# butchering young kids



## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Has anyone butchered young kids? If I can't sell my dairy wethers I'm thinking of slaughtering them at weening age around three months old so I don't have to deal with feeding them out on hay and they are small enough I can hang and butcher by myself. I also think their pelts would make nice soft hair on pillows too at that age.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

The last 4 goats I have eaten were anglo nubians done at 2 - 3 mths. delicious  I would probably wait till 3 - 5 mths myself just so they are that bit bigger, but then I have no problems hanging and butchering an 18 mth old myself


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I've been thinking the same thing. If my Saanen has any males I'm thinking of butchering them at 2-4 months.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

If I really needed the meat and had a proper place and equipment to process it I would let them get bigger. My dad and I are the only ones that eat goat meat but hes always out of state working so that leaves me. Last year we butchered them at six or seven months old. They weighed every bit of 80 to 100lbs. The way we had it set up I had to pick them up by the hind legs to hang them so if I didn't have to do that I could easily do it by myself. My feed bill is high enough so I figured if I could dispatch them early that would help. I know some people sell easter kids sucessfuly so it must taste good.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Does anyone know where we find all the information we need to know for butchering kids at home?


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I would imagine it would be the same info as butchering an adult. Here is a good website.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

we've only butchered at 6-8 mos. I guess butchering that early would be same process with a very small amount of meat. So theoretically it could be done, and if you don't want to wait and care about a lot of meat then I don't see why not. Depending on how you feel, you could estimate how much weight you'd get and see what the going price at auction is. Our hispanic groups around here prefer about 50-100# but most are 50-70 and they usually want to pay about 60 each.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Many of the Hispanics in my area kill the goats by drowning them in vinegar. They say it makes the meat taste better. I would rather them die with respect then make money. If I knew they would be killed humanely I would sell them for meat.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Oh no,I'm so soft it's hard for me to accept the truth about goats, that its more common for people to raise them for meat than to have them as pets. I love my goats like people love their dogs so I can't even think to much about the subject without getting squeamish.


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

xymenah said:


> Many of the Hispanics in my area kill the goats by drowning them in vinegar. They say it makes the meat taste better. I would rather them die with respect then make money. If I knew they would be killed humanely I would sell them for meat.


That could be done relatively humanely with a good heavy plastic bag, but,,, WHY???? Any reasoning would have to be something from the dark ages. 

Bob


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Jodi_berg said:


> Oh no,I'm so soft it's hard for me to accept the truth about goats, that its more common for people to raise them for meat than to have them as pets. I love my goats like people love their dogs so I can't even think to much about the subject without getting squeamish.


I know how you feel. My goats are my family, I love them to death. But, I do have to breed them every year for milk, and if I need to take responsibility for that. We cannot keep them all, and there is not always a good pet home for all the wethers. I would rather them have a short, happy life, than to compromise their safety.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I'll have to look up that link. I'm intersted in butchering young kids, to be dressed out in one piece. I'm not sure the most humane way to euthanize at a young age. A bullet seems to be overkill.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Jodi_berg said:


> Oh no, I'm so soft it's hard for me to accept the truth about goats, that its more common for people to raise them for meat than to have them as pets. I love my goats like people love their dogs so I can't even think to much about the subject without getting squeamish.


 I completely understand your point of view. If I could find them a good pet home I would but I can't keep them forever if they don't find one. I treat all my animals with respect even the ones that end up as food. They all get a name and petted every day just like all the rest of them.



Arkie said:


> That could be done relatively humanely with a good heavy plastic bag, but,,, WHY???? Any reasoning would have to be something from the dark ages.


 They don't do it because of the actual suffocation they say the vinegar soaks through the lungs into the meat and gives it a better flavor.



Dayna said:


> I'll have to look up that link. I'm intersted in butchering young kids, to be dressed out in one piece. I'm not sure the most humane way to euthanize at a young age. A bullet seems to be overkill.


 If you could get a large sharp knife like a machete decapitation is the most humane way. I've seen it done with a samurai sword lol.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Dayna said:


> Does anyone know where we find all the information we need to know for butchering kids at home?


There are a couple videos on youtube and this site gives a fantastic tutorial.
http://www.ozarkjewels.net/homebutchering.htm


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

crocee said:


> There are a couple videos on youtube and this site gives a fantastic tutorial.
> http://www.ozarkjewels.net/homebutchering.htm


Thanks, that was very imformative!


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

I wish all the animals I ate had such happy lives, it tears me up to think of an animal suffering just to fill belly.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Dayna said:


> I'll have to look up that link. I'm intersted in butchering young kids, to be dressed out in one piece. I'm not sure the most humane way to euthanize at a young age. A bullet seems to be overkill.


A small caliber bullet like a .22 wouldn't be overkill, and would probably be perfect for the job.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

I always like to keep the sculls. I have the two from my last kids still macerating. On one of them the bullet really mucked up the scull and went through the jaw and shattered it. I'm disappointed but I can still use the horns and some of the jaw bone. The other one has a perfect little hole. We used a Ruger .38 special revolver.


