Auction Woes

[GOATDADDY]

I have too many goats. I decided to cull them. I took two nannies, one a yearling that had lost her kids, one was probably a boer/spanish/nubian cross that the kids only nursed off of one side for whatever reason. I got 67 dollars a head for them. One year old wether. I got 95 cents a pound for him, he was a very nice looking goat. I took three pygmies that my daughter had given me, they brought twentyone dollars a head. I was rather unhappy with the price. What do you folks say? I have about ten real nice little boer cross bucklings from three months to two months old. I need to sell them but don't know the best way.

[Tango]

If it is mainly a cattle auction w/ goats on the side, there will be on weeks and off weeks. Finding a local market to pay your price is a much better way to go, better for you, better for the buyer, and better for the animals. Those sounded like avg.prices overall for an auction. Your young Boer cross bucklings would bring about $35 from a kill buyer at our aution. If they were exceptional and purchased for breeding they would start at twice that.

[elgordo]

Selling to private parties I feel is the way to go. Here we have a local weekly "shopper" where you can find people selling anything and everything incl livestock. Some ads are even free if your product is under a certain amount!
Selling directly to others also reduces stress on the animals and keeps them from being exposed to other animals that might be sick. Personally, that last place I'd look for animals is an auction house.
How about posting flyers in your local markets, taverns, ranch supply place?
Or selling directly to restarants?
I also manage to sell or trade with friends and aquaintances at work and church.

[stacygoats]

Where are you located? I've got a few meat goat buyers that will be looking for goats at the end of June-July 4th. I sold most of my young bucks (all about 10 wks old) at Easter and for July they want bigger goats.