# Comercial meat goats



## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

Is there anyone here who raises larger numbers of does to sell their kids to market, if so Please tell me how you got started and how you worked up to the numbers you have now. Just wanteing to lnow how it works the higher numbers you have ( I started last year and bought 30 head of does, and am just now getting ready to sell their spring kids)


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I tried the meat aspect of it, but found, it didn't pay off, but didn't have a big quantity of them. With meat goats, you have to raise them longer to make more per pound. In which you have to feed them and care for them longer.

I went to selling Registered Show quality to commercial boer goats, with a few meat goats. 
I am making more money and they are sold at 2.5 to 3 months old. I have Quality vs Quantity


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

I see


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

My banker told me today he has a guy he loaned money to to buy goats with. He said that man makes about $21,000 per year off of them. Not sure how many he has. He did say the man added kiko genetics to overcome the worm issues he was having. Since adding the Kikos he no longer has any problems with worms. 

Around here a 60 lb kid will bring over $2 per lb. So if you can raise them up to that in 5-6 months, you would be getting approximately $120 each.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

If you made it through a kidding season with 30 does and are raring for more, you might have some things to teach us!


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

I made it throught the kidding season and only lost four kids ( all premies) but the worms are killing me now I need to get a kiko buck so I can get some good parasite resistence. I have some stories but they are kind of boring. I raised these does for 2 years when my uncle owned them then he sold me my pick of the herd and sold the other thirty does. Since im only a teen my other uncle had to loan me some big bucks and Im afraid of selling them because im afraid of what they might bring. They look great but just the nerves are getting to me the closer we get to the sale


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

DrakesFarm said:


> Is there anyone here who raises larger numbers of does to sell their kids to market, if so Please tell me how you got started and how you worked up to the numbers you have now. Just wanteing to lnow how it works the higher numbers you have ( I started last year and bought 30 head of does, and am just now getting ready to sell their spring kids)


Well, my herd is comprised of more than 30 does, and I sell all males for meat. Doelings that do not make the cut for replacement stock are also sold along with the males. What would you like to know?


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

The upps and downs, the genetics of your herd, are you making a profit?

Also what is your criteria for replacement does/bucks


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Genetics: My herd is comprised of percentage Kiko does bred to a purebred Kiko buck. Once I have bred them up to full blood Kiko's I will start using a Boer buck on all terminal does, as well as some that are not terminal, so I have the benefit of mitochondrial DNA. 

Profit: Yes, technically I am making a profit. My situation is a little different than most people, though. I work on the family farm, and we raise hay. I do not have to pay for my hay because I bust my butt all summer long irrigating, keeping noxious weeds out of it, controlling the gophers, etc., but I still include it in my costs. Until the drought hit and hay prices went through the roof I was making a profit. If I had enough pasture for 5 to 6 months of grazing a year I would still be making a profit even with the current price of hay.

I do not keep replacement bucks - I buy them. The reason for that is because of fresh bloodlines. Any buck I raise is related to at least his mother, and a good number of my does are twins and have doelings in the herd. I do not believe in line breeding. My #1 criteria for replacement does is mothering. When you get right down to it, if a doe is not a good mother the rest doesn't matter. Any doe that rejects kids without a damned good reason is on the next trailer out of here. I will NOT tolerate it. There are too many good does out there to put up with one that won't accept her kids. 2nd is conformation, udder structure, and milking ability. 

Ups and Downs: I'm not exactly sure what you are looking for with this question. What may be a down for me won't be for you because of the difference in where we live and other things.


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks, and actualy we are kind of in the same boat because we oved to the family farm and now we raise brome and alfalfa hay. Are the Kikos as worm resistant as they say they are? How much do you bucklings weigh when you sell them? Thanks


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

If you have a large batch of kids to sell that are somewhat uniform in size and quality, I would attempt to find a buyer to buy them all instead of taking your chances with an auction sale. That depends on where you live and how familiar you are with the auction. Do some research. Call the auction and talk to the owner and ask what you can hope to expect. Go to the auction a couple of times and see what they are going for etc. You might consider getting a subscription to Goat Rancher magazine. You could even call Goat Rancher magazine and ask if they know of anyone who might be interested in buying a truck load. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Do you have any pictures of your goats?


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

The are mostly the same size 50-60 lbs, But there are three smaller ones. One giant one 4 months old and 80 lbs. buck
Anyway i go to the sale and ones like mine usualy go at 1.90 a pound but can drop to 1.35 so im hoping for the first. Ive tried selling them on craigslist for 1.90 a lb but no one wanted any so the sale it is.


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

It seems to me I make more from m Nigerians than my boers!!


