kid prices

[Wendy]

I have Nubians. I have Purebreds, Americans, & some grades. They are all registered or can be registered. I normally charge $100-$150 for bottle raised kids. This includes thier first shots, disbudding, & paperwork. I normally keep them at least 2 weeks until they have had their shots & I know they are doing well. I have had people contact me & then change their mind when they hear the price. I have been told that they can get bottle kids for $15-$30 where they live.

Just wondering how many of you sell your registered kids for $15-$30?? I guess I am just tired of people wanting a good animal for practically nothing. I don't show, but do have some good lines in my goats. I breed more for home milk goats, but I feel they are nice enough to be shown if someone wanted to do so.

So, what do you all get for your goats? And, are they registered or not?

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Wendy, what does it cost you per doe to keep her the whole year. Count your bucks, and devide their care between the does who are kidding. That is the cost you have to sell her litter for. That is with everything added on your schedule F (which you should use even if you don't declare farm on your income tax) plus your labor. It's why there are no $150 goats at my farm.

When someone gives me I can pick up kids all day long for $15....than why are you here? I can also, but it would take some pretty darn good nursing to get them over the experience of being born into a place where they are only worth $15, and they are likely diseased...like 99.9%. Don't undervalue what you have or the time it takes to do it.

I do sell off first fresheners bucklings cheap (my soaking wet buckling sale), to get them off the milk I want to sell here, but selling does cheap, no way. Vicki

[wildhorse]

Wendy Im looking a 300 dollars for a nubian baby 150 is cheap.

[Wendy]

OK, I am glad I am not so off base. I consistently get people that want to buy a doe or even a doe in milk for less than $100. I can get almost that much for my Pygmy goats just for pets.

[ozark_jewels]

No, if they quote you prices like that, just tell them nicely if thats what they want, go for it. Don't lower your prices, they are already quite reasonable. I get this all the time. The only kids I sell for $15-$20 are my week old bottle dairy wethers. And seriously, at that age, they aren't worth more than that.
Doelings, bucklings....they are priced $100 and up to $300 depending on breed and quality. All the kids, bucklings, doelings, wethers, are all healthy and well-fed and I tell all buyers to call me with any questions or for advice.

When people tell me that "They can buy kids that are just the same for $20" I just smile and tell them my prices are firm and they can buy those other kids if they want. I've gotten that line for years, you ain'ta gonna change my mind by giving it to me again.

[DocM]

I'd sell week old dairy wethers for what it costs me to get them to that point, about $20. It really depends on the bloodlines, but my does, alpine, xbreds (recorded), and lamanchas all go for at least $150, more often over $200. Do you belong to any of the groups on yahoo, there are several good goat classified lists.

[firefly81]

i am new to having goats and havent sold any yet (its just so hard they are so cute) but i dont think you are out of line for your goats my nubian and her 3 babies i just bought were $200, but we know the people and they keep all there goats healthy. My husband thought it was to much, but i didnt knowing that they were healthy and got the momma her 2 daughters and a son. I dont think it was to much, but maybe im wrong. It doesnt matter i just look into those big eyes and im hooked, they probabley could have said $500 and i would have done it, im a sucker sometimes. i do know that some people are allwas just wanting to get you to lower your price to make them feel better, but dont give in, chances are if they only want to spend a little in the begianing they probably wont want to spend the money (or time) in keeping the goat healthy.

[Wendy]

I will sell wethers for less since they are usually going for pets or meat. THe longer I bottlefeed them, the more they cost.

[KimM]

Gee, I'd love to find a nice, disease-free registered Nubian doe for $150.!

[kerrinatoz]

As a newbie I remember thinking why pay $150 or $300 for one goat, I can go to the shelter and pick one up for $25 each. So I put in application, dug my postholes (manually), set the posts (with cement), bought the posts, bought the actual high quality fencing, built a hayloft onto our small shed/mini barn, then found out the doe and buck I wanted were not only fixed with no baby as was thought but that someone else had dibs. Well, I looked around some more and in that time found a reputable Nigerian breeder, realized they would be perfect for our situation, bought two does (for much much much more actually closer to $600 due to a great winter type deal) brought them home and the pair of goats I had wanted at the shelter was STILL there because the doe would not get better. It was sad because she was so sweet but I tell you I would not take that chance and I am SO Thankful that I ended up finding an awesome breeder. trust me, if you can convince people NOT to try to get a deal or to get something for nothing you are saving them so much heartache and trouble. If they do it right the first time they won't be sorry. That thought may help you feel great about standing your ground. I don't know where the misconception of one being able to buy a dairy goat for cheap started but it is out there and alot of people have it.

