Author Topic: Can country boys survive with goats? (Read 1013 times)

chain · « **on:** January 15, 2012, 11:41:39 am »

Some say, eventually, when the last drop of oil is used up, the last big jet airliner drifts down and parked, we will all become nomads, shepherds to goats, camping out, subsisting on goats milk, meat, and cheese.

But can goat farming be the next big thing? Some rural publications are hinting the rising interest of goat markets and demand for various tasks of goats in impoverished nations to help alleviate starvation and mere subsistance.

Forestry uses also, the goats cleaning up brushy lots and fields and forests, helping graze down invasive plants and vines. Many uses from goats.

Any goat owner/farmers here?

bull · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2012, 11:45:34 am »

No goat farmer here, but girl down the road is doing quite well with them two titters, she's makes some fancy goat cheese and turns it into some purty good dollars !!

Riggs · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:03:59 pm »

I keep 15-20 goats, mainly to keep my creekbanks from growing up. I probably break even selling the kids. You could do alot worse for company, they are quite entertaining.

Jeff · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:20:50 pm »

I'm thinking Burlkraft is really wanting some goats.

Norm · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:21:27 pm »

And a couple of horses....

Texas Ranger · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:25:12 pm »

Hmm, cabrito.

POSTONLT40HD · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:26:56 pm »

I don't know that much about them but EMUs are a good investment. They say the meat is great and $ in restaurants.

Mooseherder · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2012, 12:34:50 pm »

We had a couple Goats when the kids were young. I never did milk them though.
They can eat some vegetation and not too hard to take care of.

jim king · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2012, 01:07:47 pm »

After living over half my life in goat country, "developing nations" it is my opinion that they are the most underused domectic animal in developed countrys .

Just a cutltural thing I guess.

Norm · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2012, 02:47:18 pm »

Lots of meat goats raised around me. We've kicked it around ourselves but don't have enough pasture to do so.

Autocar · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2012, 03:19:52 pm »

Theres been some interest in our area but seem to fizzle out after a few years. The only thing I know about goats is the billy stinks

and there eat anything that they can chew.

Corley5 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2012, 03:27:09 pm »

I thought that meat goats would be a good crop to raise. But only thought about it briefly

Mark K · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2012, 03:42:06 pm »

I had a herd of 100+ Boer goats back when we were milking. I use to rotate the goats thru the pastures behind the cows to clean up what the cows wouldn't eat. They eat anything and are excellent escape artists. Would breed them once a year so they kidded in January, sold the kids around Easter to a restaurant in the city. Didn't make a while lot of money. My parents bought out my herd and are now up to 250+. There kidding now and have 2 to 4 kids per doe per year. Doesn't take long to build a herd. They make most money off them selling breeding stock.

Ron Wenrich · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2012, 04:17:12 pm »

I had herd that went up to 30 for awhile. I used them to get rid of multiflora rose. They also were good for getting rid of honeysuckle. Not good in a forestry situation as they will eat or girdle any regeneration. Worse than deer. They like the inner bark of soft maple.

This time of year, I would feed them Christmas trees. People would save them for me. I didn't give the whole tree, just cut off the branches. They'd eat the pine before they would hay.

Someone once told me that those underdeveloped countries stayed that way due to goat herds. There was no way that a forest of any type would be able to survive those herds.

shinnlinger · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2012, 07:23:07 pm »

62% of the red meat consumed in the world is goat and if you lived near an urban area you could sell to the ethnicities (muslims, greeks etc) partake but you would need to either create your own USDA certified facility or make an arrangement with one. I have heard that some do well with having an area wherefolks can come and process the animal the way they want.
Dairy seems like an insane amount of work to me and I don't know of the commercial demand but ice cream is a quite good.they are escape artists but quite fun. To fun really cause the wife put a stop to any further herd developments

Magicman · « **Reply #15 on:** January 15, 2012, 08:28:30 pm »

Back in the late 50's and early 60's we had no deer, but there was a herd of wild goats that roamed the woods. They ranged over a couple of mile area, and hunting them was more luck than skill. You had to walk the woods and hopefully if you were downwind you could smell them. Thankfully they were white, or you never would have gotten one. Once the herd was found the sneak was on, and all eyes were looking. I did say wild. The challenge was then identifying a young female, because if you brought home a stinky male, you were in trouble with Mom. We hunted them with a .22, and aimed for the ear.

