Hi, this is my first post.

cfarmher · #1 04/16/06, 09:31 PM

Greetings!

Me, Dh, and baby DS have been on our homestead in SW VA for 7 months. DH and I are both from the country and have been planning/researching a homestead lifestyle for several years. Nice to meet you all!

We are soon going to be buying two registered alpine yearlings that just freshened. I think I am paying a good (fair) price for them but would like a little reassurance because GULP they are $350 each. Thats a lot of money for us!

I'm scared!

**mygoat** · #2 04/16/06, 10:08 PM

A LOT more than I ever payed for my pygmies, but then agian they were babies and aren't milking goats... lol.
If these girls were shown, thier parents were shown, or thier parentage is superior, then that is a good price. If they are grade, come from unshown parents, or the alpine breed is common in your area then it is an unfair price. It all depends on your area and such. If these girls are just for milking on the homestead and nothing else, why pay that much for them? If they are the start of a show/milk herd, go for it! Personally, if they are just milking animals for the homestead I wouldn't pay over 100-150.00. for it. cource, it also depends on where you are.

goatladie · #3 04/16/06, 10:46 PM

Totally agree with mygoat's response -ditto that. If they are just for the homestead, why pay that much if you won't be showing? But if you do plan to show or sell the offspring, a registered and good lineage goat would be a plus - just be prepared if they don't sell for as much as you want, sometimes you never can tell... also, if it were me and I were paying that much I would want them to definitely be from a farm that did regular, whole herd testing for CL, CAE, etc...

I don't know if these are your first goats or not, but be prepared to be hooked!~

ozark_jewels · #4 04/16/06, 10:49 PM

If you are just wanting family/homestead milkers....that is a lot of money for yearlings, especially as you have no previous experience with goats and it can be costly to learn certain things the hard way. If you are wanting show-quality goats and these are really good ones....you may be getting a great deal! Personally, I would advise starting out with healthy stock, but stock that is a bit cheaper so you can afford to lose one if something happens. I know that sounds tough and fatalistic, but things happen to us all, years of experience or not, we still lose goats occaisionally! Either way you go, good luck and welcome to the board!!

homebirtha · #5 04/16/06, 11:09 PM

I agree too. It all depends on what you want to do with them. If you're going to be showing them, then it might be worth it if they're from really good lines or have already earned a championship leg, etc. But if you're just going to have them for milk, whew, that's steep. The biggest problem is you will not be able to sell their kids for anything near that price. Those kind of prices are what folks get who have excellent bloodlines, have been showing for years, and have a great reputation. We have two very good goats out of excellent bloodlines. We can't give their bucklings away and their doelings will sell for less then half of what we paid for them, if we can even sell them.

cfarmher · #6 04/16/06, 11:43 PM

goatkid · #7 04/17/06, 12:21 AM

Welcome to the forum. Whether or not the goats are worth $350 would depend on the bloodlines and how these animals actually look. Are the goats on their pedigree star bucks or champions? Do they have good udder attachment and give a fair amount of milk? While it's true that you don't have to pay that much for a family milker you don't plan to show, if you think you may want to show or sell the offspring for a decent price, or have kids who may want to do 4H it would be in your best interest to get the best you can afford. I bought some Nubians from a commercial dairy in exchange for helping out. I've been working for several years breeding to get the udder attachment I want. If I had it to do over, I would have paid more attention to the dam's udders and been willing to pay a little more for my foundation stock.

Ken in Maine · #8 04/17/06, 12:45 PM

ALWAYS buy the best animals you can afford. If you can afford $350 and you are dealing with a reputable breeder then "go for it"!!! People make the mistake of buying on the cheap and then not having a good experience. It costs the same to feed a good goat as a bad one..

Is the breeder someone you trust? That is more important than price. A good breeder will not screw you... but that being said " good breeders'" are few and far between.

ozark_jewels · #9 04/17/06, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken in Maine

ALWAYS buy the best animals you can afford....... " good breeders'" are few and far between.

I agree with both those sentements. And remember....high-priced goats does not neccesarily equal "good breeder" or "good goats"!!!! Personally, I would look around a bit and comparison shop. Maybe these are the best deal around as far as health, production, quality, and breeding......but maybe I could fine something that campares quite favorably with the higher priced goats....at a lesser price. I know I could in my area. $350 is a lot of money to spend on a yearling first-freshener in my opinion......but they may be the best buy in your area.

cfarmher · #10 04/17/06, 01:28 PM

Thanks for all of the replies, although I have to say I'm now more nervous than before!

Just to clarify, I do have some experience with goats, just not breeding/birthing/milking experience. We have been researching breeders within a reasonable distance and the doeling prices range from $200-$350. And some of those have waiting lists. The yearlings we are buying both freshened at about 8-9lbs. The herd has consistently tested neg. for CAE and they are raised on prevention. I'm still learning about LA scores and all that but I think the dams scores were 87-90.
I feel confident with the breeder and with the goats quality. I am just nervous about shelling out that much money. I would have been happy to pay less money for family milkers but it seems like there are only two qualities of goats around here, very good, and VERY bad.

I guess it dosent matter now because I've agreed to buying them, so wish me luck!

.

AllWolf · #11 04/17/06, 01:30 PM

Welcome to the forum.. There are alot of helpful folks on here.

Now on your yearling I think 350 each is pretty high for goats. I agree with others also on the price. To me that is way to high for a yearly. If your not going to show but just have for milking the goat doesn't need to be registered unless that is what you want to do.. It's up to you on that part.

Good Luck on your goats and again welcome to the forum..