# How do you set your prices...



## jodief100 (Mar 24, 2011)

I just wanted to bring this up.  I find sometimes it is difficult to sell animals at a reasonable cost because other people are selling for far less than market value (this seems especially true with chickens).  Does anyone else have this experience?

If you want your farming hobby or business to be successful, you should follow the markets and price accordingly.  Otherwise you are leaving money on the table!  Also it hurts all of us when someone else is selling at a loss and draging down the market.  

This was posted today on another thread.  I started my own since this one was veering off topic.



			
				20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> I haven't checked prices lately, I just looked them up, and what I realized is I am selling my goats tooo cheap, that stinks.   Here are the New Holland prices from last Monday; this is the major sale for the east coast.
> 
> Slaughter Kids: Selection 1  40-60 lbs 122.00-148.00; 60-80 lbs
> 138.00-160.00; 80-90 lbs 147.00-162.00, 90-100 lbs 170.00-182.00; 100-110
> ...


Below are the market prices nearest me, yet I still see listings on Craigslist for 60lb wethers for $75.  

Louisville, KY    Mon Mar 14, 2011    USDA-KY Dept of Ag Market News

Bluegrass Stockyards of Richmond, Richmond, KY
Graded Goat and Sheep Sale

Receipts:  232

Slaughter Classes: sold per hundred weight (cwt)
Kids: Selection 2 30-45 lbs 240.50; 45-60 lbs 262.50; 60-80 lbs 248.50; 
80-100 lbs 177.50. 
Selection 3 30-45 lbs 175.00; 45-60 lbs 242.00.

Does/Nannies: 80-125 lbs 10.00; 130-180 lbs 83.00; thin 60-90 lbs 90.00.

Bucks/Billies: 180-220 lbs. 101.00.


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## mogolady (Mar 24, 2011)

I agree. I have a friend who sells cheaper and I realize that is her business. So if they come to me looking and I price a "fair market price", they think it is too high. 

I try to adjust, considering if I sell straight off the farm, I don't have to pay auction fee, gas to market and time involved but I still need to turn a little profit in order to keep doing this. My friend is a good- hearted softy who can afford to take a little loss. 

I guess that is just business in general.


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## poorboys (Mar 24, 2011)

A GUY I SPOKE WITH, SELLS MEAT GOATS FOR $2.80# FOR 50# AND UP!!! MY FRIEND GOT 1.25# FOR HER'S BUT SHE SOLD TO A GUY WHO BUYS CHEAP AND SELLS IN CHICAGO FOR A HECK OF A LOT MORE SO MY FRIEND REALLY GOT RIPPED OFF. AROUND HERE IT JUST DEPENDS, INDIANA, IF YOU GO TO AUCTIONS OF COURSE THE AUCTUNEERS KNOW THE TRUE PRICE SO THERE ARE BLIND BIDDERS IN THE AUDIENCE BIDDING UNTILL THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT PER POUND, I DON'T SELL LIKE THAT CAUSE I RAISE NUBIANS, AND I SELL THE BABIES TO 4-H ERS, IT'S A GOOD SELL IF THEY ARE REGISTERED, AND DOES GO GOOD, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BUCKS OR WETHERS, PEOPLE AROUND HERE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYTHING. I'VE SEEN THEM GO FOR 25.00.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 24, 2011)

Keep in mind our stockyard is still selling per head, Jodie's is selling per hundred weight. 

but I try to check it every month, i haven't looked at it since January, I hadn't realized it had gone up 20 to 30 bucks a head.  

Selection is also a big deal, selection 1 is for the meatiest of the meatiest, they must be very fleshy all over their entire bodies.


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## jodief100 (Mar 24, 2011)

poorboys said:
			
		

> A GUY I SPOKE WITH, SELLS MEAT GOATS FOR $2.80# FOR 50# AND UP!!! MY FRIEND GOT 1.25# FOR HER'S BUT SHE SOLD TO A GUY WHO BUYS CHEAP AND SELLS IN CHICAGO FOR A HECK OF A LOT MORE SO MY FRIEND REALLY GOT RIPPED OFF.


