# Will it taste goaty?



## trmeyer

Ok, I have a question. I have a buck that will be a year old at the end of January. We are only keeping him right now to breed our girls that we have and when we know they are bred we were planning on selling him. My husband suggested last night that we band him when we are done with him and then butcher him in the spring. Right now he does stink and does all the nasty stuff that the bucks do. Ugh. 

We have butchered a buck before (he was 2) and I tried to eat the meat but I could taste that smell. (he really stunk bad) I fixed a nice roast and everything, but it was gross. (we butchered him because he tried to break my knee. He stuck his head on my leg with his horns on either side and twisted his head. This was the second time he attacked me and it was also his last. My hubby butchered him that afternoon.) So I know that if we tried to eat him right now the meat might not be good. 

But if we band him now (or in a month or two when we know everyone is bred) will he still stink this spring? I know they mostly do this stuff when they are in rut and all but I figure he will still do all this stuff because now he has started it. Does that make sense? We won't be able to use him next year because he will be related to almost everyone and I would need another buck. And we are not keeping two. After this year I want to get a boer buck and then we can have dairy/boer crosses to raise up for meat in the freezer. I don't mind eating it if they are wethered early on. 

Ok, thanks for reading my rambling. And thanks for any help you can give me. I really don't want to feed him all spring to not be able to eat him then. I would rather sell him now if that is the case. 

tracy


----------



## kccjer

If it were me, I'd just sell him. You can try banding, but at that size banding is kinda hard (best to band when they are little). If you separate him from the girls, he should stop stinking, etc after a while. I've asked buyers at the sale what they do with all the bucks and they say there is a huge market for the meat....I can't imagine eating something that smells like that! If you want goat meat, band one of your little guys and feed him out...much better and fairly tender then.


----------



## GTAllen

Don't band them at that age. I did and it's horrible on the animal. I will never do it again.


----------



## nancy d

If a buck is processed correctly he should not taste bucky.
We had a 2 yr old done & all ground, thinking that if we didn't like the meat we'd have dog food.
Dogs never did get a whiff!


----------



## goatylisa

Yes I agree with nancy d
We are currently 'ageing' a 7 month old buckling in our wine fridge. He was in FULL buck mode but the meat smells great right now. When done properly and carefully the meat should come out just fine. We do it every year with our bucks only because I don't know how to castrate and I never really know if I want to keep one until they get a little older. I understand you are asking about an older buck, there really shouldn't be a problem, if in doubt go for sausage. Just my first thought.. but he should be fine. I'm wondering about that first buck you didn't like the taste from. Do you think it could have been in his feed? Our goats taste goaty or strong after a good acorn year. If that happens I control what they eat the last month and only feed a sweet feed and good quality hay. We also never process the carcass near their fields for fear of their dust (dirt, debris) getting on the meat and ruining the taste. So it all gets done in our garage with all doors shut and all areas are covered in clean washable sheets.


----------



## m57gonefishing

Nancy is correct. My last buck I butchered was a 2 year old intact buck just to see if it would work since bucks put on more weight than wethers. It tasted like beef. Wait until the end of spring. He'll have eaten green grass all spring and he will be far from rut on each side. Butcher meticulously clean and cold on ice quickly. You can wash his hide before dispatching him too. I haven't done it but I'm sure it would work. Hair on meat is bad. Use different knives and wash your hands when they get too much hair on them. good luck.


----------



## msmarie1971

Just the post I was looking for. We have a 3 year old buck who we can't breed in our herd anyone and need to change out bucks. He's a very big boy and we wanted to put him in the freezer, but I have heard stories about in tact bucks tasting bad. In my area I am afraid I won't get the value out of him if I sell him for breeding, so want to just keep him. Glad I found this thread to answer my questions!


----------



## nancy d

Msmarie the key for us, besides the super job the processer did from start to finish, was that the 2yr old* in rut* was all ground. The one yr old intacts were put into brats & Hot Italian Sausage.
The straight ground was not as mild as a younger animal but it was out of this world!
We don't have roasts done unless the legs will fit in a roasting pan.


----------



## msmarie1971

Well I posted a long response and realized I wasn't logged in and not sure how to find the "stored" post. Anyway, Thank you so much Nancy!


----------



## packhillboers

I wouldnt band a buck at that age. It could go badly for him. If you de-bone the meat and not cook it with the bone- such as a roast or a stew, then the goaty flavor will not be as strong. Also, figure out where some of the scent glands are and be careful not to get that onto the meat when you are butchering it. I think there are some on the front legs as well so, using the legs in 'goat trotters stew' will make a very strong goaty taste.. yecky.


----------



## packhillboers

I still can not figure out why some people like that strong goat taste. I can not stand to eat anything that taste like that buck smells. I have tried goat cheese and even the canned goat milk in the store and start gagging because it is awful. I do really like our goat meat very much as it does not have that taste at all. To me it taste like tender, richer, darker beef. I have eaten goat meat in Indian and Hispanic restaurants and they will often cook it in the bone and in a stew. They often cut the legs into rounds for a type of 'goat trotters stew' Oh my .. I do not like that flavor one bit.


----------



## NubianFan

My grandpa loved goat meat more than anything but he knew how to dress it. Dad says there are "kernels" in the legs that need to be removed but dad doesn't know how to do it or where to find them, grandpa did. (my mom's dad, not dad's) Anyway, I think what my dad is calling kernels are probably scent glands or musk glands. I think if you have someone do it that knows how to properly do it, you won't taste the buck smell/taste.


----------



## m57gonefishing

That's why we did ours. We had a buck we couldn't use to breed and needed meat at the same time. We ground ours as well, but I always keep the back straps and fry up or BBQ little medallions. Taste as good as the wethers and as tender, but that is the filet mingon cut. Try it out. We were happy we did.


----------



## m57gonefishing

Id like to add that we bone all of our meat. Where I am it's 90 degrees during the deer hunting season and I don't have cold storage so aging has never been a consideration. I just starting doing my goats the same way. I'm sure you could do it while the buck was in rut but I'm way to hesitant for that. Let him eat that green grass for awhile and call it good. I have a 3 year old buck I'm doing this spring and about 5-6 dairy wethers. Better make room.


----------



## CAjerseychick

I have only ever had very mild young cabrito, in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, and it was delicous. That strong taste I remember I associate with mutton (whew tastes like sweat to me)...
If we ever get the courage to butcher, cannot wait for that tasty young goat meat....


----------

