How do you set your prices...

[20kidsonhill]

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

 

[Roll farms]

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....

 

[20kidsonhill]

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.

 

[jodief100]

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.

 

[20kidsonhill]

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...."

 

[chandasue]

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

 

[20kidsonhill]

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#

 

[Livinwright Farm]

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.

 

[20kidsonhill]

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!!!!

 

[Roll farms]

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