How much meat can I expect from getting a goat butchered??

[Milk n' Honey]

I plan on getting a couple of wethers butchered when they are around 9 months old. Can you tell me what has been your experience on quantity of meat/goat? I realize a higher percentage meat goat will have more meat. I have one wether who is around 88% and another one who is only 50% (Boer/Nubian). I'm just looking for some info so I know if it will be worth the money to pay the butcher for the 50% wether. They charge a per goat price no matter how much it weighs. Thanks for the help!!

[moosemaniac]

I've never really checked, but I was told to figure about 50% of their live weight. Don't know if that's correct though.

Ruth

[Loda Farm]

Yes, about 40-50% of live weight. We just did our first goat this past winter. I was surprised in how much of a difference, but the taste was worth it.

Laura

[ozark_jewels]

Yes, I agree with the above. By the way, one of the main reasons I started butchering my own was the cost of getting one butchered.....not worth it for me when I need many every year to feed our large family. Its well worth it if I do my own.

[Kimon]

Em, nice website and tutorial on butchering. Thanks.

[Freeholder]

Depends on what kind of goat you have -- Kinders will usually have a 60% dress-out.

Why are you paying someone to butcher them? Goats are small, and easy to butcher -- do it yourself! (If this middle-aged woman can do goats, you ought to be able to! Get more self-sufficient!)

Kathleen

[southerngurl]

Originally Posted by BlueJuniperFarm

Depends on what kind of goat you have -- Kinders will usually have a 60% dress-out.

Why are you paying someone to butcher them? Goats are small, and easy to butcher -- do it yourself! (If this middle-aged woman can do goats, you ought to be able to! Get more self-sufficient!)

Kathleen

My only problem with it is the actual killing. I don't mind cleaning em, but stopping their life is hard for me, personally. I'd rather clean ten chickens than kill one.

[Freeholder]

Originally Posted by southerngurl

My only problem with it is the actual killing. I don't mind cleaning em, but stopping their life is hard for me, personally. I'd rather clean ten chickens than kill one.

Do you have someone around who would be willing to actually do the shooting for you? I live with my grandmother (who will be 94 in a few days) and she is the one who pulls the trigger. For several reasons: 1. the guns are hers (I left my rifle with my ex when we separated -- wish I hadn't, now, but it's 3,000 miles away so a little tough to just run over and get it); 2. she isn't attached to the goats as she has very little to do with them; and 3. It would be hard for me to manage the goat and the rifle at the same time. The plan is for them to be busy gobbling grain in their last instant of life, and never even know that a rifle barrel has been pointed at the base of their skull, but plans don't always work out, and it seems better to have one person manning the goat, and another one manning the rifle. Less chance of a slip-up and a wounded goat.

I don't like doing the actual killing, either -- I think if a person gets hardened to killing, then they'd better stop raising animals. But it sure makes your meat awfully expensive to be hiring someone else to do your butchering for you.

Kathleen

[homebirtha]

Some butchers will just do the kill and and gutting for a lot less then if they do all the cutting and wrapping too. Call around and ask about that option.