Well... I'm officially a goat man!

[MTplainsman]

Been wanting goats for years now, but any breed of critter aside from beef, is few and far between in this country. The farms are so huge and thin now, that almost all of them don't have time to mess with a farm animal other then a farm dog and farm cats. You can imagine how it is to find critters such as goats! Well, a friend heard on the local radio about a few goats going to be at the Thursday open class stock sale. Of course running to the local sale is over 120 miles away, and at the price of gas here, it's almost foolish to run so far in 40 mph winds to check out some goats! I had quite a time getting yesterday off to do this, and now I have to work Saturday to catch up, but... I got me some goats!

Well, I decided, that either way it was gonna cost me big money to start into goats, but I was gonna do it or I'd always wished I had. I made yesterday my vacation day and my buddy and I made the sale an all day trip. It might be my only vacation this summer anyway, so why not just go. We looked through hundreds of canner horses that sold after the cattle went. Then one of two lots of goats came in the ring before the horses, and there were 6 young mostly La Mancha wethers up for bids. I bid the little beasts up to $45 a piece and won them. Then came in the other goat lot, an older doe broke to lead and pack along with another type of goat. They went for $25 a piece, and I probably should have took them too.

There you go, I took those little ear-less beasts home with me and just watching their active eating habit was honestly a blast. It's to early yet, but I think I'm gonna love being a goat man already. Oh, I'm sure $45 a piece for some young wethers was way to much, I don't know, but dang it, I'm getting my feet wet. Ya, I'm sure the locals will think I'm nuts getting exited about some danged 'ol goats, but they have no idea how much farm animals can better thier lives! Any how, did I do fairly or poorly as far as price goes? I doubt that's cheap for wethers right? Joel

[mpete]

Congratulations Joel!!!! This is neat to hear you went to such extremes to get started. First, $45 is a good price for wethers. Any does? bucks? Where's the pictures? I would get them on a maintenance program right away... and then begin testing for CAE/CL.
I probably would/ve gotten the other two, too, but we can't get them all

[Alice In TX/MO]

Getting wethers to get into the goat business is like buying steers to start a cattle herd.

Unless you are planning a BIG barbecue.

[joyceb]

We love our La Mancha/Boer girls. They are very sweet & curious. I was the one who pushed (and pushed, and pushed) to bring goats to our place. Now my husband is completely enamored with them. Last night he spent almost an hour out in their pasture, enjoying their antics and laughing as our slightly rounder slightly shorter Alpine cross tried so hard to jump up on a shed roof with her friend.

Enjoy getting to know your new herd!

JoyceB

[fishhead]

It's funny that you mentioned watching them eat. For some strange reason I find that fascinating. I like watching them strip a golden rod of leaves about as fast as they can lower their head. I've even been known to pull a willow away from the pond and hold it while they strip the leaves.

I paid $45 average for my wethers too. It came to $1 a pound.

[Zone]

Congratulations. My very first goat ever was a Lamancha wether. They are great! Now you'll have to invest in a buck and some does if you want your herd to grow.

Have fun!

[ozark_jewels]

Congrats on becoming a goatman, Joel!! You did right starting with the "earless wonders"....I just love Lamanchas. And wethers are a good way to learn......no rut and no heats and no kids!!

May I suggest that when you decide to actually begin breeding goats, that you look really hard for a health-concerned breeder in your area and buy the breeding stock straight from a healthy farm. Its a much better bet to get started off on the right foot as far as diseases go. If you plan on breeding meat goats and selling them at auction, CAE is probably not going to be a big concern for you. Most meat goats are terminal before CAE is a big deal, if it ever is. But CL is extremely virulent and is something you certainly don't want. Either disease will narrow your market if you get them in your breeding stock. Goats with abcesses(CL) even go for less in the auction ring.

So your just way ahead if you start with healthy bucks and does. Take it from someone who DIDN'T and had to start all over again with a clean herd. CL is a nightmare and you don't want it.

