# Does anyone just raise for some meat?



## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

What I mean is... I was thinking about just getting a couple of meat goat kids to raise for butcher, not to breed.. I am getting pasture fenced and set up, and will need sheep and/or goats.. calves??? to eat it this summer. I currently have 6 Nigerian dwarf goats, but they dont really eat that much, and we have at least 8 acres to use...(need to measure exactly tomorrow) 
Thanks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

No reason why you can't do that. Then you know exactly what they ate.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Well come on over, two more kiddings to go Im sure there'll be a few wethers.
And yes our original goal was meat. Still is to some extent.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I know plenty of people that do. I plan on raising my own this year too. It will be a first but should be interesting


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

If my saanen has any males that's exactly what I'll be doing.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

You could always eat some of your ND wethers if they don't sell too.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

We raise boers for meat and depending on size/weight we butcher around 8 mos. I also have ND's so any wethers this year if I can't sell for what meat price would be we'll try our hand at that.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

xymenah said:


> You could always eat some of your ND wethers if they don't sell too.


If you wether them do they gain weight better? I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do with any nd boys I get.


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## pierceingstarr (Nov 13, 2012)

Breakfast Sausage...it the best. We are running out of our meat and so we will be butchering out Sandy's wether this year in the fall. Yes, I agree that at least you know what went into the animal if you grow it.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Wether does help them put on size...plus no bucky smell...we just bought some Boer ladies we will breed to our sannen buck for larger meat kids...all bucks will be wethered and sent to the freezer...we also raise hair sheep and all rams are wethered and sent to the freezer as well...I would not bother to disbud them and I wouldnt keep them where I would get attached...once I name it I cannot eat it lol... hence Walter..our wether sheep lol..Oops got too attached bottle raising him lol much to my husband irritation


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I hear you happybleats! I don't name something that will be food, and I agree wether them and don't bother with disbudding if they are in a pen together. We did 2 lambs last Sept. We'll do 2 more this fall, and a few goats. We'll also be starting our chickens soon, half will get butchered at game hen size and half full roasting size. Doing it that way gives me time to get the second batch going, with only half as many still being fed.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Last year I butchered two dairy wethers at five months old. They were probably 80lbs live weight living off hay and 20-30oz of milk a day.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

clearwtrbeach said:


> I hear you happybleats! I don't name something that will be food, and I agree wether them and don't bother with disbudding if they are in a pen together. We did 2 lambs last Sept. We'll do 2 more this fall, and a few goats. We'll also be starting our chickens soon, half will get butchered at game hen size and half full roasting size. Doing it that way gives me time to get the second batch going, with only half as many still being fed.


All animals on my farm are named. Those going for meat get the names of Breakfast, lunch/dinner, dinner/supper, pot roast, chops, hamburger, etc


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

So which really is better...wethered or not? The two I had, the wether and buck were the same size....
what's typical though? Wether's get bigger?


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Nancy, I will certainly take you up on that! I'm afraid I'd better not name them either... but I'm looking forward to chevon! and who knows, I may become a boer addicts too...


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## pierceingstarr (Nov 13, 2012)

I dont see any harm in naming them. I had a bottle calf who was a twin with a boy, and I called her Daisy. She went to the sale barn as a yearling. Weighed in 1200 pounds. I had a Doe goat named Missy, real B****. Butchered. Boy was she yummo. A wether goat I got for free we named Saten, His horns stood straight up and I have a nother calf Named Ben(steer) who will also be sold at the sale barn or butchered. We will see when it is time.
I have no problem eating anything that has a name. I know how to detach myself. Thats all you have to do is detach.


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Another way to help yourself with not getting attached is name them after a food or something. I named the ones I was going to butcher Stupid and Idiot. I still loved on them and called their names sweetly. They don't have a clue what they mean anyway. I gave them enough attention that they would come up to me if I came in the pen and called their names and I could pet them but they were not in your lap goats even though they were bottle babies. If I walked in the pen they might follow me around from a distance but wouldn't run up to greet me.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Boer Meat Goats or other Meat breeds are an excellent option. We would ideally like to have 3 butchered out each year.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

We just had 4 of ours butchered. There was really only one wether that I had a hard time as he had been a 'wild' 'shy' baby but just about a month ago decided to warm up to me. All the wethers got names here.. we treated them well and kindly... gave them everything they needed... even play stools and stumps... and a Doe mamma to babysit them when they were younger. They were picked for butcher for a reason. These were not 'pet' quality but had the 'big' bossy attitudes. None of these would have made anyone a good buck either for temperament issues and for ... certain genetic issues that we don't like to see passed on for bucks to sell out... (teat structures... folded ears.. overbites.. ) These are all now in our freezer. Healthy quality meat that came from happy unstressed well fed animals.


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## imthegrt1 (Jan 13, 2013)

I heard the roast isnt good but the hamburgers are


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

We love all the meat!!!!!


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

The meat is very tender. We love ground meat for tacos. The way we feed, butcher, care for and cook our meat... there is no goaty strong taste at all. People think that they are eating beef that is darker and more tender.


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

I like to eat kid goats. I would like to keep some of mine to eat. Hard to keep them with the price at $2.30-$2.60 lb at the auction.


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## Catahoula (Feb 12, 2013)

NyGoatMom said:


> So which really is better...wethered or not? The two I had, the wether and buck were the same size....
> what's typical though? Wether's get bigger?


Usually bucks would get bigger than wethers. Some claim bucks tasted different than wethers. If you have one of each and are feeding them the same food, maybe you can be your own judge to see which tastes better.


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