# Eating goats?!?



## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

I'll start by saying I do not plan on eating any of my goats anytime soon...But I am very curious about it..
As a child we ate our own goats, chickens, pork, rabbits, even squirrels..
I do not remember the taste of goats tho.. Some say like beef some say like deer.. Well I love beef but think deer is too gamy tasting.. Do you actually eat goat steaks or roast of do you ground it all up? Ours was always ground, so we never really knew we were eating goat??
Is it like with deer the younger ones are less gamy taste?? The older ones being very gamy??
Like I said just curious now.. But not gonna say I would never in my life butcher a goat.. Sometimes times are hard and if you like the taste I don't really see anything wrong with it..


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

We have ours ground. I think it is a mild beef flavor.No gaminess at all.


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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

Like deer but no gamy taste it's usually very lean unless your goats are very fat I love chevron


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Interesting.. How do you decide? Unwanted Billy, too many wethers, or older does?? 
I only have my lil herd of 4 as pets.. But farther down road.. Like years when I have an established herd.. 


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I process any males, and if there are no males, I process females. My family uses the goats for milk and meat in a backyard situation. We only have 3 does and a wether and a buck. Some we sell.
I can't afford to have just pets...lol....everyone here has a job


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Ok thanks!! This is a little off subject but you really seem to know your stuff!! 
Do goats become incest (sp?) like.. You have the same billy for years, only one.. Then it become dad breeding daughters.. Or if you keep one billy.. It would be son breeding mom & sisters and so on and so on?? How does that work.. 
Is that when you would butcher a billy and buy a new billy?!?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

My uncle said he ate a older buck when he was you and it was nasty so I wouldn't try that one. I have also yet to try goat but want to. My plan is to get it processed and get some ground and the rest in beef sticks....or goat lol. My husband had some made in deer and was good and I dislike deer. But I have this issue with waist and I figure the ground up we can try and if we don't like it the rest I can add into normal hamburger and the sticks have so much seasoning in it any type of animal would fast the same.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Mikesell04 said:


> Ok thanks!! This is a little off subject but you really seem to know your stuff!!
> Do goats become incest (sp?) like.. You have the same billy for years, only one.. Then it become dad breeding daughters.. Or if you keep one billy.. It would be son breeding mom & sisters and so on and so on?? How does that work..
> Is that when you would butcher a billy and buy a new billy?!?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


Thanks but I am a newbie  I come here to TGS for advice all the time! I do not have any of my bucks daughters and all my does are unrelated too. I don't keep kids....but if I did, I would need a new buck,yes.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I don't think I would eat my buck....too much bucky flavor


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Jessica84 said:


> My uncle said he ate a older buck when he was you and it was nasty so I wouldn't try that one. I have also yet to try goat but want to. My plan is to get it processed and get some ground and the rest in beef sticks....or goat lol. My husband had some made in deer and was good and I dislike deer. But I have this issue with waist and I figure the ground up we can try and if we don't like it the rest I can add into normal hamburger and the sticks have so much seasoning in it any type of animal would fast the same.


You'll like it


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Ok I get it  
Now here is my situation I bought all four my goat from one lady..
I don't know if they are related already??? The lady said no but she didn't want me to come pick them up she had to deliver them.. So really I have no idea?? What should I do?? 
Would it be a good idea to try and swap out my billy after these set of kids are born? I was planning on keeping some of the kids..
That's a great idea with the sticks!! I do like deer sticks, sausage, and jerkey!! So I bet any of that would be good too.. And I'm sure I would like it ground too..


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Don't have it all ground - there is some good stuff in there! In deer the backstrap is usually the most prized cut - it's also good in goats. I'm bad with all the cut names but you can have ribs, tenderloins, chops (with a little t shaped bone in them, really yummy), leg roasts, etc. We do use a lot of ground in tacos, shepherd's pie, chili etc. I particularly enjoy ground that is seasoned with breakfast sausage seasoning with homefries in the morning. We had a 9 month old buck (unexpectedly) processed and there is a slight smell when cooking but the flavor is not bad. People who are unfamiliar with goats do not recognize the smell but we do. Also had a 3 year old nuisance wether processed and the meat was not tough/unusable. We plan on typically eating/selling 4-8 month old bucks or faulty does but have had mostly does born in our few years of production so far! As for older does - I'm pretty sure I'll end up with a little retirement herd of my favorites 

Also - yes - some people "line breed" their goats to promote certain traits but in general, as with any breeding operation, you definitely want to introduce new lines for healthier animals.


