Carla D-Great new adventures and an Amazing Life

[Carla D]

I responded to some things in your other threads.
Goat meat is tasty but once they get old enough intact buck tastes gross.

Slaughter weight is generally between 60-70 lbs 80 tops.
You must however make sure of meat withdrawal times for any meds you give him concerning the coccidia treatment and worm treatment.

I did see your responses. Thank you. I hadn’t even considered putting them in our freezer and eating them until last night. It is also really good to about intact bucks tasting yucky. I wasn’t sure if their meat was like a pig or like deer. I had seriously considered the thought of getting rid of either all of them or all but 2-3 going. Some of the things people in here have mentioned a few options, but I didn’t really think a lot about them until last night as well. I’m feeling a bit on the green side and a bit unprepared for this winter. The biggies being their adult size and the amount 8 grown goats will need to eat and how much that is going to cost. The other one being the fact that we really love them now and treat them much like we do as pets. But, are we going to these same feelings when they are fully grown. Whether it be we own 1 or 2, or we own 8 of them. I can’t definitivly say one way or the other. I guess there is a third thing, space available. While we might have enough room to house 8 full grown goats, will they be happy and thrive all together in that amount of space. I’m thinking they might like a bit more space for themselves at times. I do really love the goats and plan on having them on the farm. Do we have the space and resources needed to properly care for 8 large goats? I’m realizing that we may not have a suitable breed/size for what we really want and fill our desires to have goats that we can truly care for, provide for, and ultimately treat as we would a cat or dog with unlimited affection? Maybe I should be considering a mini or dwarf goat.

 

[greybeard]

The young goat meat (cabrito) I have eaten (smoked or BBQd) had more of a venison taste than anything else.
I wasn't terribly fond of it nor terribly put off by it... I would certainly eat it again fixed the same way but probably wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(I'm not a big fan of venison either except when mixed with pork in sausage)

 

[Southern by choice]

Some cultures are forbidden to eat castrated male animals. So there is a market for that.
Some cultures prefer old stinky buck. Some want smaller castrated.
Depends on your region.

With deer... a doe, I love- they taste great.
A buck deer... I can taste that rutting deer. So gross.

 

[Carla D]

The young goat meat (cabrito) I have eaten (smoked or BBQd) had more of a venison taste than anything else.
I wasn't terribly fond of it nor terribly put off by it... I would certainly eat it again fixed the same way but probably wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(I'm not a big fan of venison either except when mixed with pork in sausage)

That is a description I can relate to. I thought mutton was goat meat. Or is it sheep? Venison is really tasty to me if it is mixed with pork as well. But a nice venison steak is tasty too, with ketchup.everything is better with ketchup.

 

[Carla D]

Well said, @Baymule!!!

No, I don’t mind you telling our story. It was well written and expressed my feelings very well. But, then you do know me really well.

It WAS a hard decision, but like Bay said, we have to be realistic. We moved here to grow our own food, and have dairy goats, for milk and cheese. To produce milk & cheese our does have to have kids every year. That means having more goats than we can afford to feed.

We all have to make choices, that are right for us. You most likely will never be able to butcher your animals. And that’s okay.

That may possibly be correct. I’m not sure. I can butcher, eat, and enjoy one of our pigs pretty easily. Most of them receive quite a bit of attention and affection too.

 

[greybeard]

I thought mutton was goat meat. Or is it sheep?

Mutton is older sheep. I try very hard not to get anywhere within smelling range of any kind of sheep; alive, dead, raw or cooked.

 

[Carla D]

Mutton is older sheep. I try very hard not to get anywhere within smelling range of any kind of sheep; alive, dead, raw or cooked.

You make me laugh. Thank you.

 

[Baymule]

Mutton is older sheep. I try very hard not to get anywhere within smelling range of any kind of sheep; alive, dead, raw or cooked.

Says the CATTLE man!

 

[Baymule]

That may possibly be correct. I’m not sure. I can butcher, eat, and enjoy one of our pigs pretty easily. Most of them receive quite a bit of attention and affection too.

I'll put this out there....why not raise these boys until they hit 60-70 pounds and take them all to slaughter. Get them properly castrated or do it yourself, it is not that hard to do. Don't worry about disbudding or dehorning, as I understand it, you seem to have missed the "window" of opportunity and now it is a bit bigger problem. Love them, enjoy them, treat them well, this is a learning experience for you. If you can raise pigs, pet them, love them and still eat them, you can do this.

Start over in the spring with TWO disbudded goats, get them castrated and keep them for pets. Or you might decide that you like goat meat and buy another round of $5 goats to raise for stocking the freezer. In the meantime you get to hug, spoil and love them all you want.

You will figure this out and make the decision that is best for you.

 

[greybeard]

Says the CATTLE man!

Exactly.
And I do understand fully there are people that do not like cows and/or any of their products one bit and I'm fine with that and fine with them telling me.