# Whats the best way to butcher a goat?



## Sherryr

Hi I need some help here with butchering a goat from start to finish. OK I don't know how to kill them by a gun or knife, both the best way so the is not in pain. Thanks Sherry


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## TheMixedBag

If you've ever dressed a deer, it's virtually the same thing. The best I can tell you is a couple of pointers.

First, aim for the back of the head (.22 hollow point is what we used). Straddle the goat if you have to, keep your hand away from his head/neck. Do NOT aim for the front (like cattle). I made this mistake once, it was awful.

Second-use a t-post. Gutting and skinning is 1000 times easier with the carcass hung up and the back legs spread a good bit apart. Most t-posts have notches, and these can be used to hold the legs apart rather than tying. Make sure the notches face away from the bone so the tendons can catch on the notches and stay where you put them.

Invest in a good skinning knife (the kind with the hook on the end). It will save you a ton of hassle and headache when trying to skin and gut without breaking anything.

Lastly, unless you have a captive bolt gun lying around, invest in a gun. A simple .22 hand gun works fine and is generally quieter. Larger.calibers aren't needed for butcher age goats. Older, heavy horned bucks may need more firepower, I've never dealt with one before.


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## ksalvagno

I have to admit that I drive them to the local processor. They do everything. We drop them off in a stall and then pick up packaged, frozen meat.


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## nancy d

The only way is like Mixedbag says, the back of the head.
They can be slit but it needs to be done fast & deep with very sharp knife.
Our processer does this with the young ones. If they are too big he shoots then slits & hangs.


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## AlecBGreen

Not to throw a monkey wrench in your plans but Ive always shot from the front with a .22 and its worked flawlessly every time. You draw an imaginary line from each horn to the opposite eye to make an X on their forehead then shoot JUST off center. They are out before they hear the bullet. I put a 2nd one in from the back just to be sure. 

To hang, use a tree branch or other sturdy cross brace. I tie the middle of a long rope to my truck and run both free ends over a branch and down to the ground where I will tie it on to the goat. Make cuts on the back calves, btween the bone and the tendon. DO NOT cut the achilles. Thread a rope end through each cut and tie off, back up the truck and hang the goat so its at a comfortable height.

Cut off the tail. Cut through the skin just around the knee, right under the rope. Cut though skin on each leg from knee to nipples, then down to the sternum. Take off all the skin. Gutting is next. Cut completely around the anus, being careful not to puncture the rectum. Start near the nipples and pierce the skin. Keeping the knife pointed sideways, work through the skin down to the sternum. Use the fingers of the free hand to enlarge the hole and keep the intestines pushed back away from the blade. Once the cut is done, allow innards to fall into a bucket you placed in front of/below the goat. From here its pretty easy to cut up the goat how you want. If any stomach or fecal matter spills inside, flush the cavity immediately with a bucket of clean water.


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## packhillboers

I recommend having someone help you if this is your first time-especially if you have never shot a gun or had to use a knife. Have someone else who is familiar. You don't want a half dead animal. I have heard with some livestock.. - I think pigs- that the head is quite hard and that bullet can bounce right off. At least the goats have a soft spot in the back of the head behind the horns... I advise having someone help you with this if you are not familiar with this type of thing. I've never done this myself and can't imagine.. but I do all the wrap.


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## liz

All great advice but what I would advise is that since you have never done this or anything like this before is to have someone who has experience with harvesting deer or goats to do it for you as you observe then when the time comes you harvest goat again, you'll have a better understanding on the proper way to dress and the most humane way to kill.


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## Sherryr

Thanks everyone, I have never done this before, I have seen a deer dressed but never shot one.
My brother in law said he can come over and help me. I have a uncle to. I think I will have them come over for the first one then from their on I want to try it, because it's hard to get them over here.
I want to make sure it's the best way for the goat. 
Thanks a lot Sherry


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## HoosierShadow

I've never stayed around to watch the deed completely done - in the past my youngest daughter has always been home so I had to keep her away from the windows and keep the goats away from the spot so they didn't see what was going on.
We've had a few butchered here but it's been a long time, but we're planning to butcher a buckling <our first home grown meat goat>, to cook for a small birthday celebration next weekend.

We won't keep a gun in the house, we don't really have a safe place to hide one, and we have kids...
Instead, my husband's uncle or brother have very sharp skinning knives. They hold the goat securely, and slit the throat. The goat freaks out a little bit mostly because every one that we've had butchered here wasn't very people friendly <which is why they were sold/bought for meat>.
If you cut deep enough, they bleed out quickly and just go to sleep. 
If you have ever watched the movie 'Cold Mountain' there is an old woman towards the end of the movie that does this, although in the movie the goat bled out faster, but basically that's how my husband/his family were raised to butcher animals.

So that IMO is a way to go if your unsure about using a gun. But I do definitely agree, if you've never done it before, it might be best to have someone on hand that might know what they are doing so 1. Animal doesn't suffer 2. You might have an idea the best ways to skin and seperate the meat.


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## redtailgal

We shoot them in the back of the head and have a small hoist ready. As soon as they hit the ground, the throat is slit catching the last couple heart beat to pump out a good quantity of blood as we hoist them into a low tree for processing.


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