Sounds like you did fine on the price and aren't they enjoyable?? I find hanging out with my herd as they browse is one of the most relaxing things ever.

So.....are you planning on owning/breeding meat goats, brush goats, dairy goats or a little of all??

We started with brush goats years ago then exchanged them for dairy and meat goats about a year later when I decided what I wanted from my herd.

Congrats!!!!

[Carolyn]

Ohhh good for you!! We are going to get 2 full sized girls within this week and are waiting for the minis to kid so we can go get them. Nope $45 a piece is about what you would pay for them from a herd around here. They are a lot of fun!! Carolyn

[Naturaldane]

try a $125 around here for what you gave $45 for, and goats are everywhere here

[Zone]

Yup $45 is pretty average in a lot of places and VERY good in others. I think you did quite well.

[crazygoatgal]

Congrats on your acquisitions. They are so wonderful and you are right. They make our lives not only richer, but healthier. Enjoy!!

[MTplainsman]

So far I'm happy to be one of the goat people, and I havn't found any of them to be snobby like is commonly said, hehehe. Well, these goats are quite young yet and are all wethers. This is fine for right now as I learn bout goats. As I've mentioned before, I live in a ghost town littered with remains from a long time past. I needed goats to get in amongst all this rubbish without getting hurt and clean out all these lots around town in my large scale effort to clean up this community or whats left anyways. I think goats are the answer for this task, and they'll provide me with enjoyment, and pack out game animals from the badlands too.

I now have connections with some quality bred goats too. In fact the rancher lady and her husband use dairy goats to raise bum calves like I wanted to for years. The next goats I get will be of good stock and I expect to pay a lot more of course. I must admit, I never expected to get any La Manchas, as I never was to thrilled with the idea of an earless goat. I like em though, just like the eared variety better. The La Manchas are much sweeter in disposition then the two long eared ones I must say. Well, I have a strong feeling there is gonna be more goats running around town then I'd ever imagined having by the end of the summer. If they do a good job cleaning up this joint, I'll increase the numbers in quick order. Wonder what I'll have to give for a registered doe up in this country? Hmmm, hope hope it's under $250. We'll see. I got many questions on temporary goat fences to ask, but will do so in another post. Thanks for popping in this thread guys. I'm one of you now... good, bad, right or wrong.

[goatkid]

I would be happy to get $45 for my dairy wethers at a Montana auction. What I get for mine depends on their weight and who's bidding that day. If you're interested in Registered Nubian does and are willing to come to Boulder, I have some milkers and doelings for sale I also have a grown buck and bucklings. I hope you continue to enjoy your little La Manchas. I think they're cute and anve a few La mancha cross does.

[Kazahleenah]

Congrats!!

Wethers are a good way to learn about goats. While you are learning the finer art of caring for them, you can also learn about pregnancy, birth and milking (without having the 'suprise' emergencies right off the bat) for when/if you decide to get some milking does.

Do you have any pictures of the lil guys?

LOL Rose, I was thinking the same thing at first!!

Kaza

[anita_fc]

Howdy from Idaho!

We started with Alpine wethers a few years ago. We've since sold those guys and gotten Pygmies. Our fences were not quite up to larger-goat standards! LOL

Anita

[Carolyn]

Dairy does -- well Nubians go for about $250 to $300. We are paying $250 for FF Nubians and I havn't heard what the Minis are going to cost. Are you going to let the calf suck off the goat?? Carolyn

[greeneyedgirl70]

Congrats on the earless goats!

[Alice In TX/MO]

Plainsman,
I was wondering how things are going! You'll fall in love with those goaties.

Temporary fence - check out the electric net fencing at kencove.com and premier1supplies.com

We use their fencing, and it's a pleasure to work with. I've installed a lot of other fencing over the years (barbed wire, smooth wire electric, braided electric, field fence, etc.) and this electric net is so much easier. A bit pricey, but if you want to fence small areas and then move the fence, it has been the best solution for me.