# most profitable breed?



## herdsman (Dec 3, 2012)

I havnt any goats yet but am planning on getting some(I only breed cattle and hogs) I was wondering what is the best breed to breed and sell the kids and make a good profit. I was thinking on these breeds that I have seen and really liked Boer, Kiko, Pygmy and Tennessee meat goats.
Thanks


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## Catahoula (Dec 3, 2012)

With hay price so high in some areas...I am interested to know too. At least in my area ($17 small bale), I am beginning to think the breeders I got my goats from are doing it because they just love goats...definitely not for profits.


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## poorboys (Dec 3, 2012)

yeah were in love with our goats!! for me I make my money on kids, registered ones do the best, I raise Nubians and they are pretty popular for 4-h, but so are the many other breeds, to make money on boers you need quite a bit kidding at a time to sale for market. It's a gamble every year wether it's the weather or it's a boy year can hurt your sales. most of the time you come out on bottom, It's a hobby for me and gives me satistfaction when I watch and milk my girls, every-one has their reasons. and some on here probably do make money on it, just depends on where your at and what you have.


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## kstaven (Dec 3, 2012)

herdsman said:
			
		

> I havnt any goats yet but am planning on getting some(I only breed cattle and hogs) I was wondering what is the best breed to breed and sell the kids and make a good profit. I was thinking on these breeds that I have seen and really liked Boer, Kiko, Pygmy and Tennessee meat goats.
> Thanks


First  thing to look at is what is in short supply in your area. Always look for the markets that the crowd isn't servicing and you will have a better chance of making it.

Think of it this way. Do you want to compete with a big guy like walmart or do you want to service a market where there is demand that they don't service?


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## Roll farms (Dec 4, 2012)

What everyone else said AND....if you don't have a good meat market or base market of customers in your area that will come to you for meat....you won't make a profit w/ meat goats *unless* you raise $$ show animals and that takes a lot of investment and time.

You can't practically give pygmies away in my area, a local petting zoo has flooded the market w/ them.  

Some fainting goat lines are small (more pygmy sized) and other lines are geared more for meat production...not "any" fainter will make a 'good' meat goat.

You won't get anywhere breeding 'small' meat goats...it's just not very practical...you want bigger carcasses (meatier) at weigh in.  And you couldn't breed a boer or kiko buck to pygmy does, they're prone to kidding issues anyway.

Unless you get really hearty boer bloodlines and a great market, you'll spend more on dewormer and feed than you'll sell  meat for....(JMHO).

Kikos do ok, I like to use a Kiko buck on good boer % does *if* your sole purpose is meat animals.  If you want to sell show animals, that's a whole other conversation.


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## kstaven (Dec 4, 2012)

Individual markets are so different. Seems you have a lot of market research ahead of you.

Right now the goat meat markets here are hot and even an old dairy doe or buck will fetch $2.50 per pound live weight. Other areas you can't even give kids away.


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## Fullhousefarm (Dec 4, 2012)

I don't know the meat goat market- so I can't comment there.

As far as small scale in the dairy goat market: In my area certain breeds are more in demand. I just paid more for a registered Nigerian Dwarf than for a registered LaMancha- and the LaMancha probably has "better" showing bloodlines and milk lines. Right now there aren't a lot of registered ND in the area and lots of people want them for backyard milkers and for showing- so more demand. They can also be cheaper to feed and keep. Shorter fences, smaller shelters, etc. Now, I predict in a few years the price will probably drop as more kids flood the market and some of these people get tired of their goats, milking, and kidding. LOL. 

Now, the breeder we got the LaMancha from is, I think, making a profit between selling registered kids, leasing to 4H/FFA kids, and selling milk- but they've been in the business for at least 10 year, I think.  I have no idea about the ND breeder.


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## herdsman (Dec 5, 2012)

I do not wish to be in the meat market business only breeding goats and selling the kids


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## 20kidsonhill (Dec 5, 2012)

I am a bit confused by your above statement, considering on 12/2 you said," Hello I am thinking on getting into boer goats for meat to sell. I raise 100 head of holstein beef and alot of broilers haha. Well I was wondering when you guys butcher your boer goats at how many months? And how much do they weigh? and besides there browsing on the pasture how much grain per head per day do you feed them?"

And even if you sell the kids, you are technically still in the meat goat business, since they are meat goats even if you aren't directly taking them to slaughter or butchering them yourself. 

Do you want to sell breeding stock?  
4H projects?


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 5, 2012)

Sounds to me he doesn't want to breed goats just for meat and to go to slaughter. So I would say breeding stock or pets of some sort.


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## Roll farms (Dec 5, 2012)

If you want to sell and raise breeding stock, you'll need to invest in good stock, from proven bloodlines, advertise like mad, feed and care for them to the Nth degree, consider showing to get your name 'out there'....and count on taking a loss for a while.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Dec 5, 2012)

I am raising goats here for pets, for backyard milkers and in some cases for meat.  We have a need in our area for nice milkers, but not costing a fortune.  However, we also have a need for meat here.  I actually have several co-workers who want goat meat.  We have a processor near my home that will process goat.  So I am raising some, that will be processed and sold direct to these individuals.   I am not planning on getting wealthy, but would like to at least pay for feed, hay, vet bills, etc.


