Meat Goats

[gwi1890]

Anybody breed and fatten meat goats here?I’ve been thinking of buying a few Boer goats breeding does and a few weathers to fatten and keep them indoors in my redundant sheds . I already have someone who has a Caribbean street food business interested in working together. Is there a market for goat meat beyond supplying direct and what price per kg does goat meat typically sell for? Thanks

 

[unlacedgecko]

Anybody breed and fatten meat goats here?I’ve been thinking of buying a few Boer goats breeding does and a few weathers to fatten and keep them indoors in my redundant sheds . I already have someone who has a Caribbean street food business interested in working together. Is there a market for goat meat beyond supplying direct and what price per kg does goat meat typically sell for? Thanks

No direct experience, but a girl who used to help me had a small flock. She did direct sales to Afro Caribbeans in Gloucester for £20/kg DW.

 

[gwi1890]

No direct experience, but a girl who used to help me had a small flock. She did direct sales to Afro Caribbeans in Gloucester for £20/kg DW.

Thanks , I have links to African communities all across the midlands so it’s something I could explore. Does she market her produce online ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Thanks , I have links to African communities all across the midlands so it’s something I could explore. Does she market her produce online ?

No, I was all word of mouth.

She dispersed the herd last year.

 

[davidroberts30]

@Damomc

 

[Gulli]

Direct sales are your best option, fattening goats isn't a lot of fun mind they need some feeding

 

[topground]

Where would you have them slaughtered and cut might be your biggest problem..

 

[gwi1890]

Where would you have them slaughtered and cut might be your biggest problem..

Already got a price on that , £14 for slaughter only or £30 for slaughtering and cut.

 

[edn]

Meat goats are hard work- they grow incredibly slowly and take a lot of feeding to get there. They are not as robust as sheep either.

 

[soapsud]

We knew someone who had goats for the North Africans in Bristol. They can jump! @spin cycle's hurdlers are tame by comparison. They grow better with more than grass i.e. hedges, shrubs, tree folliage. And lastly, home killing and butchering makes a difference to meat flavour. Taking them to the abattoir was one reason our friend stopped keeping them - and he was an experienced beef and sheep farmer.

 

[gwi1890]

Meat goats are hard work- they grow incredibly slowly and take a lot of feeding to get there. They are not as robust as sheep either.

What type of growth rates should one expect by 90 days? What is the average age/weight for slaughter and how to they KO?

 

[Nearly]

What type of growth rates should one expect by 90 days? What is the average age/weight for slaughter and how to they KO?

Think of them as pet lambs.
Expensive to rear and a struggle to get fat.
We had 100 goat suckler herd. The only way.

 

[gwi1890]

Think of them as pet lambs.
Expensive to rear and a struggle to get fat.
We had 100 goat suckler herd. The only way.

My intention was to buy some breeding does and buy some weanlings in addition just to get the ball rolling or a quicker return so to speak. What age/weight did you typically slaughter ?

 

[spin cycle]

We knew someone who had goats for the North Africans in Bristol. They can jump! @spin cycle's hurdlers are tame by comparison. They grow better with more than grass i.e. hedges, shrubs, tree folliage. And lastly, home killing and butchering makes a difference to meat flavour. Taking them to the abattoir was one reason our friend stopped keeping them - and he was an experienced beef and sheep farmer.

Oi...slander

 

[Nearly]

My intention was to buy some breeding does and buy some weanlings in addition just to get the ball rolling or a quicker return so to speak. What age/weight did you typically slaughter ?

We sold the kids at weaning to a farm shop.

 

[edn]

What type of growth rates should one expect by 90 days? What is the average age/weight for slaughter and how to they KO?

In terms of growth rate they’re about half what a lamb will do- we kid in mid March same as lambing. I’ve got Beltex x lambs ready now but the goats are maximum 22-23 kgs- this is with creep.
i find we tend to kill them at 12-14 months at about 42-44kgs. KO% is slightly better than lambs - no fleece.

 

[AftonShepherd]

We sold the kids at weaning to a farm shop.

Wish I'd thought of that 18 years ago, not sure the Mrs would have agreed though ...

 

[hendrebc]

Someone you mosr likely know from bala way did some and sold them as meat boxes but I don't know if they did it a second year. Be worth asking them.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02oeXZKCXga2cNkgevGxwjkr8YfaWi1dJTwSkuHMXGKrRv2Hv1ef1yB4e3fmZn148Bl&id=102059882070852&sfnsn=scwspmo

 

[hendrebc]

Should probably try and make a joke about you going the next step from easycares to goats but I can't think of one

 

[som farmer]

Already got a price on that , £14 for slaughter only or £30 for slaughtering and cut.

our p/t help, just paid £70 to have a lamb killed and butchered, told me that was the going rate !

told him it was to much, but you can't help some people, sold it all in bits, rather than a half.