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

For those in middle Georgia or nearby - Fort Valley State University has a small ruminant extension that does slaughter and processing - you provide cut sheets. Cost is only $10 head plus .40 per lb for cut and packaging.


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## Arkie (Sep 25, 2012)

mjgh06 said:


> For those in middle Georgia or nearby - Fort Valley State University has a small ruminant extension that does slaughter and processing - you provide cut sheets. Cost is only $10 head plus .40 per lb for cut and packaging.[/QUOTE
> 
> Cut sheets?? What kind of sheets? What purpose?
> 
> Bob


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

I think the cut sheets are pre cut butcher paper to wrap the parts in.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

They may be a sheet saying how you want them cut as well. Such as certain cuts of meat. I know some cuts ruin others.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

xymenah said:


> They may be a sheet saying how you want them cut as well. Such as certain cuts of meat. I know some cuts ruin others.


This is probably the correct answer. I've never used a butcher so I didn't even think of it.


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

Cut sheets are how you want the meat cut - what areas to make what.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

crocee said:


> This is probably the correct answer. I've never used a butcher so I didn't even think of it.


I have never used one either it was just a guess.


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## AlecBGreen (Jul 7, 2009)

xymenah said:


> Many of the Hispanics in my area kill the goats by drowning them in vinegar. They say it makes the meat taste better. I would rather them die with respect then make money. If I knew they would be killed humanely I would sell them for meat.


One of my friends is a Masai from Kenya. When he had a baby I gave them a goat to celebrate. He came over to help me process it and he killed it by suffocation. He just held it down and clamped his hand over its muzzle. They do that because they dont want to waste any of the blood, which they save for eating. It was hard for me to watch as I've always just dispatched the animals with a .22 to the forehead. They go from alive to dead in an instant that way; no pain. Suffocation is not my cup of tea. It seemed cruel.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

This is *my* list of the most humane ways to kill a goat for food.


Bullet to the head
Decapitation

If either of the above are done swiftly and correctly the animal knows nothing of what is going on and dies instantly.


Drowning in water
Suffocation

If either of the above are done correctly there should be no pain but the animal is aware of what is going on. I personally have no moral problem with these. There are some times you may want to keep the blood or something. I'm ok with that.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

xymenah said:


> This is *my* list of the most humane ways to kill a goat for food.
> 
> 
> Bullet to the head
> ...


Want to come 1500 miles east and teach me to process a goat???


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

crocee said:


> Want to come 1500 miles east and teach me to process a goat???


lol I have actually only done two goats in my entire life. But I have researched as much as I can since I want to be self sufficient and butcher all my own food. I'll skin and gut them for you though. I actually kind of enjoy that part don't know why. Considering the last goats I skinned I did with a dull kitchen knife and I only cut holes in the skin about four times and it took me about thirty minuets I don't think I did half bad! Wish I would have kept those skins.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

I've never done one in my life however I think I could if I needed to. If meat prices keep going through the roof I'll either become a vegetarian or learn to process my food.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Well, if my saanen has a boy I will be finding out if I can do it in July or August. If she's due the first week of April I figure they'll be a decent size (boer/saanen) by July/August. Maybe I'll do it sooner so that I can have a smaller job.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

AlecBGreen said:


> One of my friends is a Masai from Kenya. When he had a baby I gave them a goat to celebrate. He came over to help me process it and he killed it by suffocation. He just held it down and clamped his hand over its muzzle. They do that because they dont want to waste any of the blood, which they save for eating. It was hard for me to watch as I've always just dispatched the animals with a .22 to the forehead. They go from alive to dead in an instant that way; no pain. Suffocation is not my cup of tea. It seemed cruel.


WOW!!!! The hispanics here want to slit their throat. If they are butchering and quartering here, the ONLY thing we allow is a bullet to the head. My husband usually does it so that someone not experienced does not get it wrong. They can then slit the throat to bleed out. I understand the person from Kenya, that is their culture; but I still think there is a better way. A bullet, then cut the jugular and drain into a vessel would be better. Just my opinion.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

crocee said:


> I've never done one in my life however I think I could if I needed to. If meat prices keep going through the roof I'll either become a vegetarian or learn to process my food.


Food prices, and the cr** they put in it is why we try to raise our red meat, and poultry, eggs, milk from my little ND's and garden grown w/o pesticides. It can be alot of work but it's worth it for me.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

clearwtrbeach said:


> WOW!!!! The hispanics here want to slit their throat. If they are butchering and quartering here, the ONLY thing we allow is a bullet to the head. My husband usually does it so that someone not experienced does not get it wrong. They can then slit the throat to bleed out. I understand the person from Kenya, that is their culture; but I still think there is a better way. A bullet, then cut the jugular and drain into a vessel would be better. Just my opinion.


The only problem I have with a bullet to the head is I like brain. You definitely can't eat it after a bullet has blasted it to bits.


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