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

SalteyLove said:


> Don't have it all ground - there is some good stuff in there! In deer the backstrap is usually the most prized cut - it's also good in goats. I'm bad with all the cut names but you can have ribs, tenderloins, chops (with a little t shaped bone in them, really yummy), leg roasts, etc. We do use a lot of ground in tacos, shepherd's pie, chili etc. I particularly enjoy ground that is seasoned with breakfast sausage seasoning with homefries in the morning. We had a 9 month old buck (unexpectedly) processed and there is a slight smell when cooking but the flavor is not bad. People who are unfamiliar with goats do not recognize the smell but we do. Also had a 3 year old nuisance wether processed and the meat was not tough/unusable. We plan on typically eating/selling 4-8 month old bucks or faulty does but have had mostly does born in our few years of production so far! As for older does - I'm pretty sure I'll end up with a little retirement herd of my favorites
> 
> Also - yes - some people "line breed" their goats to promote certain traits but in general, as with any breeding operation, you definitely want to introduce new lines for healthier animals.


Ok thanks!!
So by line breeding.. Would you say it won't hurt to have the same billy for a few years and or generations..then think about selling him or swapping??

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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Well - personally I don't do ANY line breeding at all. I usually keep two unrelated bucks so that any doe kids I retain can be bred in the future. I believe other breeders do one generation of line breeding (sire to daughter) then swap but I just don't believe in this. Personally, if you are not confident that your buck is not related to the goats you own already, I would purchase a new one - there is always a better buck out there! But you should get some input from breeders that know line breeding.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I agree...if you don't know, buy a new buck.


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## DonnaBelle66 (Mar 4, 2013)

*Smoking a goat roast*

I had a 9 month old wether we butchered and he was very good tasting. We wethered him at 2 months of age.

I took a roast and brined it overnight. DH cut some hickory chips up for me from the lone hickory tree on the ranch. I soaked the chips overnight in water and then put them on the grill in an aluminum foil packet. I put the roast on the grill for l & l/2 hours and then removed it, put it in a tight roaster and cooked it on 225 degrees overnight.

It was so tender and delicious. Now if you are a huge fan of bbq seasoning, or maybe Italian beef seasoning, etc. etc. you could add that.

But the meat itself WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. I like the smoked hickory flavor but I don't want it to be overpowering.

I would never consider roasting a intact buck. Unless I was having someone over for dinner I hated. LOL

DonnaBelle


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Mikesell04 said:


> Ok thanks!!
> So by line breeding.. Would you say it won't hurt to have the same billy for a few years and or generations..then think about selling him or swapping??
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


IF you have a commercial herd....not breeding for registered animals....using the same buck for a couple years is ok. I was told by a commercial breeder (note the word commercial) that to use the same buck for a couple generations is ok. BUT...do NOT breed son back to mother. I will be using the same buck for a couple generations before swapping him out for a new one. Probably keep the same buck for 4 years or so. He wouldn't actually breed his daughters until the 2nd year so I'd have a couple years of no line breeding going on. Now, I absolutely would try to find a buck that complimented the does I already have. I'm looking for one that has some decent conformation and some muscle (my biggest complaint on my does is their muscle...too much dairy in them) My best does tend to throw very dairy looking kids and I need the muscle to make them more marketable in my area.:2cents:


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

kccjer said:


> IF you have a commercial herd....not breeding for registered animals....using the same buck for a couple years is ok. I was told by a commercial breeder (note the word commercial) that to use the same buck for a couple generations is ok. BUT...do NOT breed son back to mother. I will be using the same buck for a couple generations before swapping him out for a new one. Probably keep the same buck for 4 years or so. He wouldn't actually breed his daughters until the 2nd year so I'd have a couple years of no line breeding going on. Now, I absolutely would try to find a buck that complimented the does I already have. I'm looking for one that has some decent conformation and some muscle (my biggest complaint on my does is their muscle...too much dairy in them) My best does tend to throw very dairy looking kids and I need the muscle to make them more marketable in my area.:2cents:


Thanks so much!! That info helps a lot!! Now I won't have to worry about it for a while!!

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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your response.. I understand both subjects a lot better now 
I like all the opinions on who, and how to process.. And ways of cooking it too!! Thanks!!



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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

you should try to figure out how related or unrelated your buck is to your does if you're wanting to breed.

also, are you breeding for milk or meat? maybe put up some pictures?

just fyi - if your goats have strengths (e.g. great milk production), in-breeding will accentuate those strengths. however, any flaws will also be accentuated.

oh, I heard to process older bucks, you need to be really clean. e.g. when skinning, cut from outside-in. there was a thread someone here about processing older bucks so to not get the buck stink.....


