Raising Organic Dairy Goat Kids For Meat

[Bandrews]

Ok, so now I'm no longer a dairy farmer, I need to be contributing something else to the farm (apart from the reams of compliance paperwork).
Quite keen on raising dairy goat kids for meat - starting off quite small and selling locally/direct online. Build myself a bit of a brand (who hasn't got a brand these days?).
Want to do the sums first but despite goat being "the next big thing", can't find much info.

First I need goats.

How much does an organic non-breeding kid from a diary goat go for? OK, I know, niche of a niche but there must be someone here milking organic goats.


Alternatively, if anyone is doing it already and thinks I'm mad, let me know now but as someone who likes a bit of goat curry, I'm quite keen to give it a shot.

 

[landslave the 2nd]

Why has the male kid got to be organic
Is there such a thing as organic milk powder,

 

[Bandrews]

We're organic farmers. I've tried running conventional and organic enterprises alongside each other before and it's a total ball ache come inspection time.

 

[Goatherderess]

Ok, so now I'm no longer a dairy farmer, I need to be contributing something else to the farm (apart from the reams of compliance paperwork).
Quite keen on raising dairy goat kids for meat - starting off quite small and selling locally/direct online. Build myself a bit of a brand (who hasn't got a brand these days?).
Want to do the sums first but despite goat being "the next big thing", can't find much info.

First I need goats.

How much does an organic non-breeding kid from a diary goat go for? OK, I know, niche of a niche but there must be someone here milking organic goats.


Alternatively, if anyone is doing it already and thinks I'm mad, let me know now but as someone who likes a bit of goat curry, I'm quite keen to give it a shot.

Happy to help - but my status as the only organic goat meat producer in the UK will be lost....!! PM me and we can chat if you like ,been doing it for 7 years.

 

[Goatherderess]

[QUOTE="landslave the 2nd, post: 4048092, member: 747
Is there such a thing as organic milk powder,[/QUOTE]
Yes - volac do it

 

[GrannyAching]

This couple seem to be going from strength to strength round here https://www.facebook.com/MoatGoats/ . I gather they are friendly and helpful although I don't know them myself.

 

[Gulli]

Ok, so now I'm no longer a dairy farmer, I need to be contributing something else to the farm (apart from the reams of compliance paperwork).
Quite keen on raising dairy goat kids for meat - starting off quite small and selling locally/direct online. Build myself a bit of a brand (who hasn't got a brand these days?).
Want to do the sums first but despite goat being "the next big thing", can't find much info.

First I need goats.

How much does an organic non-breeding kid from a diary goat go for? OK, I know, niche of a niche but there must be someone here milking organic goats.


Alternatively, if anyone is doing it already and thinks I'm mad, let me know now but as someone who likes a bit of goat curry, I'm quite keen to give it a shot.

I think you'll struggle to find organic dairy goats. As far as I know there's only 1 maybe two herds in the country (could be wrong) Better off using meat goats for meat compared to dairy billys...

 

[Bandrews]

I think you'll struggle to find organic dairy goats. As far as I know there's only 1 maybe two herds in the country (could be wrong) Better off using meat goats for meat compared to dairy billys...

There’s actually an organic goat dairy just down the road from me! Appeal of the dairy billys is that nobody wants them so should be cheap! Cousin’s wife does them (conventionally though) and makes more from them than her husband makes on 10 times as many sheep. Thought I’d look at that to start with but if it doesn’t work out, will look at meat goats.

 

[Gulli]

There’s actually an organic goat dairy just down the road from me! Appeal of the dairy billys is that nobody wants them so should be cheap! Cousin’s wife does them (conventionally though) and makes more from them than her husband makes on 10 times as many sheep. Thought I’d look at that to start with but if it doesn’t work out, will look at meat goats.

I guess it depends where you can sell them. Not heard many positive things from people who have tried before. General opinion is it costs too much to get the weight on them.

Not to say it can't be done though

 

[goatfarmer]

I can supply Boer cross non organic male kids for not very much money at week old with plenty of colostrum. Have sold several hundred over the years but regular buyer is retiring now. Will have kids this autumn.

 

[topground]

I can supply Boer cross non organic male kids for not very much money at week old with plenty of colostrum. Have sold several hundred over the years but regular buyer is retiring now. Will have kids this autumn.

Your location might have some relevance if you are seeking customers.

 

[JD-Kid]

realy needs to be a meat cross goat
eaten dairy breeds and to be fair ok taste but small and very lean not my cup of tea and maybe harder to sell in some markets

 

[Woolless]

realy needs to be a meat cross goat
eaten dairy breeds and to be fair ok taste but small and very lean not my cup of tea and maybe harder to sell in some markets

Might suit the ethnic market? They seem to like leaner stuff.

 

[Nearly]

@TripleSix

We used to milk 1000 goats.

The diary billies weren't worth fattening.
We selected 30 low yielding milkers and started an outdoor suckler herd with a Boer billy.
We sold the store kids to a farm shop.

We got the suckler herd up to 100, selling 150+ kids a year.

Then the farm shop sold their dairy herd and offered to buy our nannies. £££
http://www.chestnutmeats.co.uk/

We don't have goats any more.
(just 3)

Sucklers are the way forwards, with a boer male and retailing the meat. The retailing is a bigger job than the rearing.

 

[Woolless]

@Nearly, interesting post.

What weights/ages did you kill the kids at? How were they fed after weaning?

Any specific requirements for the suckler females? Shelter? Browse rather than just grass? Comparative expense compared to sheep? Just standard dairy breeding?

Is there a reasonable supply of quality Boer males in the country?

And apologies for firing all those questions at you!

 

[goatfarmer]

Your location might have some relevance if you are seeking customers.

Monmouthshire

 

[Nearly]

@Nearly, interesting post.

What weights/ages did you kill the kids at? Don't know.
How were they fed after weaning? Calf coarse mix in creep and grass.

Any specific requirements for the suckler females? Vaccinations same as ewes.
Shelter? Always available. I have pics of goats out in the snow but they soon got bored and cold.
Browse rather than just grass? The hedges took a beating but the docks disappeared.
Comparative expense compared to sheep? Never kept sheep.
Just standard dairy breeding? Selected culls from the dairy herd. Some took to the system, some didn't. They would put their heads through the post and rail and bleat when the tractor drove past, waiting for the feeder wagon, but only for the first week.

Is there a reasonable supply of quality Boer males in the country? Available at most times. Small scale breeders are glad to see goat meat increase in popularity.


And apologies for firing all those questions at you!

 

[borntohunt]

I am doing it now for the first time with dairy billies castrated . Its being a very steep learning curve compared to sheep Don't know if I qualify as organic though my intended outlet as fallen through. so will be looking for outlet soon . all I can say at moment that to break even I will need a premium above lamb price.

 

[Nearly]

I am doing it now for the first time with dairy billies castrated . Its being a very steep learning curve compared to sheep Don't know if I qualify as organic though my intended outlet as fallen through. so will be looking for outlet soon . all I can say at moment that to break even I will need a premium above lamb price.

You can equate rearing billie kids on milk powder to trying to make money on pet lambs.
It's all in the selling.

 

[Hillfarmer18]

I know this is an old thread but how much does a goat go for per kg in comparison to lamb? And what are the trends in the market are they increasing in popularity?I’ve had little luck looking for uk prices online, cheers if anyone can enlighten me