# sad about selling my babies



## tomie (Mar 2, 2011)

My husband called last night from work and said that his buddy wants to buy one of our buck babies for 4-H. I want to be able to sell my babies but I guess I just thought that I would be able to get them a good home. I know that I might be crazy but they would go as market goats and that means that they will be eaten ...Right? My one baby buck we named Enoch because he was the first grandson in the bible and Enoch was our first grandson... I love them with all my heart. I have eaten goat but I just did not want my babies to be eaten. Maybe I am not cut out for this. His buddy is suppose to come today and pick the one that he wants so we can whether him. I hope that he does not like any of them. How does everyone do this. I know that my goats are not full blooded so they are not show goats but I just wanted them to be pets and have someone love them like I do. I know I cannot keep them because we have more does on the way but it just breaks my heart.


----------



## DulmesFamilyBoers (Feb 26, 2011)

I hear ya! I'm wondering if it is normal for the "boys" to be so much more friendly than the "girls". I have 7 boer kids. 3 that will be whethers, and 4 doelings. Of course we want to keep the doelings, which means the whethers have to find new homes. I thought I was ok with them going, but why do they have to be the first ones to meet me at the gate, and follow me around? It's almost like they know what's coming, and they are trying to convince me otherwise. Our first whether was sold as a pet, hopefully yours will too!


----------



## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

It is hard letting them go but the reality is that finding good pet homes for wethers can be really challenging in my experience. Not saying it can't be done--I, myself have a pet wether that gets spoiled and loved--but it is very hard. Some poeple that thought they wanted pet goats change their minds and the poor goats end up being mistreated and ignored and eventually either die from neglect or are taken to auction. It is sad but I have seen it happen many, many times. I always have this in the back of my mind when I am raising my boys...I give them loving care for the time they are with me and it is sad to know they won't be able to live long, happy lives...But I also know that I am providing someone with a humanely-raised, healthy food source and the goats will never have to know suffering. 

In the end, you just have to do what feels right to you...BUT it is never easy!


----------



## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

I'm selling both of my boys to be pets, but I just keep in mind that they may not always stay that way-even I planned on eating them, and I won't be concerned if someone else chooses to as well. Nobody packs goats around here, so they don't have that option, and most people don't keep goats as pets, so wethers pretty much have one choice, and while it IS hard, it's something that I just have to deal with. Some people take it pretty easily, some can just never get over it. Give it some time, think about it, and just remember-there's always next year, and you can ALWAYS change your mind about this boy-most people will understand.


----------



## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I have a bad tendency to fall in love with all my animals. Something that helps me not get to attatched to something that might be eaten is NOT naming it. When you name something you brand it as yours, if it doesn't have a name then (for me) it doesn't have a place with me, so I can let it go easier. I also don't spent too much time bonding with it. Take care of it yes, pet it yes, but not overly much. I focus on bonding with the ones I get to keep, and make those my pets. I just can't eat something that I have loved on and made my pet, it seems like a betrayal to that animal. I can give it good care, but I have to always keep in mind that it is NOT a pet, and is not to be made into one. I have animals that ARE my pets, and I focus on those to give my attentions and love. Do NOT name anything that has the potential to be eaten.


----------



## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

Especially if they are a meat breed, you've just got to expect that they will be eaten. If you are producing a meat breed animal...you are raising a meat product. Do you know a lot of people that raise Angus cattle for pets??? Probably not... It's just the nature of the breed. Now if you had a dairy breed, then I would see it completely differently, as they are not a "Meat Breed" animal. But if they are Boer type goats, then you'll have to accept that people are going to view them as a food product.

It's SUPER tough!! We do one meat goat a year for 4H, and that's plenty *MENTALLY* for us here. We dont even keep the meat for ourselves... just too attached. So I totally understand how you feel.


----------



## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

I understand how you feel, but just because your boys aren't registered doesn't mean they have to be eaten. Three of our commercial bucklings have gone to be herdsires of commercial herds. Commercial herds do not care about pedigrees and papers. We wethered two this year for 4-h. We may retain one as a "buck buddy". The other will be eaten by us. It is hard, we do love them and care well for them. But, that is why we got them...to provide for our family. If done with respect and dignity, slaughtering is not a cruel end. Unfortunately, the kids have named them so we'll see how that goes. The had no problem eating "Bully" last year, and we are grateful to him for each meal he is in.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I also understand... it isn't easy for me either.....  :hug:


----------



## MrKamir (Nov 2, 2009)

I understand completely. We started out raising boar goats briefly and sold them off. My neighbor got two of our boar nannies when we sold off our boar goats. We can see them everyday over the fence. I know that when they have babies, some are sold for nourishment. I try not to think about it. I have eaten goat before just none of mine. It's part of my heritage. I ate them when I was younger. I can't eat one now that i raise and name them. I raise Nigerian Dwarf goats now. When people come over to buy my Nigerians, I only hope it's for breeding or milking. I don't ask. I had people telling me they are going to eat them and I have turned them away. I tell them they are not meat goats. As long as they don't tell what they plan to do with them, I'm ok. I think. :chin:


----------



## Saanens N Alpines (Oct 20, 2010)

I am the same way. I have a very hard time selling any of my goats! Last year I left two as bucklings and they started to get stinky and needed to be seperated form the does, etc., becasue it took a long time to sell them. We are not set up for that and it became a real pain. I knew they had to go and sort of came to terms with the fact that they may have to be sold to someone who wanted to eat them. I sold them both to people wanting bucks, but I worry about whether they cared well for them. This year I think I will wether all the boys, but I already adore the two I have and don't know how I am going to part with them unless I know they are going to pet homes. It's just really hard for me, but then again, I really would rather have them humanely slaughtered than go somewhere where they weren't well cared for. I can't keep them. Why do my does have to have boys!? lol!


----------



## potentialfarm (Apr 11, 2011)

It is soooo difficult to sell them. I didn't do so well last year. I had a buckling sold (for a good price). I backed out of the deal, and now have a one year old wether. He's a rotten teenage brat now. LOL... 
One thing that may help, is if he goes to a home where he will be treated well. Whether the boys end up as pets, or as meat, it helps to know that as long as they are here, they are treated good. 
There are certain people I won't even sell piglets to, because I know from experience, that the people won't take proper care of them during their short existence. :sigh: 

You definitely need to do what you feel is best. Maybe you can kind of "feel it out"? Try to get a feel as to what type of people they are?


----------



## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Out of 7 new babies this season, 5 were boys. One was sacrificed for rennen. The other four have been wethered and will be meat in our freezer. I find this easier than selling them. We give them the best life possible but they are a byproduct of dairy goats. I would worry myself sick if I sold them thinking they were being neglected.
I do hate selling any of my goats. We had one spoken for while she was still pregnant. I knew the woman and knew she and the babies would be okay. But I am still happy the deal fell through.
And we do name our wethers. We call them all Chevon. That way the family knows their fate and do not get as attached.


----------

