Switching to Meat Goats

CaliannG · #21 01/23/13, 05:01 PM

I have very little experience in meat goats. But I do have experience in buying and selling goats.

My suggestion to you is to buy kids.

Unless they are selling off ALL of their breeding stock (of that breed or more), no-one, and I mean NO-ONE sells their best goats. Why on Earth WOULD they?

So when you buy adult goats, for the most part you will be buying culls. Goats that, for one reason or another wasn't doing well, or as well, under that owner's management.

However, LOTS of people sell off entire kid crops, or close to entire kid crops. When it comes to kids, most people hold back replacements based on the genetics they want to use. Oh, of course, they will keep an outstanding looking kid....but it is more iffy with kids. The outstanding kid could mature into a mediocre adult. The ugly duckling kid could mature into the fabulous adult.

It means you will have to put in more finances and time, without any return, while the kid matures to an adult. However, you are more likely to get good stock that way. One of the reasons that people are not going to sell off their good stock, unless they are simply getting out of breeding, is because of the time and resources invested in raising that stock to maturity, and the fact that if the animal is a good producer, they want to keep that animal producing in THEIR herd.

And honestly, even with people who ARE selling out their entire herd, chances are you are still going to be offered culls. Their BEST stock they have already offered, and sold, to people they know that have that breed. Their advertised stock is what the people who are already experienced didn't want.

Seriously, get kids from a good breeder.

Caitedid · #22 01/24/13, 10:20 AM

Caliann- First of all, you are absolutely right and thanks for the reminder! Still think I might just work on feeding some out this year, then make the transition to buying kids to raise and breed next year. Getting married in May, hoping to start a family soon thereafter, and buying the farm is enough for this year!