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

I started out just as pets, and brush eaters. We have 10 acres of wooded property. About 2acres being yard. But I am thinking meat goats in the future.
I'm thinking if related, my billy would be brother to one doe?? They were all just bred when I bought them.. And all 4 the same age 7months old. I thought it was young to be bred, but she said it was fine because they would be one year at delivery.. 
Here are some pics!!
































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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

On the buck try to corn him tastes just like corned beef and the corning process helps to tame down the bucky flavor you can get the recipe online or I can get it to you if you can't find it. It's really good if you like corned meat.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

You're ok on the age of your does being bred. They all look big enough. I'd forgotten...is your buck a pygmy? If you're wanting to breed for meat, you'll want to look for a bigger buck with more muscle. It's not something you need to rush out and do, but if a meat buck would appear at the right price, you might consider him. Breeding brother to sister is ok...just not son to mother. Not sure what the difference there is, but that's what I was told by the breeder I talked to.


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

kccjer said:


> You're ok on the age of your does being bred. They all look big enough. I'd forgotten...is your buck a pygmy? If you're wanting to breed for meat, you'll want to look for a bigger buck with more muscle. It's not something you need to rush out and do, but if a meat buck would appear at the right price, you might consider him. Breeding brother to sister is ok...just not son to mother. Not sure what the difference there is, but that's what I was told by the breeder I talked to.


Thanks I feel better about the breeding then!! They are all 4 pygmy/nigerian dwarf.. So what is the best meat breed.. And one not too big to breed with my girls??

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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

They are all pygmy/ND? I thought the does looked bigger...almost like they had some alpine in them. Never mind then. Keep the pygmy. LOL You don't want to breed your does to a bigger buck. Not fun when they have too big a babies. Trust me. Make sure you get a pygmy buck for them when you change bucks as they will tend to have more meat.


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## HouseElfLamanchas (Apr 12, 2013)

Jess is right we had a 4 year old boer cross buck we butchered 2 years ago and kept his skull but his meat was really gamy tasting i couldnt gag it down it was horrible!

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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

kccjer said:


> They are all pygmy/ND? I thought the does looked bigger...almost like they had some alpine in them. Never mind then. Keep the pygmy. LOL You don't want to breed your does to a bigger buck. Not fun when they have too big a babies. Trust me. Make sure you get a pygmy buck for them when you change bucks as they will tend to have more meat.


Yeah agree I don't want big babies!! So when I do swap billy I'll just get a full pygmy.. Still be small but more meat..

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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

So no butchering the billy!! if they taste anything like they smell, it's not for me.. Lol 


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I asked one of the buyers at our sale about that. I can't imagine eating anything that smells like that  He told me that there are actually people who would RATHER eat the older bucks than young goat!! :shocked:


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Lol I believe it.. Prolly the same type of ppl who like liver.. Of any kind.. Eww!! 


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Uh...NO. Liver is GOOD stuff!!!:-D Fresh liver with onions....yummm.... Chicken livers with cocktail sauce...ummm.... I'm getting hungry now! hehehe Guess I'll see what the salebarn has for food tonight...horse sale and daughter wants to go. They had sloppy nachos earlier. No liver tho :mecry:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes there are some cultures who prefer older buck.
We had a 2 yr old in rut done. We had him all ground & a couple of yr old intacts done as well. They went into Italian sausage & brats.
The idea was if we didn't like it we'd have dog food.
Dogs never got a whiff of any of it! The plain ground was the most delicious we've ever had!


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## Mikesell04 (Jan 26, 2014)

Lol chicken liver maybe?? But I can't even be in the same house where beef liver and onions are being cooked.. I would literally get sick..  and it taste just like it smells.. My husband loves it tho..
I would try it if I had an older billy and couldn't get rid of it.. Especially as sausage, or jerky!! I have had really gamy deer steaks but jerky and sausage was just fine..



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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

kccjer said:


> I asked one of the buyers at our sale about that. I can't imagine eating anything that smells like that  He told me that there are actually people who would RATHER eat the older bucks than young goat!! :shocked:


Yeah, but there are also people who like cow brains and tongue, rocky mountain oysters, lamb fries, and tripe! There is no accounting for taste! :crazy: :laugh:


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Mikesell04 said:


> Lol I believe it.. Prolly the same type of ppl who like liver.. Of any kind.. Eww!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


Hey now, I love liver and onions! Mostly because of the way it tastes, but also because Dad turns such a lovely shade of green every time he gets to watch me eat it! :lol: :lol:


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