Kerrin

[prairiecomforts]

Well - I see both sides. I have bought $15 - $20 kids from a lady who lives south of me. She sells them with ADGA application and they are from very good bloodlines. Why does she sell them so cheap - becasues she is getting up there in age and she can't handle all the bottle babies she ends up with. Plus and probably most important - she wants to help begining 4H families by making her prices affordable. She is a wonderful woman!In my own "business" I do not sell bottle babies. I only sell weaned kids. Does I sell for $175 with papers - without - $75 and wethers are $55 across the board. So Wendy - I don't think your prices are out of line. people have to realize what a time commitment it is to even get them to 2 weeks old. I get very irritated with people who think that they can get a good animal for nothing! Good luck this season!

[mammawof3]

Originally Posted by Wendy

I have Nubians. I have Purebreds, Americans, & some grades. They are all registered or can be registered. I normally charge $100-$150 for bottle raised kids. This includes thier first shots, disbudding, & paperwork. I normally keep them at least 2 weeks until they have had their shots & I know they are doing well. I have had people contact me & then change their mind when they hear the price. I have been told that they can get bottle kids for $15-$30 where they live.

Just wondering how many of you sell your registered kids for $15-$30?? I guess I am just tired of people wanting a good animal for practically nothing. I don't show, but do have some good lines in my goats. I breed more for home milk goats, but I feel they are nice enough to be shown if someone wanted to do so.

So, what do you all get for your goats? And, are they registered or not?

I know what you are saying!! When i bred-nice-healthy-papered Nubians in N. Indiana(15 years ago)..i could get $150-$250 for doe kids, no problem!
We moved to S. Indiana, i still had a small handfull left, first kidding season came along- i advertised, w/pics of boys and thier grand champion market wethers-got inquieries alright--but as soon as i quoted prices, i was told-"i expected to pay ALOT less than THAT!!!" Never could get "what they were worth", even though boys still won their classes at the 4-H fair--so, i quit raising them, my seed crop went back to my dads-where he could still get decent prices, i just kept a few "pets" and didn't bother to reg. anymore! Not the best solution for everyone i know, but couldn't stand to "give away" what i knew was worth the "$150.00!" I think the area HAS alot to do w/what prices people will pay..also, IMO-meat breeds are quickly taking over interest in Dairy breeds in this area.I know your Nubians are "cheap"at $150-been there, done that--wishing you luck, i love those "Regal Nubians!! (Still my FAVORITE breed!)

[SherrieC]

the only wethers I ever sell, are for 4-h, and those I get $40 for, they are pre-ordered, vaccinated, diss-budded, wethered, and Tattooed. I have a waiting list of two this year : ) I feel they're getting a bargin. Usually wethers still here at two weeks get butchered as I don't have extra milk. they are tasty and tender that young!

[mygoat]

Do not lower your price on quality animals, just because someone is getting sub-standard kids for 20.00. Tell them where your pricing base comes from (disease free herd, good bloodlines, vaccination, bottle feeding pricing, registration, tattooing, etc) and then smugly ask what they get with teh 20.00 kid, lol. Of cource, it does depend on the situation. Some older goat raisers may not have time to raise all those kids, so they may sell at a lower cost. Unregistered kids often go for lower. I have a alpine doe that I got for a deal because of the previous owner had another human kid, and decided that she no longer had time to properly care for the doe. I have a alpine doe who is bred to a miniature buck. Her doe kids will go for about 125-150 depending, and her bucklings will go for about 75, and wethers will go for about 50. (maybe less, it depends) But it just shows that I can get that much out of a doeling, even crossbred.

[dezeeuwgoats]

Wendy;

I wouldn't sell a registered kid for that price. I have sold unregistered kids for lower prices, but not that low - unless they went to the auction. Meat goats are the only ones to bring in any $$ at the auctions. Weaned, milk-fed nubian whethers sell for less than $20 at the auction here. I will never go there again! I sold unregistered nigerian doelings, weaned, disbudded (all the basics!) for $150. I sold one registered nubian doeling for that price, because I had triplet doelings and didn't need them all genetically.

