Ridgetop
Herd Master
Absolutely! Unless you want to be breeding registered dairy goat kids, breeding the does to a Boer buck is definitely the way to go. And goat meat is delicious!
Shortages
- Thread starter Baymule
- Start date
murphysranch
Herd Master
We were just talking about goat meat for dinner, at an easter dinner last nite. The two older ppl who invited us, also love goat meat. I've never had it!
- Thread starter
- #243
Baymule
Herd Master
It’s 2024! How is everyone doing? We have survived, but prices are still a killer. The 14% pellet feed I give the sheep finally settled out at $14 per 50 pound bag. It’s gone up $5 per bag over 2 years. I drive 45 miles to get it because feed is much higher here for lower protein.
HARD drought this past summer with triple digits of heat for 2 1/2 months. I had to dry lot my sheep for 3 months. Hay was $150 for a big round bale. I found the smaller bales, 4’x5’ for $65 and bought 27 rolls. It was advertised as Bahia but it had lots of other interesting things in it. But for the price and availability, I jumped on it. Son happened to be in for a few days and he hauled it for me. Sheep ate a bale a WEEK. Plus feed, my feed bill was $400 per month. I refused to cut numbers, I’ve been working so darn hard to increase numbers. I now have 30 ewes and 3 rams. I have 7 rolls left right now and will probably have to get a few more to make it to spring. They will cost me.
It was so hot that I moved Anatolians from the field every day by 11:00 or they would cry from the heat. I put Sentry in the house in a crate, because he’s a jerk and would attack Carson. Carson hid behind my recliner all summer, in fear. Sheba and Buford went to the front yard where they laid up in the coolness of the porch. I stretched tarps in the sheep pens for shade. It was awful. I’m praying that we don’t have another summer like that this year.
In June, of all months, ewes flung themselves at Cooper and I opened the gate and let them have at it. I have 8 lambs and 1 more to lamb. Cooper has 15 ewes, will be due in late March and early April. I’m finally getting somewhere. I have some young ewes to divide up between Rocky and Ringo 2.0 in early spring.
I had the front fence line bulldozed and hired a fence crew to put up the fence. That’s approximately 8 acres for grazing I’ll have. I plan on building a 3 sided barn in the new field this year. $$$ it may take all year.
Money is popular and I don’t have enough of it. At least I’ll have a lamb crop to sell this year. Timing will be off for best prices, but I had to get tiny hooves on the ground.
HARD drought this past summer with triple digits of heat for 2 1/2 months. I had to dry lot my sheep for 3 months. Hay was $150 for a big round bale. I found the smaller bales, 4’x5’ for $65 and bought 27 rolls. It was advertised as Bahia but it had lots of other interesting things in it. But for the price and availability, I jumped on it. Son happened to be in for a few days and he hauled it for me. Sheep ate a bale a WEEK. Plus feed, my feed bill was $400 per month. I refused to cut numbers, I’ve been working so darn hard to increase numbers. I now have 30 ewes and 3 rams. I have 7 rolls left right now and will probably have to get a few more to make it to spring. They will cost me.
It was so hot that I moved Anatolians from the field every day by 11:00 or they would cry from the heat. I put Sentry in the house in a crate, because he’s a jerk and would attack Carson. Carson hid behind my recliner all summer, in fear. Sheba and Buford went to the front yard where they laid up in the coolness of the porch. I stretched tarps in the sheep pens for shade. It was awful. I’m praying that we don’t have another summer like that this year.
In June, of all months, ewes flung themselves at Cooper and I opened the gate and let them have at it. I have 8 lambs and 1 more to lamb. Cooper has 15 ewes, will be due in late March and early April. I’m finally getting somewhere. I have some young ewes to divide up between Rocky and Ringo 2.0 in early spring.
I had the front fence line bulldozed and hired a fence crew to put up the fence. That’s approximately 8 acres for grazing I’ll have. I plan on building a 3 sided barn in the new field this year. $$$ it may take all year.
Money is popular and I don’t have enough of it. At least I’ll have a lamb crop to sell this year. Timing will be off for best prices, but I had to get tiny hooves on the ground.
