Goats wanted in or near PA

[Freeholder]

I'll put this in the "For sale and wanted" thread, too, but would like to get some exposure. I have a friend in Pennsylvania who has been looking for goats and isn't having much luck finding decent animals at a reasonable price. She's looking for at least one milker, with preference to Alpine, Saanen, Oberhasli, or LaMancha. So far she's talked to one person with a dairy who is selling crossbred does for $300 each, and sneers at purebreds (said they are 'dumb as rocks'); and to one breeder who wants a minimum of $500 for a doe. They may both be within reason on their prices for their particular goats, but this is a new goat owner, just looking for a family milker or two. She needs a doe with good temperament and easy to milk above all else, and should be a decent producer. Good conformation would be a plus, but if the doe meets the other criteria, that's all that's really needed at this point while she learns goat husbandry. I think she's hoping to get two milkers, but would take a doe and a doe kid. She may need to get a buck kid, too, as I don't know if there's anyone with good bucks near her.

If you are in her area and have what she's looking for, or if you know of someone who might have what she's looking for, would you PM me your e-mail address, and I'll pass it on to her? I'd also appreciate url's for sites where she could look.

Thank you!

Kathleen

[MELOC]

pa isn't a small state. what part is she in?

[delphinium]

LOL. Good point!

[Freeholder]

LOL! I know it would help to know what part of the state she's in, but I don't know. She's reluctant to put too much information on the internet. I figure if anyone who has goats talks with her via e-mail, they can figure out between them if the distance is reasonable.

Kathleen

[billooo2]

I am in Ohio......about 2 hours from the PA line. I do not have any at the moment, but probably will have something later in the spring.

[plantinthings]

Here's a site where she can post what she's looking for or what others have for sale.

http://classifieds.pennswoods.net/classifieds/index.cgi

[stanb999]

Have them check here too. It is the "farm" paper in the state.

http://lancasterfarming.com/classifieds


One thing to tell her. Goats can be pretty expensive/hard to find here in PA. Two reasons, We have the biggest goat slaughter auction in the northeast. The other thing is we have a ton of hobby farmers.

[Natural Beauty Farm]

Sounds like your friend was offered a deal. This early in the season (before Easter) goat prices are very high for a milker. Especially for the types of goats your friend wants. You get what you pay for and it pays to do research before making that first purchase. If someone offered me a goat in milk for less than $300 I'd have to think long and hard about what trouble came with her. Is her milk off, does she have a short season, has she been sick, does she have trouble kidding......

[Freeholder]

I wondered if she was in area with high prices -- will let her know that. And, yes, I realize that this is the most difficult time of year to be looking for a doe in milk -- I think she'd be happy with a doe who would soon be in milk. She just doesn't want to have to wait a year or two while she raises a kid.

I'll pass both those links on to her, and Billoo, if you'd like to PM me your e-mail address, I'll pass that on to her, also.

Thanks, everyone.

Kathleen

[betsy h.]

maybe if you can get her to tell you her area code, we can look up breeders in that area code for her out of the adga directory. that's not too much info is it?

[Helena]

I live in PA and will be reducing my herd especially some does very soon as some are due to kid. Let me know where she is and I'm sure she would find them very reasonably priced. We are in upstate PA/NY border. Hope to hear from her..send me a PM is interested ??