I have the name and contact information for the guy in Chicago who buys them.  He prefers to buy directly from the farmers. If your friend would rather bring them there herself, she could get much better prices.  PM me if you are interested.


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## St0rmyM00n (Mar 24, 2011)

I got my 2 goats 50.00 each they weaned already. 

I wouldn't have been able to get any if it wasn't for the feed store that sold them to me. It was my birthday gift from my husband. 

Some people can't afford 150.00 and up


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## jodief100 (Mar 25, 2011)

St0rmyM00n said:
			
		

> I got my 2 goats 50.00 each they weaned already.
> 
> I wouldn't have been able to get any if it wasn't for the feed store that sold them to me. It was my birthday gift from my husband.
> 
> Some people can't afford 150.00 and up


Pet goat prices are going to be different than meat market prices or milker prices.  If $50 is the going rate in your area, that is great for buyers like you but it can be tough on the producers.  If you got lower than market rate, lucky you and congrats.  

The point I am attempting to make is that if you plan to sell, look at your market carefully.  No one, not even a hobbist who does it for fun can afford to loose money.  Peopel who sell at $$ loosing prices make it difficult for people who can't afford to lose money.  Too much of that and the producers get out of the business, leaving fewer producers and even higher prices.


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## mogolady (Mar 25, 2011)

I agree, I'm not aiming at the person who wants a pet or two. Dairy whethers and some of the cross or smaller hobby breeds go relatively cheap here. But if you are breeding/feeding a larger number of goats/horses/dogs whatever the animal, you just can't afford to loose much money or you won't be at it long. Especially with the price of grain increasing so much. 

Stormy - I'm glad for you too be able to get a couple of goats. Our first goat was a $50 Saanen/Alpine cross, full of attitude and we loved her. Thanks to her we now have many. They are so much fun and its always good to see someone new become interested in them.


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## elevan (Mar 25, 2011)

I don't have anything to add other than I will be following this thread.

My stock is pet quality (unregistered and good personality) that can also be lightly milked or used for meat for the small family    I'm not ready to start selling any but will in the future, so I'll be doing my research and setting prices based on the area averages and what I plan to provide along with my goats (education, starter feed, bale of hay, etc).


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## St0rmyM00n (Apr 1, 2011)

I really never thought of them as pets I got them to clear brush and for milking, maybe some cabrito if needed. 

I just had this talk with some others on another forum I saw goats and got them,  but never thought of ever owning show quality goats cause 
what would I do with them? They did have show quality goats there where I bought my goats but some of them were worth 1,000.00 and up.
I could never afford anything like that.

Im not sure what you would call what my goats do I just see them as workers who do their job.

But I agree pure bred with paper and hard work put into them being show quality or a very strong breed of particular type should cost a good price cause of all the work that goes into them.

You get what I am saying....


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 1, 2011)

LN_LS320
New Holland, PA   Mon Mar 28, 2011    USDA-PA Dept of Ag Market News

New Holland Sales Stables - New Holland, PA
New Holland Sheep and Goat Weighted Average for Monday, March 28, 2011

Sheep/Lamb Receipts: 1536    Last week: 2120	Year Ago: 3037
Goat Receipts:       1846    Last week: 1841	Year Ago: 2361

Slaughter Goats: Compared to last Monday's sale selection 1 kids sold mostly 
steady to 5.00 lower. Selection 1 billies sold sharply higher instances of 
20.00 higher, while selection 2 billies sold 10.00 lower. Slaughter nannies 
traded mostly 15.00 lower. Demand moderate with moderate trade. All goats are 
sold by the head, on estimated weights. Goat supply consisted of 49 percent 
kids, 45 percent nannies, 4 percent billies and 2 percent miscellaneous 
stock. All goats are sold by the head, on estimated weights.

