Goats

[EddieWalker]

We have about 30 acres that we want to fence in for a few cows and some goats. Not sure how many yet, we're still working on clearing land and getting the grass to grow. No plans on when we will actually start the fence. What I'm trying to figure out is what to do with goats? Everything I've read indicates that there is a demand for their meat, but everyone who has them seems to be raising them as show animals or pets.

Does anybody have any experience with raising goats for meat? Do you take them to a sale barn and get what you can for them? or is there a slaughterhouse that pays you per pound for them?

If I don't know what to do with them, I'm not going to bother.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[Piston]

I've always wanted goats for pets, and to keep the underbrush at bay.

I have no idea what I would do with them either, so I'm interested in the replies. Good question Eddie.

 

[Duwop]

Check this out
Meat Goat Blog: Marketing Your Goats
Also this
We Buy Goats - Seven Hills Tallarook
We have a large demand for all kinds of Goats, Wethers, Pet Goats, ... Should you want to sell us your goats, or you have any questions, please contact us.

I'm post this as this is what I want to know, I have several Jamaican friends in Fl who asked me to raise and sell the meat to them but I'm cautious because of interstate laws.

 

[sseelhoff]

I guess you can make wine out of them?





Seriously, though, I look forward to hearing from goat owners and breeders. We have been thinking about getting goats. We have 20 acres and two horses. Can they graze the same land? How much damage will goats do to horse grazing pastures? Do we need to pen them up to keep them from the coyotes? What's the best breed for someone new to goats?

 

[SSdoxie]

I raise pymgys more for recreation than anything else, but when I need to cull some out I take them to an auction. There are always 2 guys there that have connections to slaughter house and they bid against each other. I have been averaging $2-$2.50/lb in last 2 years.

 

[tcreeley]

Watch your grazing- goats eat closer than cows do, closer than horses. Overgrazing with goats requires recovery time- keeping an eye out- you will be fine.

 

[BethelHntr]

My parents have had goats for years as pets, They do a great job of keeping the pasture maintained and free of thorns which is nice. They are in the deer family of coarse so they forage on all the different plants that spring up throughout the year, A little bit of and a little bit of that. They love tree bark, Whenever I limb trees or cut trees down for them the branches are put in a pile for then to feast on.

They have had no luck with male goats, After a few years for some reason they have problems with their bladder plugging and can't urinate, They end up having to be put down. The female goats thrive, They've had nubian and most recently american lamancha that are real friendly.

Make sure you have real good fencing, To a goat the grass in greener on the other side.

 

[sseelhoff]

Watch your grazing- goats eat closer than cows do, closer than horses. Overgrazing with goats requires recovery time- keeping an eye out- you will be fine.

We have the property broken down into three pastures and a sand paddock. We rotate the pastures every thirty days, and turn out in the sand paddock at night with hay.

 

[texasjohn]

Sale Information

Above is link to East Texas Goat Raisers Association, surely they sell them to someone. There is a list of members.

My other idea is that the hispanic population like goats to eat. If you know any, I would get in touch with them and see if they would be willing to purchase from you.

https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Home/ProductionAgriculture/MarketNews/TexasLivestockAuctions.aspx

Above lists all livestock auction houses in Texas...Might visit one and watch goats sell, figure out who is buying and talk to them afterward about if they would purchase from you locally, etc.

 

[wngsprd]

We had Oberhasli and Nubian/Alpine for milking. Sorry, but never sold them for meat so not helpful there.

In our experience, they prefer leaves and bark from tree branches over just about anything else (just avoid the cherries). I kept one area clear just lopping small saplings and dragging to their pasture and chunking them over the fence. I would have fenced in that area for them to roam, but we needed to keep them next to the barn for milking twice a day.