One Fine Acre - 2023 4H Steer Project Update

[OneFineAcre]

This is 5 bucks sold as weathers
Zamia's 2 bucks are sold
So 7 down 9 to go
I'm actually rethinking my feelings about the bucks that we don't sell for breeding
We've sold wethers to great pet homes but we've sold a few to some that I'm not so sure about
I may start keeping them and using them for meat even though it's not the most cost effective option
At least I know they are well cared for and just have one bad moment

 

[Hens and Roos]

This is 5 bucks sold as weathers
Zamia's 2 bucks are sold
So 7 down 9 to go
I'm actually rethinking my feelings about the bucks that we don't sell for breeding
We've sold wethers to great pet homes but we've sold a few to some that I'm not so sure about
I may start keeping them and using them for meat even though it's not the most cost effective option
At least I know they are well cared for and just have one bad moment

we did this last year and will do again this year

 

[NH homesteader]

This nags at me also. There are only so many pet homes, where the people will keep them for their natural lives and take care of them. We plan to raise our bucklings for meat as well.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's part of my plan this year too...

 

[OneFineAcre]

So let me ask this question
How old would you slaughter?
18 months ?
It really isn't the best financially if you can sell them at 10 weeks old and 20 lbs for $75 ?
Has anyone slaughtered Nigerians?
How much meat do you get ?

 

[Goat Whisperer]

People pay big $ on Nigerian weathers for meat.

They are the perfect size for birthday parties and other festivities.

We've gotten $2 per pound one the hoof easy, people don't blink twice at that price. I have to ask our friends (they raise a lot of ND weathers for meat) what they charge. The have brought in some $$$ and are in the process of fencing in more land to raise wethers for slaughter.

I don't know the exact meat you get back, but it's pretty good.

Some goats might be good to go at 8 months others 18 months. Depends on how growthy your kids are.

Be back…

 

[NH homesteader]

I've been wondering this myself.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I did a pygmy wether... and didn't get tons of meat of course, but it was really good. He was probably a year-ish. The meat is delicious. Leg of goat is great and fits in the crock pot just fine. I messed up one rack of ribs - but learned my lesson and the second set was great. Tenderloin was yummy! We did a lot of stew meat too. I hate to admit that I'm looking forward to having more goat in the freezer.

For me - the smaller size is an advantage. While DH will help me - he does the 'deed' - I generally do the actual skinning, gutting, and butchering. Having a smaller carcass works well for me for that reason. I need to keep better records on the live weight to meat ratio...

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Ugh stupid autocorrect is changing wethers into weathers.

Anyway, all our meat buyers have been great.

We have set rules.

They don't tie the goat up in the back of a pickup.

The goat goes in a crate for transport or is help by someone in the back seat (you'd be shocked how many do this lol)

They take the goat on the day of the slaughter IOW the goat isn't going to be chained for two weeks.
One guy was going to keep the goat in the house for 10 days until he was able to slaughter it for a party- we don't allow that and the guy got the goat on the day of the slaughter.

Be smart to who you sell too. Everyone that we have sold meat goat to have been fantastic but we aren't afraid to say NO if I don't like how they do things. We always discuss the slaughter method. We do not sell to those who want goats for religious sacrifices as I don't agree with the slaughter method. I want quick and clean.

Everyone that we sell to use a .22 then slit the throat.

Some slaughter houses will buy the goats from you and sell the meat themselves. This can be good because you don't have people coming to your farm.

We are careful, most of the time the buyers ar great. Because we are on a highway we've had some not-so-good people come up and ask too many questions (like- do you have meat goats? where do you keep meat goats? Yeah… I'm not telling you that) If I have an uneasy feeling they don't get anything and keep everyone short. Thankfully our LGD's keep human threats at bay (we've had goat theft attempts on our farm). This is something to consider, IF you have a bad crowd show up. You have the upper hand here based on your location but still something to think about.

We have more demand for Nigerians sized wethers than larger breeds.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

We have had 22 baby goats born this year with a couple more does left to kid.

So, naturally it made perfect sense that we would go out and buy another one

Meet our new Junior Herd Sire
Sweet Garden BT Vivaldi.

His dam is SGCH Fairlea Elise 2*M

He just arrived from Maryland.

http://www.sweetgardengoats.com/

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He's handsome! Congrats!!