   Slaughter Kids: Selection 1  40-60 lbs 118.00-145.00; 60-80 lbs 
138.00-158.00; 80-90 lbs 130.00-145.00; 90-100 lbs 150.00-164.00; 100-110 
lbs 166.00-168.00; 110-120 lbs 175.00-190.00; 120-130 lbs 185.00-196.00. 
Selection 2  40-60 lbs 85.00-100.00; 60-80 lbs 103.00-127.00; 80-90 lbs 
113.00-128.00; 90-100 lbs 119.00-134.00; 100-110 lbs 121.00-135.00; 110-120 
lbs 120.00-132.00. Selection 3  40-60 lbs 63.00-80.00; 60-80 lbs 68.00-91.00.

   Slaughter Nannies/Does: Selection 1  80-130 lbs 106.00-121.00, 130-180 
lbs 122.00-137.00. Selection 2  80-130 lbs 90.00-105.00. Selection 3  50-80 
lbs 60.00-84.00; 80-130 lbs 80.00-92.00.

   Slaughter Bucks/Billies:  Selection 1  100-150 lbs 172.00-187.00; 150 
250 lbs 203.00-218.00. Selection 2  80-100 lbs 120.00-135.00; 100-150 
142.00-156.00; 150-250 lbs 146.00-161.00.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ln_ls320.txt


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## Roll farms (Apr 1, 2011)

This is a great discussion topic, but I feel there are too many factors / types of goat operations for there to be an easy answer.  Here we have meat and dairy goats, and crosses of the two.

I set my prices based on purpose, production records, quality, and appearance...in that order.

By purpose, I mean...A show prospect is going to cost more than pet quality.  A meat / dairy cross for dual purpose (milk the doe, eat the offspring) will be less than a pure meat or pure dairy for show or breeding purposes.

Production records...If a 10lb a day milker has twin does, they're going to cost more than a 6lb a day milker's kids, if they are dairy kids...
If they're boer or boer x, the doeling out of a triplet producing doe will go for more than a consistent single producing doe...(who won't be here long anyway).  
Parents' past performance / show wins / history comes into effect as well, although that's not a guarantee that the offspring will do the same, it is an indicator of the possibility / potential.

Quality...Conformation, teat structure, etc.  Pedigree to a degree, as far as purebred vs. American, or fullblood vs. %.

Appearance....I know you can't milk or eat spots, coat color, etc...But if someone is willing to pay more for it, I will take their money.

I have a few does who are decent producers, but not real pretty...or some who I cross breed on purpose.  
I try to reserve those kids for the people who contact me who 'just want pets'.  
I agree it's silly to pay big money for "just" a yard ornament / pet / brush eater...
So long as those folks agree I'm not "wrong" for refusing to sell a show prospect for $50.00.  

I know there are sale barns selling kids for less than I do.  
As many times as I've been told...believe me...I know...

But those kids don't come w/ a health guarantee, disbudding / castrating / tattooing / pedigree / buyer's assistance program.

When I was buck shopping for a new Boer herdsire this winter, I found a guy w/ some very nice kids for sale....
He had a Commercial (unregisterable b/c his percentage of pure boer blood wasn't high enough) buckling sired by his proven / winning show buck.  He sent me pics.  I asked how much....He said, "$800.00".  



If I'd chosen to buy that buckling, I would have been unable to register any kids produced by my % does, and kids out of my Fullblood does would have only been 50% registerable.  
He may have made simply wonderful kids...but it didn't make sense to me to pay more for a buck who's kids would be worth less (at least on paper).

To me, that price was excessive...but he was asking for it b/c he thought / felt  his kid was worth it.

I kept looking and found Bullitt....Fullblood Boer, wonderful conformation (IMHO, better than the above kid, really...) red color, spotted brother, show winning sire, dam from a famous bloodline...for $500.00.
I didn't bat an eye and left w/in the hour to go buy him...and I LOVE him still.

That seller also felt / thought the kid was worth it...and I agree 100%.

Point being...Pricing and "worth" don't always equal the same thing, it's in the eye of the beholder / buyer / owner / seller.

And none of my reasons even take "current market value" (as far as meat) into account, b/c I rarely sell them for meat.

