Market for goats bad?

Cygnet · #1 05/29/08, 03:03 PM

In the past, when transporting my pack goats, I've literally had people chasing me down the highway trying to buy them. I've had people walk up to my front door asking to buy babies or adults, even leaving notes behind.

This year, I have five nigerian babies -- three bucklings, two doelings. And for the life of me, I can't sell them. I've tried ads on craigslist and the local paper, I've tried word of mouth through the usual suspects, I've tried sitting out front of the feedstore with the cute little babies.

These are GOOD kids. They're not registerable, but my buck is Apache Valley lines -- his aunt, in fact was the best Junior doe in the entire state a few years ago. The granddam was from a dispersal sale with no papers, but I've had multiple nice babies from her. They're healthy, fat, vigorous, bright-eyed, friendly babies.

I haven't even had a single lowball offer. At this point, I'd sell them for meat prices. :-( I'm having serious health problems (probable RA) and I'm seriously thinking of getting out of goats entirely.

Is it the economy or just a fluke? Anyone else having trouble selling them?

Anyone want some goats in Arizona? Sigh.

northprairiegir · #2 05/29/08, 03:07 PM

I don't have any problems selling them off the farm - but taking them to the sale barn. Forget it. Might as well just give them away! I still run into people who have the idea that they can buy a good goat for $20. I just laugh when I get calls like that.

fishhead · #3 05/29/08, 03:10 PM

Nigerian pack goats?

xoxoGOATSxoxo · #4 05/29/08, 03:18 PM

I dont know.... I can always find people willing to buy DOES, but wethers are always hard to sell. I cant actually sell does for what they're worth, though, because nobody has any money!

Spinner · #5 05/29/08, 03:42 PM

Barter time? I always tell people I'd rather trade than sell for cash. I get some really great trades and we are both happy. I think I am happier trading cause I don't have to go hunting for the things I want, they come to me in exchange for a cute kid.

Cygnet · #6 05/29/08, 04:42 PM

The nigies aren't pack goats. ;-) I have big boys for that.

-- Leva

dbarjacres · #7 05/29/08, 04:48 PM

I have a big call for milking does (nigies or mini manchas) but can't sell any nigie kids at all. All doelings with excellent Rosasharn lines and a fully tested herd. I'm down to $250 in price and still no interest.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #8 05/29/08, 04:52 PM

With a full blown depression hitting us, and being north of Houston you can't keep a good milker around. Bucks are always harder to sell and it's about need. A wether pet is never happening around me they are meat, and I don't make wethers.

I am bringing back home 2 of my mini-manchas and purchasing two more milkers and a buck for a little group of them. I had so many folks asking for them this year. They earn their reputation as quiet, little grain, excellen foragers, larger teats and more milk in our heat and humidity. Vicki

pookshollow · #9 05/29/08, 04:58 PM

Up here, we can't breed them fast enough! I sold two Nigerian does, 4 years old, this week and I could have sold them four times over. My friend had about 15 or 20 Nigie kids and sold every last one of them - and people are putting down deposits for next year's kids!

Cygnet · #10 05/29/08, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbarjminis

I have a big call for milking does (nigies or mini manchas) but can't sell any nigie kids at all. All doelings with excellent Rosasharn lines and a fully tested herd. I'm down to $250 in price and still no interest.

Hah! I've been asking $25 for the bucklings (and I'll band before they go) and $75 for the doelings. They're healthy, good, solid kids from does with very nice udders. Started out at three times that. These are firesale prices; I'm in so much pain I can't take proper care of them anymore and I'm trying to seriously cut my numbers down. Otherwise, I'd just keep the doelings, at least.

Have a few does in milk that I'd sell too.

-- Leva

nehimama · #11 05/29/08, 05:29 PM

It seems meat prices depend on the ethnic holiday schedule. Doesn't look like anything coming up until Sept/Oct (Ramadan). It's a darned good thing the pastures & browse are lush now, so feed costs are low.

Around here does in milk are exceptionally good sellers.

NeHi

whinnyninny · #12 05/29/08, 05:38 PM

Dairy goats (especially ones in milk) are selling super-fast here. Reasonably-priced doelings are going pretty quickly too. The lady I bought my 2 new does from this past weekend had 6 for sale, and all 6 of them sold in less than 24 hours of her placing her ad on Craigslist. (One guy even listed a young Jersey cow- in milk- for $3,000 and she sold in less than a day, and he had tons of responses!)

This area is still growing, and I think one reason there's still a demand for milk goats is that a lot of people are moving out to the country and wanting to live the farm lifestyle. Horses don't seem to be selling very easily, but milk goats & chickens are in high demand.

nappint · #13 05/29/08, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whinnyninny

This area is still growing, and I think one reason there's still a demand for milk goats is that a lot of people are moving out to the country and wanting to live the farm lifestyle. Horses don't seem to be selling very easily, but milk goats & chickens are in high demand.

You are NOT kidding either - we have our chicks listed on CL and I've had people messaging me daily, they act almost desperate - of course they want adult layers for $3.00 but that AIN'T happening LOL! Thankfully they can't see the goats when they pick up the chicks and there's no way I'm telling them we have dairy goats...I'm afraid they'll disappear

I have been nosey when talking with them

and most of them are looking to cut their food bill with the chickens...and I also get the distinct impression that it's their way of having some "control" over their grocery bill and also having some peace in knowing that they have food in their backyard.

Oh and congrats on the dairy goats - they're super cute!

Backfourty,MI. · #14 05/29/08, 08:41 PM

Cygnet, where are you at, I have Nigies & have sold all but 1 of this years kids without even running an ad or anything, just word of mouth. Mine are also not registered & money is tight for alot of people here too, Just like Vicki said, recession, not alot of jobs, etc. it seems like people might be looking for the doe kids to breed & maybe milk later with the cost of milk prices going up too!

MARYDVM · #15 05/30/08, 12:32 AM

Leva, I sent you a PM,

Ernie · #16 05/30/08, 08:31 AM

Folks in my area (Illinois) are doing pretty well moving this year's goat crop. I picked up a young buck for this year's breeding, and I've seen does moving right along.

A Nigerian male is about as useless as a goat gets except for mating, and there's not a lot of room in the world for those since one of them can service a whole lot of does. They don't put on meat very well and the market for goat hide is slim to none.

From the tone of your post, it sounds like you're trying to sell them as pets. Sitting in front of the feedstore with cute babies wouldn't catch my eye. And you raise pack goats, which is a niche within a niche market.

My advice is to find a butcher who'll make them into sausage and then stock your freezer up for hard times. If you've got older goats who you are more attached to and don't want to get rid of that way (I can understand that) then try posting on this forum and see if anyone might have a use for a trained pack goat or some good does. I wouldn't expect to get rid of the males very easily though.

nehimama · #17 05/30/08, 08:41 AM

Try to find out if there is an ethnic population in your area, or buyers at the sale barn for ethnic butchers (if you don't mind your boys going for meat, that is.) If this could be your route, fatten them up over the summer, then remember that end of Ramadan is Oct 2 2008. You could sell them easily from mid-to-late September.

NeHi

P.S. If you DO decide they'll go to the ethnic meat market DO NOT disbud or castrate them. These buyers like "unblemished" (intact in all ways) animals.

RiverPines · #18 05/30/08, 10:21 AM

Dont feel bad. I have had to practically give away pygmy buckling's this year and I still have one left that I cant sell. I have him for 15 dollars and no takers. Its taken me months to unload them.

I haven't sold any does either so I ate them except for one thats giving us delicious milk and is the easiest, most co-operative milker I have ever had.