Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: logger coffey]
#6981897
09/03/20 03:14 PM
09/03/20 03:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,213 central Missouri
Bigfoot
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,213
central Missouri
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Im no goat expert , but keeping them up was the worst of my worries , after losing several thousands of dollars and ten years in the boar goats to worms and sickness. i felt it was enough . if you need extra papers for yours i have a clip board full. some of the best genes. sorry but all the goats for them are in the ground. By far the hardest livestock to care for i ever experienced. The only way i found to deal with worms was breed for survivability and solid feet ,mine havnt got tough enough to breed for carcass conformation
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: goatman]
#6981942
09/03/20 04:35 PM
09/03/20 04:35 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
OP
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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You have to pick the right goats. I raised fainting goats for 12 years. They never wanted out. Primitive breed. Health made me give them up or I would still have them. Boer meat goats
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bigfoot]
#6981943
09/03/20 04:36 PM
09/03/20 04:36 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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How far apart are the stays (vertical strands )on that woven wire 4" or 6" stays make the woven wire the best goat trap ever devised for horned goats that stick their heads through the wire to graze . 12" stays alow the goats to get their nose turned back and they can remove their own head from the fence . You will never have to remove a goat from 4"x12" woven wire . They will get caught daily in 6"x6" wire some goat hourly some never learn 4 inches by 4 inches
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Redknot]
#6981948
09/03/20 04:41 PM
09/03/20 04:41 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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Northern Maine
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Bruce, believe the above responses!!! As I was reading your post I was thinking just what these guys have written.
To add one item not already expressed, let me say "your fence is NOT high enough." Notice I do not know how high you are going to build your fence, but it really doesn't matter because it is not high enough!! 4 feet is plenty for goats.I know people who have raised goats for years and years making a living off fro them from here in Maine to Pa.
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bruce T]
#6981957
09/03/20 04:51 PM
09/03/20 04:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610 Wyoming
thedude055
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Posts: 610
Wyoming
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I have raised a lot of meat goats and combinations of meat goat breeds. The first thing I would recommend breed wise is what is your goal. Are you selling carcass meat, fair goats, or eating for yourself? Each has its own direction. Second question is what is your level of farmer joe capabilities. Are you ready to pull kids and treat for worms and trim hooves or are you looking for a more self sufficient breed. Boer goats (pure bred or close) themselves have great qualities but they do have downfalls. Boer billy and smaller doe or first year doe pairings have high rates of birthing complications due to kid size at birth. Fair wise off breed meat goats dont seem to do as well as full boer breeds even though they often grade out the same on the butcher table. Boers look the part really well.
I found for my circumstances where i was selling directly to a demographic for meat and conformance and fair look wasnt a thing my best run came out of Kiko/Spanish/Boer crosses. about 50% kiko and then 25 25 spanish and boer. The kidding weight of high percentage kikos paired with the self sufficent nature of Kiko and spanish breeds is awesome.
I had the best luck with the 4x4 wire fence. I did still ahve the occasional issue if i did not debud kids and they could get there heads through 4" and buds can hold them. That was the only reason i debudded goats was fencing issues really.
Owner Wind River Trapping Supplies
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bruce T]
#6981959
09/03/20 04:54 PM
09/03/20 04:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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Going to buy young goats in the spring time and fatten them up and sell them before winter each year.
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bruce T]
#6981969
09/03/20 05:06 PM
09/03/20 05:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610 Wyoming
thedude055
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610
Wyoming
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Another advantage i didnt drop in there was I never had issues with worms or hoof care issues with Higher percentage Kiko crosses. If you are not worrying abut any birthing or herd issues then some of the things i bring up are void a bit. Kiko has a tendency to be an expensive breed that is why i ran full kiko buck and only had to pay for the breed once. To buy and raise each year to sell it is likely a lot less profitable. similar to cattle in that aspect. Boer goats gain great and are easy to handle. Keep on top of the worming and have a pin setup to segregate anything that is sick. They have a tendency to get a sniffle easier than some others. That has been my experience.
Owner Wind River Trapping Supplies
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bruce T]
#6981980
09/03/20 05:19 PM
09/03/20 05:19 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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OP
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Northern Maine
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Alot of people eat goat meat.There is a market for sure.Have friends that raise goats for a living.
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Antelope Montana]
#6981992
09/03/20 05:37 PM
09/03/20 05:37 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,384 kentucky
logger coffey
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,384
kentucky
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Is there a market for goat meat? If so may I inquire who buys it I was just curious because I think if I remember right there's quite a few immigrants that working some Wood Industries in Maine. I wish you luck I'm raising some pigs and some chickens man it's a lot of work just getting up and feed and everything twice a day plus working a regular job. I feed my animals before I even eat but they're starting to cut into my budget. Our goat meat market was in Chicago for the Muslims , around there holiday or festival what ever it was , is when the goat prices skyrocketed . after i found out i was supporting muslims i started just selling to locals and 4H kids, guess im just prejudice.
Last edited by logger coffey; 09/03/20 05:39 PM.
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Bruce T]
#6982082
09/03/20 07:35 PM
09/03/20 07:35 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117 Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
Hodagtrapper
Muskrat Master
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Muskrat Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,117
Northern Wisconsin,Rhinelander
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What was the length of each roll of wire and what did one roll cost? The reason I ask is that I just put up 380' of 8' tall woven wire deer fence that was in great used shape from a closed deer farm. Got it at a great price too. Sounds exciting raising meat goats and I wish you all the best. If I lived closer I would buy a fattened goat from you!
Chris
>>In God we trust<<
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Hodagtrapper]
#6982116
09/03/20 08:22 PM
09/03/20 08:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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What was the length of each roll of wire and what did one roll cost? The reason I ask is that I just put up 380' of 8' tall woven wire deer fence that was in great used shape from a closed deer farm. Got it at a great price too. Sounds exciting raising meat goats and I wish you all the best. If I lived closer I would buy a fattened goat from you!
Chris 330 feet on a roll at $279 a roll.
Nevada bound
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Re: Getting started on my goat farm
[Re: Hodagtrapper]
#6982340
09/04/20 08:12 AM
09/04/20 08:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592 Northern Maine
Bruce T
OP
trapper
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
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Thanks Bruce. That will be a good fence for goats!
Chris Thanks the fence is made for goats and sheep.
Nevada bound
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