Shuttin' up on the subject, but there's my take on it....


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 1, 2011)

Calm down Roll< I think the subject got started because of people selling meat goats for 5o to 75 bucks a head, when todays prices are more like 120 to 140.   :/

We also have a  range like Roll. We have animals from 800 a head to meat prices. But if they are just for meat they don't leave my farm for less than I think I will get taking them into the stock yards, If you want to pay stock yard prices, go to the stock yard. 

We paid 800 for one of our show  does, with noooooo Papers!!!, Yes, I repeat noooo papers,  but this is a doe, and her offspring can be registered 50% when bred to a full bloodbuck, which is all we use. And yes, she produces very nice show whethers. 

We spend on the average of $500 for our full-blood bucks, but our last buck came to us still inside of mom, who we paid $500 for bred, with the a promise from the farmer if she didn't kid we could bring her back to be rebred or get straws from him.  She kidded us a single buck, who is well on his way to being an excellent herd sire. Weighing in at 110lbs at 5 months of age, and his dad on his way to being enobled. 

With all that said, most of our herd is commercial pecentage so whethers go for meat and does are kept to sell to other commercial herds for replacements. 

Pricing at the meat market should effect any kind of meat breeds, since higher prices, should bring up the price of even papered animals. Since higher prices represents a higher demand for goats across the country. So even high-end breeding stock should go up even higher than it all ready is. 

I could see a whether farm buying a 800 dollar non-papered buck, since show whethers don't need papers and they are selling on the average of 300 to 400 each and on up, if they have a history of winning in that herd or blood-line.


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## jodief100 (Apr 1, 2011)

You are correct.  The discussion started because of people selling "meat goats" at $50 a head. Roll provided some valuable insight.  Different markets sell for different levels and value is what someone is willing to sell for AND someone else is willing to pay. 

For everything but the pet market, the "meat market" rate should be the starting point and go up from there.


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 1, 2011)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> You are correct.  The discussion started because of people selling "meat goats" at $50 a head. Roll provided some valuable insight.  Different markets sell for different levels and value is what someone is willing to sell for AND someone else is willing to pay.
> 
> For everything but the pet market, the "meat market" rate should be the starting point and go up from there.


oh, didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't appreciate Rolls advice/ information. I love Rolls Advice. She just sounded so worked up.  
When she said,
"Shuttin' up on the subject, but there's my take on it...."


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## chandasue (Apr 1, 2011)

Who exactly determines "market value" pricing in the meat goat industry?


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 1, 2011)

chandasue said:
			
		

> Who exactly determines "market value" pricing in the meat goat industry?


Like everything else, supply and demand, and right now there is more demand than supply. A lot more.  With the steady increase of ethnic groups in the United States that eat chevon for many occasions and even everyday meals We have to import goat meat to meat the demands. 


Here is one article, but you can find many.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/15/90387/goat-meat-in-short-supply-as-demand.html#


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## Livinwright Farm (Apr 1, 2011)

Wow, all of those prices seem so low! In New England it is hard to find even a pet goat for less than $250/head.  I was blessed to find someone on Craigslist who was moving and desperate... so I got the 2 nigerian does and 3 4 week old kids *all* for $250.
The market for meat goats is higher priced also. A friend of mine EASILY sells wethers to the greek community for $350/head... guess it all depends on how much of a demand there is for them.


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 1, 2011)

Livinwright Farm said:
			
		

> Wow, all of those prices seem so low! In New England it is hard to find even a pet goat for less than $250/head.  I was blessed to find someone on Craigslist who was moving and desperate... so I got the 2 nigerian does and 3 4 week old kids *all* for $250.
> The market for meat goats is higher priced also. A friend of mine EASILY sells wethers to the greek community for $350/head... guess it all depends on how much of a demand there is for them.


I might load up my truck and come pay you a visit. $350 a head!!!!


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## Roll farms (Apr 1, 2011)

Nope, I wasn't worked up... I was just trying to shut myself up...
I couldn't seem to quit typing...LOL.


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