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## herdsman (Dec 5, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> Sounds to me he doesn't want to breed goats just for meat and to go to slaughter. So I would say breeding stock or pets of some sort.


yes I want to sell breeding stock and/or pets. But I have found my breed I will be going with


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Dec 5, 2012)

herdsman said:
			
		

> Straw Hat Kikos said:
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What breed did you decide on?


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## herdsman (Dec 5, 2012)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> If you want to sell and raise breeding stock, you'll need to invest in good stock, from proven bloodlines, advertise like mad, feed and care for them to the Nth degree, consider showing to get your name 'out there'....and count on taking a loss for a while.


Yeah that is what I will do it will be the same I did with my breeding cattle.


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## herdsman (Dec 5, 2012)

ThreeBoysChicks said:
			
		

> herdsman said:
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I have decided on myotonic goats or kikos, but in a few years I will have a few different breeds this is just my beginning breed. But I am trying to find more info on myotonic goats kidding like if they have singles, twins or triplets?


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## ThornyRidgeII (Dec 5, 2012)

Not to rain on your parade...I am just  a wee bit south of you.. down 183 to be exact and well to put it bluntly.. there is no market for any type of goats.. I started out breeding high quality stock registered nigerian dwarf goats many years ago when economy was better, feed was better and people were interested in small scale homesteading.. now with high costs of feed, people out of work, high cost of maintaining healthy animals.. people do not even want to pay reasonable prices.. I have a good friend that also is in the same boat..she has full size dairy and miniature dairy goats and for about the past 2-3 years people expect them to be given away!  I wish you luck but know you will be making a pricy investment that will have little to no return in this area!  Check out the local Craigs list.. goats being given away.. and my local livestock auction.. cheap!!!  I currently have stopped breeding and just have a healthy content herd that are my "babies"  maybe someday I will breed a couple here and there again for the overall enjoyment of having goats!  Also know that goat care is different from cattle!  Good luck but think wisely!  Start with a couple that you can just enjoy!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Dec 5, 2012)

ThornyRidgeII said:
			
		

> Not to rain on your parade...I am just  a wee bit south of you.. down 183 to be exact and well to put it bluntly.. there is no market for any type of goats.. I started out breeding high quality stock registered nigerian dwarf goats many years ago when economy was better, feed was better and people were interested in small scale homesteading.. now with high costs of feed, people out of work, high cost of maintaining healthy animals.. people do not even want to pay reasonable prices.. I have a good friend that also is in the same boat..she has full size dairy and miniature dairy goats and for about the past 2-3 years people expect them to be given away!  I wish you luck but know you will be making a pricy investment that will have little to no return in this area!  Check out the local Craigs list.. goats being given away.. and my local livestock auction.. cheap!!!  I currently have stopped breeding and just have a healthy content herd that are my "babies"  maybe someday I will breed a couple here and there again for the overall enjoyment of having goats!  Also know that goat care is different from cattle!  Good luck but think wisely!  Start with a couple that you can just enjoy!


That's great information. Market is everything.


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## herdsman (Dec 5, 2012)

ThornyRidgeII said:
			
		

> Not to rain on your parade...I am just  a wee bit south of you.. down 183 to be exact and well to put it bluntly.. there is no market for any type of goats.. I started out breeding high quality stock registered nigerian dwarf goats many years ago when economy was better, feed was better and people were interested in small scale homesteading.. now with high costs of feed, people out of work, high cost of maintaining healthy animals.. people do not even want to pay reasonable prices.. I have a good friend that also is in the same boat..she has full size dairy and miniature dairy goats and for about the past 2-3 years people expect them to be given away!  I wish you luck but know you will be making a pricy investment that will have little to no return in this area!  Check out the local Craigs list.. goats being given away.. and my local livestock auction.. cheap!!!  I currently have stopped breeding and just have a healthy content herd that are my "babies"  maybe someday I will breed a couple here and there again for the overall enjoyment of having goats!  Also know that goat care is different from cattle!  Good luck but think wisely!  Start with a couple that you can just enjoy!


Thank you. I will be selling them the Salem/Sebring way because theres alot of kids I went to school with That run farms and like 3-5 new head of goats each year for there herd and my uncle will haul them 100 miles away for a six pack HAHA! But thanks for the luck I will let you all know how it turns out But I know I will have many more questions. But I have some time because I will be waiting till spring to pick my first goats.


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## Roll farms (Dec 5, 2012)

To answer your 'how many babies' question - any breed can have 1-4 kids.  The trick is good feeding, mineral, and management.

Breeding when it's too hot, too cold, or on 1st heats can lower the litter size.  But, not all does can raise trips or quads and you end up w/ bottle babies.  Sometimes does having singles have kidding problems because singles tend to be big.

Goats average 2 b/c 2 is a good number.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Dec 6, 2012)

Check out http://www.whitmorefarm.com/

These guys are near me and the raise only myotonic for purposes of meet.  I have visited their farm several times and can tell you that they definitely have 1, 2, 3 and 4 babies.  Will and Kent manage their herd well and have plenty of pasture, feed a special feed mix and have 6 or 7 Great Pyrenees guarding the herd.  They also raise Katahdin sheep.  i would bet you could email them or call them and they would be happy to talk with you.  They are very big on breeding right and are always willing to help others get started in the business.


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