WHY RAISE MEAT GOATS?

If you are thinking about raising meat goats, the following questions and answers are from the seminar that RC&D
gave.  I hope they give you an idea of where to begin.
                                

Why Raise Meat Goats?

*Great demand for goat meat                                 

*Compared to cattle, less capital investment, less land required, easier to handle

*Method of controlling brush

Who Will You Sell To?

*Ethnic market/on farm sales

*Breeding Stock

*Auction

*Grazing for hire

What Kind of Goats?

You must first determine use:  Meat, breeding stock, show
stock, brush control.  Locate breeders.  Calculate
"reasonable price" based on conservative estimate of
expected receipts.

BOER GOAT:  Meaty, muscular goats, large body, calm
disposition,  excellent weight gains, high nutrient
requirements, possible expensive breeding stock.

KIKO:  From New Zealand, feral does with good meat
conformation crossed with Saanen and Nubian bucks;
raised under rugged conditions.  Good foragers, hardy,
excellent mothers.

TENNESSEE MEAT GOAT:  Descended from Tennessee
Stiff-Leg or Fainting goats.  Myotonic condition; muscles
lock up when startled.  Muscular, especially the rear legs,
tender meat, high meat to bone ratio.

SPANISH MEAT GOAT:  Small body size, low nutrient
requirements, hardy/thrifty, good mothers, slow growth
rate, might be flighty or wild.

What to Look For When Buying Goats:

*Sound feet and legs

*Good body capacity-deep and wide

*bite correctly aligned

*sound udders

*good teeth

Good Health:

*No limping

*altert and lively

*no lumps or abscesses

*not overly thin or fat

*smooth hair coat

*free of internal parasites

How Will You Raise Them?  Do You Have
The Resources?

*Can they browse your pastures

*Drylot, purchased feeds NOT a good option

*Do you have the time

*Fence - big issue

How Many Should You Buy?

Consider the land you have available.  Start with small
numbers to allow time for learning production practices;
start with small numbers to avoid debt; start with small
numbers of good goats.  One buck per 25 to 50 does.

The Stocking Rate is:

6 mature goats = 1 cow on improved pastures

10 mature goats = 1 cow on browse or brushy areas; stock
heavily to kill brush, lightly to utilize it without eradicating

graze 1 to 2 goats per cow to control brush without
reducing number of cows

Costs:

*Figure approximate cost of maintaining does

*Average price of slaughter kids

*Expected productivity in your situation