LOGDOG · « **Reply #16 on:** January 15, 2012, 08:56:46 pm »

One of our members down in Australia has a beautiful, large herd of goats. I forget his handle right now. Maybe someone else remembers?

Taylortractornut · « **Reply #17 on:** January 15, 2012, 09:03:43 pm »

Dad grew up on goat milk in Burnsville as a kid. He said the secret to eating one was to castrate it while young or eat a nanny. He said a family that didnt have much traded dad for an old billy goat. Dad said walking past their farm the wole hill stunk.

Magicman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 15, 2012, 09:38:09 pm »

We had a guy with an old billy goat pulling a cart that always rode in our Christmas parade. They moved him to the back, (as in last), and finally had to ask him not to ride anymore. That goat stunk so bad that it would bring tears to your eyes.

beenthere · « **Reply #19 on:** January 15, 2012, 10:02:25 pm »

Quote from: Taylortractornut on January 15, 2012, 09:03:43 pm

........ He said a family that didnt have much traded dad for an old billy goat. Dad said walking past their farm the wole hill stunk.

Hmmm? Dad for a billy goat. Do you think that was a good trade?

Taylortractornut · « **Reply #20 on:** January 16, 2012, 12:21:56 am »

Sorry didnt see how that read. THey traded dad out of a billy goat. Working with him I do often think that that would be a fair trade.

Riggs · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2012, 05:08:06 am »

Quote from: Taylortractornut on January 16, 2012, 12:21:56 am

Sorry didnt see how that read. THey traded dad out of a billy goat. Working with him I do often think that that would be a fair trade.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #22 on:** January 16, 2012, 05:25:25 am »

All ya need is moose, no fencing and chasing critters.

And if milk and cheese is your thing, that's no trouble either.

Something Cheesy

lynches lumber · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2012, 05:30:30 am »

While my hobby is sawmilling, the wifes is goats. Shes only sells the extra billies. Cant beat them for keeping the thick under growth down, especially up close to the house when they get out(shrubs, flowers).Id like to have a dollar for everytime shes threatened to shoot or get rid of them.I remember us having an ole nannie when i was a teenager at home that wouldnt stay in the pen. Dad came home one day with his first brand new truck(Datsun). He went inside for a few minutes and then right back out to admire his new truck to find the ole gal up on the hood of it. Thats where she took her last breath.

tcsmpsi · « **Reply #24 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:21:58 am »

Ok. Had to come see what the implication with reference to 'country boys/goats' was.

Jeff · « **Reply #25 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:33:58 am »

Quote from: Taylortractornut on January 16, 2012, 12:21:56 am

Sorry didnt see how that read. THey traded dad out of a billy goat. Working with him I do often think that that would be a fair trade.

What was he doing in a Billy goat?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Al_Smith · « **Reply #26 on:** January 16, 2012, 11:36:48 am »

Oh now I'll tell you what nothing on the face of the earth smells as bad as a billy goat .

Funny though because come spring time the brewers will advertise bock beer .Invaribily they have a picture of a goat on the can .Evidently depicting what the contents within the can tastes like .--Warning label so to speak .

saltydog · « **Reply #27 on:** January 16, 2012, 09:07:39 pm »

Ive been known to raise a few goats .Great 4h projects for the kids.we had a big nubian billy his name was stinky .i bought a boer billy to cross on our nannys hoping to get larger framed goats.well stinky broke loose and the fight was on.Well after we seperated them they sure perfumed themselves up so to speak.I couldnt take it and put them for sale in the local paper never expecting a call.A fellow came to pick them up i think he was from jamaica.he picked them up with his bare hands put them in his trailer. he smelled his hands and said smells like good eating to me.