I'd be better off butchering for our own use than selling goats for that cheap.

I'm building my nubian herd, so I haven't really faced this issue yet. There seems to be a demand for milking does here, though. I would advertise a milking doe (family milker) for $250, if I were culling her from my herd, depending on what I was culling her for. I don't believe all goats are worth registering, but if I've registered her - then even as a cull, that cull is worth the $250. I wouldn't sell a registered doeling for less than that, and even an unregistered milking doe is probably worth that - if she's from proven stock, and the buyer can see the parents, watch and know for sure the dam milks well, etc.

The time I've spent researching, selecting bloodlines, the money for genetic and disease testing, along with LA and DHIA test records, purchasing the highest quality brood stock that I couldn't afford (LOL), vet fees, etc - I'm not going to give that away -my blood, sweat, and tears. I'd much rather butcher my surplus for my family's use, then sell them at a loss.

Technically, though - at this point - every goat I sell, even for the highest price, would be at a loss..... Unless I add in all the goat's milk we've used at the store prices! Oh, and all the 'intangeables' of goat ownership!

Niki

[billygoatridge]

I've never figured the mathmatics of why registered stock is so much more. I can see if your on linear appraisal and milk testing that you need more to cover that. But I've known people with registered stock that manage to get a few suckers that will pay 100 + for a new bottle kid then the ones they don't get sold go to the sale barn for $20 -$30. It seems the basic registered bottle kid should be worth more like $40-50 ($30 grade goat price + $7.50 registration fee). This is for new bottle kids, not already weaned ones. I know my opinion probably won't be well taken, but I always have felt the difference between a grade and most registered goats is a $7.50 set of papers. Maybe I need you all to market my goats. I've got a couple of bottle kids on the barter board for $30, but if anyone feels that's too cheap I'll gladly take more. :baby04: LOL

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by billygoatridge

I've never figured the mathmatics of why registered stock is so much more. I can see if your on linear appraisal and milk testing that you need more to cover that. But I've known people with registered stock that manage to get a few suckers that will pay 100 + for a new bottle kid then the ones they don't get sold go to the sale barn for $20 -$30. It seems the basic registered bottle kid should be worth more like $40-50 ($30 grade goat price + $7.50 registration fee). This is for new bottle kids, not already weaned ones. I know my opinion probably won't be well taken, but I always have felt the difference between a grade and most registered goats is a $7.50 set of papers. Maybe I need you all to market my goats. I've got a couple of bottle kids on the barter board for $30, but if anyone feels that's too cheap I'll gladly take more. :baby04: LOL

I don't sell for more because of papers. I sell the quality of the goat. My unregistered doelings start at $100 at a week old. Prices go up from there depending on bloodlines and milk records. In my barn, if a doe is worth $300 with papers, she is worth that without papers.

[yarrow]

If I ever get to the point that I feel my bottle doelings are only worth 30/40 dollars, I think that's the time I will get rid of all my goats. I can't even imagine letting a doeling leave here for less then 100 dollars. I know for a fact if I have a bottle baby that doesn't sell this year *at the price, I feel she's worth*, she will sell for 3x's that next year, as a milkstand broke doe. (and I'll have folks lining up to buy her) at least with the nubians, there's just never a problem selling everyone I want to let go of.
susie

[glidergurl03]

I've come down to $20-50 for non-registered babies, but 100-150 is very reasonable. Just kindly tell them that they are welcome to get their babies where they can for that price lol

[Wendy]

I've never figured the mathmatics of why registered stock is so much more. I can see if your on linear appraisal and milk testing that you need more to cover that. But I've known people with registered stock that manage to get a few suckers that will pay 100 + for a new bottle kid then the ones they don't get sold go to the sale barn for $20 -$30. It seems the basic registered bottle kid should be worth more like $40-50 ($30 grade goat price + $7.50 registration fee). This is for new bottle kids, not already weaned ones. I know my opinion probably won't be well taken, but I always have felt the difference between a grade and most registered goats is a $7.50 set of papers. Maybe I need you all to market my goats. I've got a couple of bottle kids on the barter board for $30, but if anyone feels that's too cheap I'll gladly take more. LOL

Yes, but that set of papers allows you to research their genetics. You can find out if they are from good milk lines. Without papers, you are taking the breeder's word that the goat is what it is. With papers, you can see exactly what you are getting as far as genetics go.