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## Baphomet (Jun 15, 2013)

Hey, GoatCrazy, not sure how the mitochondrial DNA is benefitting your herd. Just curious.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Im kinda along the same boat as crazygoat just we dont grow hay here but we have a lot of brush so I am in the profit line now, after housing supplys ect. You are at the right size on your kids to sell. The way I sell, what I do is at about 4 months old no matter what, they get sold. I tried to hold them till this fall and banded the kids but changed my mind again and am starting to sell them off. I sell at weaning time because they dont go threw the stress of being weaned so they dont loose weight or any chance of them getting sick, again I tied to change it up and did end up with 3 sick kids and after one died that was when I decided to start selling them and not hold on to them. I am selling does hard, right now am down to 58, my reasons behind the ones Im selling is they are older, one she has gave me a single 2X in a row, and a few just gave crap kids even though they are nice and fat. Also I agree any doe that does not take her kids is sold asap. I do not like bottle babies lol. I dont really know if Ill be very much help to you on this one because after doing comercial for so long I am going to change to papered animals. My reason behind this has nothing to do with money, the money is good, but the stupid auction places around here, but thats a long story. From what I have learned on cl, you are not going to sell any butcher, or com. animal unless its a deal, and trust me, its just so not worth people showing up to buy your animals and the anger they seem to cause. What I would suggest to you is sell your kids, if the auction is not that far away and will not cost you much to make more then one trip, just sell some of your kids, prices are not very good right now. But after you sell everything then decide how you need to change things. There is no advise that 100% fit what is going on where you are. Crazygoats says he has kikos, here, if they are not boer they do not get that good of money, I dont know if the buyers here are just not that smart to tell a meat goat from a dairy, but thats how it is. If you could some how find a butcher house around you that would be your best bet, it would cut what the auction charges to sell them, and trust me that adds up fast!! If you have not really gone to the auction and watched with out selling, I would. I have learned so much just from sitting and watching, not only that be friendly while your there, I have not sold many, but I have sold some to people that I have met there. And being freaked out about what you might get for your kids will never go away, my husband hates going with me to sell because I am a total mess till the last one sells


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## DrakesFarm (Apr 1, 2013)

Lol I got to the sale with my uncle and he knows EVERYONE I mean seriously how many people can you know? So i meet alot of people. My gpa works right across from the sale barn so I send them with him to work and he takes them over to the barn. I wish there was a slaughter house around here for them but I havent heard of one.
Wish me luck sale is thursday, unless gpa is sick.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

DrakesFarm said:


> Thanks, and actualy we are kind of in the same boat because we oved to the family farm and now we raise brome and alfalfa hay. Are the Kikos as worm resistant as they say they are? How much do you bucklings weigh when you sell them? Thanks


Brome grass makes for some really good hay if cut right. Depending on the variety, it also tends to be invasive and can choke out other types of grass. I was surprised to discover that Smooth Brome is considered a noxious grass in a number of places.

Yes, in my experience they are. So far I have never had to worm my herd. Granted, part of that is because they are dry-lotted and do not have access to pasture. I do, however, turn them out to let them eat weeds and stuff around here when I'm working close to my place and can keep an eye on them to keep them out of trouble (I live a hop, skip, and jump from railroad tracks, and my immediate neighbor has a really nice garden that the girls just love! ).

How much they weigh at sale time depends - anywhere from 30 lbs (Easter kids) to 95 lbs (no particular market). I usually get pretty close to 2.00/lb for Easter kids. End of July and August are not good times to sell around here - prices are usually down. That was the hardest part for me - figuring out when to sell. Fortunately Centennial Livestock in Fort Collins broadcasts their auctions on the internet. I spend a fair amount of time watching and making notes of what weight groups are bringing what during the winter months. I don't have time in the summer, but The Fence Post carries sale results so I can keep tabs on the market through that.

Good luck on Thursday!


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## bbellhbl (Aug 1, 2013)

Small Business Development Center
I recently went to them and FOR FREE--our tax dollars at work--went over a business plan and economic forecast for raising meat goats. We used past input values (tax returns) to determine costs and I've been doing this a while so the meat sales and outlets are predictable.
Even with the past dry weather we've had here, meat goats are a money maker when stocking rates are reasonable. Here, that stocking rate is 4-5 goats per acre. (120 pound does)
It was a GREAT business exercise to go over EVERY input cost. There are some SBDC's that specialize in agriculture.
Hillbilly Livestock


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## bbellhbl (Aug 1, 2013)

Same as goatcrazy. with the addition that I have some 100% kikos to sell as breeding stock. The inputs for registered or commercial are the same with the exception of registration fees and paperwork which are not that much compared to the $$ return. Some years I don't have registered babies to sell, the meat goats still carry a profit. On 15 acres every kid has to carry their weight.
Hillbilly Livestock


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