# best way to sell meat goats?



## nlr77 (Jul 12, 2013)

I am new at this meat goat business. What is the best way to sell my goats when they are ready? Is the it better to advertise and sell to individuals or take them to sale?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You can do well at the sale barn IF they go the week before an ethnic holiday. Ours takes a 10% cut, which isnt unreasonable considering I dont have to haggle with prices or have drive by customers out of the blue.
Any advertising you can do; get the word out. Even if you dont go to shows you can sponser division championships, donate to raffles & last but not least, support 4h & FFA.
And get yourself a GoatSpot decal.
Welcome to the forum!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

You can advertise them on your website (if you have one), go to shows and get the word out, craigslist isn't too bad, or the auctions.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

For some holidays the Muslims need the most perfect unblemished animal they can afford. That means no disbudding and no castrating. Check out the different holidays so that you have an idea of what your market might be.


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## nlr77 (Jul 12, 2013)

Thanks very helpful!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It took a few years to get our name out there. Most of it is word of mouth.
Only a few each year are exceptional as far as shows are concerned; where we dont always bring home the blue or red but when you get to the top 3 or so in a big class people start to notice.
We're pretty much sold out for this season. Here's the kicker; when you get to know other breeders you can always refer inquiries & visa versa.
We always carry business cards to hand out & leave at feed stores, the vet, anywhere applicable. We have a magnetic sign on truck doors that can be read a good 50 feet away.
Re; raffles, I bought lots of tickets & our farm name kept getting called.
People start to recognize you especially if you are in a supportive role.


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## bbellhbl (Aug 1, 2013)

*personal conatct*

Go to a flea market or other venue with your sale goats and a handful of business cards. Especially if there is an immigrant population represented at the market. Even if you don't sell anything that day, you have handed your business card to the population that is used to eating goat meat in their everyday menus. Keep in mind --at least in my experience--different cultures prefer different ages and weights of animals.

Of course this only works if you are willing for people to come to your farm.

I weigh the goats and sell by the pound. That way we both KNOW how much the goat is worth.

Hillbilly Livestock


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

goathiker said:


> For some holidays the Muslims need the most perfect unblemished animal they can afford. That means no disbudding and no castrating. Check out the different holidays so that you have an idea of what your market might be.


I have heard this before and I have had people come to my farm to buy goats that were looking for this kind of animal, but my experience is they are unwilling to pay a premium for an "unblemished" goat. Which makes them tire kickers in my book regardless of their religion. I see the same thing at the sale barn. They are sitting ringside presumably to buy goats, but they won't bid enough to outbid the floor buyer. Also, some people will come to the farm to buy goats that have no idea how they are going to turn a living animal on the hoof into an edible piece of meat.


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## silveira_ranch (Jun 14, 2013)

Craigslist for me!


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

bbellhbl said:


> Go to a flea market or other venue with your sale goats and a handful of business cards. Especially if there is an immigrant population represented at the market.
> 
> I weigh the goats and sell by the pound. That way we both KNOW how much the goat is worth.E]


The flea market is a good idea. One thing you should keep in mind however... Theoretically, if you are selling by the pound, your scale should be certified by the state. I've weighed goats right in front of buyers before, but I tell them my scale is not certified and I am selling the goat by the head.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You're right about many of the Muslims Tim. I actually "blemish" mine on purpose and keep them in the Mexican and Russian market if at all possible. Cinco De Mayo is my money time here. 8 week old milk-fed kids are pretty much pure profit.


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## sunrisefarms17 (Jun 24, 2013)

There's a Muslim holiday At the end of November-beginning of December for 40-120pnd. Goats. 
Im selling mine at the arthur sell barn where i got $2.12 a pound, its better of u make sure they sell your goats separate to where u get more money.
However my cousin had some muslims Come to his house wanting to skin the goat there and build a fire and everything.
To me i would just rather sell it at the auction, i get better money and sometimes the goat has a better opportunity to go to a better home.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

... to someone looking to buy meat goats... hehe


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We look at what the prices are bringing at auctions around us, then list them on craigslist. If the boys don't sell before auction we take them to auction.


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## sunrisefarms17 (Jun 24, 2013)

HoosierShadow said:


> We look at what the prices are bringing at auctions around us, then list them on craigslist. If the boys don't sell before auction we take them to auction.


That's a good way, i will probably do that now.....but what i ment was its better having the goat slaughtered in a regular meat house like a cow then ppl cutting their throats and roasting them on a fire limb by limb :/


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

nlr77 said:


> I am new at this meat goat business. What is the best way to sell my goats when they are ready? Is the it better to advertise and sell to individuals or take them to sale?