To each their own at least they didnt go to waste.I love goat meat but not from a billy.

Taylortractornut · « **Reply #28 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:10:56 pm »

One time a friend of mines wife was running around with his friend. After the divorce he saw another friend had a billy that coyotes got. He put him down and skinned it. He cut the hide down the middle and slipped each half under their car seats. THe cars sat for sale for a few months and you could still smell it. Im thinking of buying a few milk and meat goats for my hobby farm. I swore I never would own any after putting up with dads. They sell good to Mexicans here. Dad had a bred registered Boer nanny. SHe had been bread with a brush goat. To get rid of half grown mixed goats dad hired 2 Mexicans that help us on jobs sometimes. Dad gave them each a goat as a bonus. I asked them ther names and one aid Taco and burrito.

zopi · « **Reply #29 on:** January 16, 2012, 10:39:33 pm »

Are they the future? In a word. No. One, as mentioned, they are a forestry nightmare, except in certain limited applications where undergrowth is extreme in a wetland..etc..
They are as hard on the ground as big stock, and almost as inefficient.
The future is going to be farmed fish, greenhouse agriculture, alot of hydroponics, protien from legumes, algae, small efficient stock, chicken, rabbit, etc.
four legged stock is very likely to become rarer and rarer over the years...too inefficient considering the amount of calories in for the amout of calories out.

Taylortractornut · « **Reply #30 on:** January 16, 2012, 11:57:48 pm »

I have a friend thats really podunk worse than I am and not real bashfull about it. We were at a farm type sales display at a large fair a little south of here. We dont get too far into it and see alot of it is set up by a get rich quick site. We get to this neat little pen with an alpaca in it and the lady dressed up like she just stole Porter Wagners wardrope had her Schpeil going about them Ecological land clearing, meat, wool and the wool prices and babies. My friend and I were loking at it and these hobby farmers were looking like they had taken the bait big time.

About that time the sales woman looks up and asks if we had any questions and what he thought about them. I knew what was comming. My friend spit out his his chew in a Josey Wales fashion and looked at her and said " Looks Like a Gall Danged furry Emu to me. The hobby farmers walked off and I was laughing like a donkey.

Satamax · « **Reply #31 on:** January 17, 2012, 04:02:00 am »

Strange no one has talked about wellies yet

Al_Smith · « **Reply #32 on:** January 17, 2012, 04:44:51 am »

Wellies meaning weather ? Tell you what if you don't operate on them before they get too big they will still excrete in their whiskers and still stink to high heavens from a mile away .

LeeB · « **Reply #33 on:** January 17, 2012, 07:47:00 am »

Actually, I think it's in reference to a rather crass joke.

Roxie · « **Reply #34 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:43:49 am »

Let's not go in that direction.

LeeB · « **Reply #35 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:49:03 am »

Hadn't planned on it. Just trying to warn others.

Roxie · « **Reply #36 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:58:17 am »

So was I.

Just a reminder, to those that this applies, if you change the spelling of an unacceptable word, you know that you are not within forum rules.

Satamax · « **Reply #37 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:23:28 am »

Roxie.

This was for the british speaking. Wellies are the abreviation of wellington boots.

Roxie · « **Reply #38 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:42:33 am »

I know exactly what they are, and we can now drop the subject.

zopi · « **Reply #39 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:43:04 am »

Alpacas are one thing....several 'paca farms around us...I could probably deal with them...they are not nearly as obnoxious as llamas, nor as stupid amd annoying as sheep...

But yeah...furry emu.

Best meat/furbearing varmint as far as I am concerned...rabbit. ya don't have to herd them, rope them, castrate them, haul (much) hay...and when you want more...there is not much science to it.

