Pricing wethers ?

[farmerjane]

How do you price your wethers ?
What about doelings ?
Is there a certain price based on age or weight ?

Interested to hear based on different breeds and reg and not reg.

[hoofinitnorth]

In no particular order, here are some factors I consider:

quality & utility of animal (meat, show, pet, companion, etc.)
how much support I expect to provide after the sale
quality of home
local market
how much I want the goat to stay with me or not (do I need the room or would I rather hang on to him for a companion or just because I don't like his prospects elsewhere, etc.)

I also offer discounts to participants of certain programs, like DHI and youth programs, but the DHI doesn't usually apply to wethers (I want them to buy a goat that will go on DHI in their herd so it will benefit my herd).

[farmerjane]

What is DHI ?

What is meat price on a goat approx per lbs ?

Full of questions, hope I am not driving everyone nuts

[ChiniMiniRex]

DHI or DHIR is Dairy Herd Improvement Registry - meaning the does are on ADGA milk test to earn their "stars".The Stars and other acronyms like SG (Supreme Genetics) indicate quality within a pedigree. Wethers are exempt from both of these as they cannot milk, and cannot reproduce.

Our 2 day old bucklings that we are not retaining are sold for $50.00 each, are wethered and disbudded. It is the buyers responsibility to obtain their milk after we give their colostrum. Bottle started wethers that we are retaining or selling at a later date have more time and effort into them thus have a higher price of $125.00. Our registered doelings from FF's at a week old are $200.00. All are Tattooed before leaving the premises, and pet wethers are registered with ADGA's wether ID program.

The market prices here are not great - 60 lb. goats sell for on average $35.00. Dairy kids bring much less than Boer or Boer Cross. Spanish can move well, if their colors have no Swiss markings. Keep in mind, this is changes from week to week, and depending on the supply and demand of certain ethnic holidays.

Kelly

[LaManchaPaul]

A good price here is $1 per pound live weight.

The market is for meat goats, so at the sale barn one most likely would not realize that price for a dairy goat wether. Some "pet" goats are on Craigslist posted NOT FOR MEAT. You might try lurking there to get an idea on prices in your area.
Paul

[farmerjane]

Thank you, I just wanted an idea, I sold my almost yearling Alpine/Nubian wether for $75, he sold so fast I just wondered if it was a good price, seems like it was.

[hoofinitnorth]

Your local market & the season/holiday will dictate meat price. Ask around.

It's not representative because "it's for a good cause", but it's interesting to note that goats on the hoof (so live weight) commonly go for $12+/pound at the annual 4H auction here. Sheesh!