That is going to depend on how many you have and how far you have to trailer them to the sale barn. Selling off farm is better if you have a high enough demand because you don't have any expenses as far as hauling them to the sale barn and you can also control the price to a point. Consider breeding your does to kid so the kids hit 3 months in time for the Easter market. Easter is a good time to hit the sale barn with 30 pound kids. Prices are good, there is no cost to you since they are still nursing mom, but you will be docked if they weigh in at 50 lbs or more. Christmas kids are also good since it requires out of season for a lot of breeds.

Another option if you have a significant (what is considered significant is probably going to vary from association to association, however) number of does is to check out local and state goat associations. It could be that the associations form a kind of cooperative to sell everyones kids to a processor, thereby assuring you of a certain price that has been negotiated beforehand.

If your herd numbers 100 head or more, you may also have the option to strike a deal with a local processor to sell your kids directly to them. Google goat meat processors to see if that is an option.


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## bbellhbl (Aug 1, 2013)

Farm slaughter is not legal here unless you are doing your own meat.


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

i dont know where you live but if you live near new holland pa. your goats will bring big bucks from muslim buyers if you sell them near theire holidays. i never saw so many goats in my life!


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## bbellhbl (Aug 1, 2013)

enchantedgoats said:


> i dont know where you live but if you live near new holland pa. your goats will bring big bucks from muslim buyers if you sell them near theire holidays. i never saw so many goats in my life!


Anybody want to shout out how much goats bring in your area?


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

It depends on what time of year I sell them. Easter kids usually bring at least $2.00 a pound. I don't know about Christmas kids, I haven't been able to hit that market yet. If I sell in July, August and the first part of September, I'm usually giving them away. So far sales in February are usually $1.50 a lb for the 60 lb range - higher if the weight is higher. My area does not have a large amount of goats, however, it is more cattle and sheep here.


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## sunrisefarms17 (Jun 24, 2013)

In illinois feb. Is the big month im told....last year feb brought $2.30 then in march it was 1.80 then in July i sold mine for 2.00 a pound....if u got in the arena first it was 2.12....arthur sell barn is the way to go for me. But then starting in aug. The prices drop big time till November.


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## gingersnap (Dec 20, 2012)

Hi all, I'm new to the meat goat business. Actually, I haven't started yet, I'm still researching. When you sell your goats, do you have to be licensed? When you advertise on Craigslist or your website, do you need a business license? Thanks in advance!


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## sunrisefarms17 (Jun 24, 2013)

No you don't need a license to sell. On craigslist all you do is post the product but at a sell barn they ask your name and number and the number of your goat to identify them but that's all.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

gingersnap said:


> Hi all, I'm new to the meat goat business. Actually, I haven't started yet, I'm still researching. When you sell your goats, do you have to be licensed? When you advertise on Craigslist or your website, do you need a business license? Thanks in advance!


I would imagine that is going to vary from state to state and county to county. You probably want to check with your local county or state government to find out for you area.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

sunrisefarms17 said:


> No you don't need a license to sell. On craigslist all you do is post the product but at a sell barn they ask your name and number and the number of your goat to identify them but that's all.


This statement is not necessarily true in all areas. I sell my goats at Centennial Livestock Auction Barn in Ft. Collins, Colorado and any animal that I sell there has to have a scrapie tag - not just the usual run of the mill ear tag. If I take any animal there that does not have a scrapie tag, they tag them and charge me 3.50 per animal to do it. I also had to submit a signed statement that I do not feed animal protein. There was also another document, but I don't remember what it pertained to, something about COOL maybe?


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## SunnydaleBoers (Jul 28, 2012)

GoatCrazy said:


> This statement is not necessarily true in all areas. I sell my goats at Centennial Livestock Auction Barn in Ft. Collins, Colorado and any animal that I sell there has to have a scrapie tag - not just the usual run of the mill ear tag. If I take any animal there that does not have a scrapie tag, they tag them and charge me 3.50 per animal to do it. I also had to submit a signed statement that I do not feed animal protein. There was also another document, but I don't remember what it pertained to, something about COOL maybe?


Try to give your state vet/dept of animal health a call- they should have the scrapie tags available. In Kansas they're free- you'll need to submit some information to register your farm, but then they'll send them out in batches of 100 along with the tagging tool (if you can operate a pliers then you can ear-tag). Not sure what the requirements in CO are, but even if they charge for the tags I'm betting you'll still come out ahead. $3.50 a pop is crazy!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Thank you, but I think I unintentionally mislead you.  I have premise id/scrapie tags and every goat born here, as well as the vast majority of purchased goats are tagged. It's just the occasional doe that is shipped without a tag because it is very difficult to put her behind a gate and tag her by myself. One of these days I am going to have a chute!


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