Tough to sell the cute tasty furry little buggers though...restaurants is about it...

Was talking to a guy awhile back who raises tilapia...big tanks that provide thermal mass and water for large greenhouses...they grew veggies in the greenhouses, and tilapia in these waist high monster tanks. Said they made pretty decent money at it...I cannot imagine branding time is much fun though.

Riggs · « **Reply #40 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:44:25 am »

Here's a couple of pics, The first is our billie, Sampson with my kids. My daughter loves him and he is very gentle. He only stinks in breeding season. The second picture is kind of a rite of passage for our baby goats, the cow LOVES for them to walk on her, and will actually stand there and wait for them. Must feel good

Norm · « **Reply #41 on:** January 17, 2012, 10:49:37 am »

Zopi I too thought I'd have meat rabbits when we moved to the farm years ago. I bought a couple of california's made up some hutches and waited for my new suppers to arrive. Soon enough we had babies and much to my surprise they were the cutest little buggers I'd ever seen. Now I don't consider myself squeamish as I've raised and butchered most farm animals. But there was just now way I could do it. I do eat wild rabbit and have no troubles with dressing them out but those domestic ones were just too hard for me.

Riggs those are some cute little ones you have.

Magicman · « **Reply #42 on:** January 17, 2012, 11:55:59 am »

Riggs, as many times as I have heard and used the term "Ride the Goat", your picture certainly puts a different spin on it.

Patty · « **Reply #43 on:** January 17, 2012, 12:31:29 pm »

Such cute little darlings! Kids that have the opportunity to grow up on a farm are the luckiest of all.

zopi · « **Reply #44 on:** January 17, 2012, 02:29:53 pm »

I have similar issues..but it does not stop me.
One bunny got nippy...nipped one of the girls...nipped my wife the bit me.
Twenty minutes..fur to fried.
My daughter said no way was she going to eat that rabbit...until she smelled it coming out of the oven...he was delicious.

Taylortractornut · « **Reply #45 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:25:34 pm »

Zopi Im building a small IBC tote based aquaponics set up for my smaller greenhouse. I like growing things, Just got my rabbits. Gonna use them for my plant compost and feeding some worm bins. I want to eventually work up to about 400 rabbits. I have a friend that has about 600 that he raises. About once a month he has a butcher come pick them up. He makes a pretty good lick on them.

I m about to get more chickens to go with them. We grow most of our own feed in the form of mustard greens raddish and turnips year round.

LA Z BOY · « **Reply #46 on:** January 18, 2012, 12:36:42 am »

A few years ago I had two Nubian does that we milked . I didn't have a buck at that time so when breeding time came around I had to take them to a buck . A friend of mine raised bottle calves & had a little toyota pickup with cattle racks . I called him up when a doe came in & asked him if he wanted to haul me & the doe several miles down the road to a buck . He said sure . We got there & put the doe in the pen with the buck & everything went as expected till we took the doe out of the pen & started back to the truck with her .
The buck jumped the fence & came after me & the doe I was leading . I handed my friend the lead rope & tackled the buck to make sure he didn't get on the highway . While I wrasseled ( sp ) the buck my friend got the doe on the truck & came back & helped me get that critter back in his pen . Talk about being stunk up !
About a week later my other doe came in & I called my friend again & asked him if he'd like to take another ride . He said , you can borrow my truck .

He swore he never got rid of the smell in his truck till he sold it .

zopi · « **Reply #47 on:** January 18, 2012, 02:01:04 am »

Taylor...sounds lime a good plan...we are out of the animal business until I get this place better aquared away..just got rid of the bunny experiment..need better facilities.
Going to keep the garden going, and maybe put up a small greenhouse for starting seed, and late fall grow out. It will be a long while before I have the hothouse of my dreams.

La z boy...goat roper needs love too....

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Author Topic: Can country boys survive with goats? (Read 1013 times)