muslim holiday but we have lots of Muslims in Rolla with the university and all. Should I take them in on July 17th, 24th, or 31st for the sale? These are the sale dates for the barn I have picked. I figure I shouldn't wait until the 31st as this might be too close and there won't be time to have them processed and sold. Would an earlier date be better or not?

It seems that a lot of these classifieds sites around here are filled with "horse trader" types that like to waste your time talking and think you will give them a better deal if they stay on the phone with you long enough.

Conor


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I usually sell at the auction right before the holiday. That way I am selling to the people who are going to butcher themselves at home. It helps the price because they only want one or two head instead of an entire lot.


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## heater (Jun 21, 2013)

Mexico,Mo. Is probably the best market


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## pink1 (Jul 25, 2014)

hi, 
i saw your post about the pygmy bucklings. do you have any pictures? I have two female does and a nigerian dwarf male buckling, I would like to have some babies and a friend for the nigerian buckling as he gets older. 

Thanks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

This thread is a year old so these goats are probably no longer available.


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I have two pygmy females here that are bulging at the seams ready to pop out kids. I can repost once they are born but it will be 3 months before they are ready unless you want to bottle feed.

Conor


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