# Yields after Butchering



## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

I was curious what different people end up with as yields on a per weight basis. I have dairy crosses so I understand they aren't going to yield as high as a Boer or other meat breed, but am still interested in what people get. 

The first goat I butchered with a friend and we just had vague estimates on how much we obtained. All we could say was that my buck (goat!) dressed out better than his buck (deer). The second goat I had butchered by an inspected facility and hanging weight came in at 56% of live weight. But for the life of me I can't find where I wrote down the actual weights (live/hanging/freezer).

The third goat I just had done and his hanging weight was 77# which was about 51% of live weight. He was also taken to a processor to be butchered and these had written out that I was receiving 51# of meat to put in my freezer, which was another 34% loss. So all told I ended up with almost 1/3 of the live weight to actually eat. 

I'm very curious now on what other people's breakdowns are. On a per pound basis (age ignored) how much more would a 150# Boer yield than a 150# Alpine? Live weights vrs. hanging weights, versus freezer yield?

If anyone has any numbers to contribute that would be great!
Thanks!


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I actually have one at the butcher shop right now (yay I got the guts to do it!!) and i think I have 2 more weeks left till I get him.....I was still kinda chicken so turned a lot of him into beef (goat) sticks and sausage. But when I get him I will let you know. He was all boer and the only bone I will get will be some goat chops.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I'm curious as well. Taking the plunge and butchering a buck this winter


----------



## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

I am gonna say it is closer to 40%, based on my experience. We butcher at home. Break down into loins, legs, butt, shoulder, and the rest into ground meat. I do save the bones for the dogs. Younger is so tender and juicy. My target is 110 lbs on the hoof. However these are not meat goats. Strictly Dairy breeds.


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I have promised myself to keep better track of this and have one place to write the numbers! They are scattered about in my records here & there. I'll try to follow up on this post next month when we have 2-3 processed but just offhand from memory I believe we were getting around 40% wrapped boneless meat on boers.


----------



## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

Awesome that would be great!


----------



## coteauprarielivin (Oct 23, 2017)

Ok, so are the cuts available on a goat the same as on a side of beef? Like roasts, chuck roast, steaks...etc. How hard is it to market meat goats? Or do you guys just raise for your own consumption?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Roasts, chops, steaks, etc. Depending on where you live can depend on how hard it is to market them.


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

OMG our yields and growth were horrendous this year. Admittedly, our herd management was abysmal (read: 2 sleep deprived first time parents) but regardless I am embarrassed to post these numbers! But for the sake of "research"...

Buckling #1 - Boer - 9 months
Live Weight: 59 lbs
Hanging Weight: 25 lbs
Hanging/Live 42%

Buckling #2 - Kiko/Boer - 6.5 months
Live Weight: 55 lbs
Hanging Weight: 24 lbs
Hanging/Live 44%

Total Packaged Meat (all ground plus whole loins) = 25 lbs

Total Yield = Total Packaged Meat/Total Live Weight = 25/114 = 0.219 = 22%

OUCH


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I just got 48lbs of meat (boneless, packaged) from processing a rather lean Alpine buck. He was probably a little over 110 lbs.


----------



## top_goat (Sep 16, 2014)

This is a really helpful and interesting thread! I had two grade Nubian bucklings born a few days ago. I'm wrestling with the thought of freezer camp. So for those of you who have done it, is there a taste difference between bucks and wethers? Suzanne, about how old was your 110# Alpine? Thanks all!


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

top_goat said:


> Suzanne, about how old was your 110# Alpine? Thanks all!


I think he was 3 or 4. He would've weighed a lot more, except for the fact that he loses a ton of weight in rut and that's when I processed him.


----------



## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Great info! We have processed a number also, and hanging and live, and what we get back from the processor-hmm. 

Saltey-congratulations BTW! I️ List a tortoise/pet after our third child was born, too tired,... so you are doing great!!!

Anyhow, on sheep live versus hanging has been almost always 50%, less ten pounds. So, for sheep if live weight is 160 hanging is 70. We have surmised, that the minus 10 is the Wool hide, though maybe that is just coincidence?
Goat numbers I️ have to check back on, but believe 40% is about right

Also see thread going on how do you cook your goat!♥♥


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok FINALLY got my wether! Hunting season screwed me with getting the beef sticks done fast lol
So he was 90#, and his hanging weight was 52# I did drive him 2 hours to get butchered since it was so hot and husband was on a fire and I couldn’t do the deed myself lol. I’m not sure if they loose actual weight or just water being hauled but they do loose weight but even then his hanging weight was over 50%


----------



## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Wow, that’s great! Great ratio, great butcher!

Did you have it into cuts, or all ground?

Not sure if you said, but do you pay a flat fee for goat? Like $75.00 and then they wrap?


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I got the chops so I could actually try it but I didn’t want to chance feeding the whole thing to the dog lol so I got sausage and some pepper sticks.
So I paid 0.30 a pound for the cut and wrap for the chops, 0.80 for the wrap and I guess seasoning for the sausage and $5.30 (ouch!) on the sticks.


----------



## goat girls (Dec 13, 2017)

Well I refuse to eat goat meat but when my friends did a Lamancha whether this is what it broke down to 
Age ?
Live weight 100 pds 
hanging weight 75 pds
total meat weight 45 pds 
not great but I have gotten 25 pds off of a 150 sheep


----------



## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Yikes Goat girls. What kind of sheep was that?

Are you sure the processor wasn’t having lamb for all of their holiday parties-that’s crazy little meat for a lamb or sheep!!???


----------



## goat girls (Dec 13, 2017)

He was a Navijo Churro. No he wasn't holiday parties just tiny he looked big with all his wool though


----------



## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Wow that is strange. I can’t imagine as the meat cut out was so so small!


----------



## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

A lot of the yields posted in this thread for dairy goats seem very good. It depends on whether you are getting bone-in or boneless wrapped meat plus any organs back but even so.

This is one of my favorite organizations to follow on Facebook and I came upon this analysis on their website:

https://www.sheepandgoat.com/2010-goat-carcass-evaluation

The avg. hanging weight (cold) is 46% of live weight
The avg. boneless meat yield is 25% of live weight (no organs)


----------

