I have too many does and doelings and have some still open. Should i go ahead and breed those that are open as a way to increase their desireability if/when I am able to sell them? Or should I leave them open and try to sell them that way for someone else to breed them this fall?
Hey Diane, I would breed them to increase desirability. But do wait to hear what others have to say. Hopefully you'll get some answers that are more familiar with your particular market.
A bred doe to kid off season and be in milk when others are waning from freshening early spring or late winter....a very good thing...especially if you are thinking about selling down in numbers. You could also hit the dairies with a mass email selling the does in milk, nursing kids so it's lessens the load and just glean off the number of doelings you want to keep. Raising replacements is a very smart thing to do out here, especially when they will milk through winter, eaisly, being Lamancha. Vicki
Thanks for the quick response, Truly. What holds me back from breeding the remaining doelings/does, is the intense summer heat here when the kids would arrive. However, does bred now would give fall/winter milk. I have 7 I am not going to breed at all. Two are minimanchas that I want to get bigger, 3 other does/doelings that need a Boer buck and 2 LM that have such bad scurs that they need surgery from Texas A&M. That still leaves me with several that are still not bred. The heat periods are still obviopus and i don't want them to suddenly quit cycling and the bucks to quit being interested. Had a good breeding yesterday. Three doeings cycled yesterday, just bred 1. I have somewhere around 30 does/doelings not sure. Must sell some can't kid that many out.
I think you answered your own question. Think of it this way, your really getting more bang for your buck (in terms of speaking.. by breading them. First of all, If you don't sell them while they're pregnant, you'll be able to glean kids from them to either keep or sell, as well as selling a doe in milk, which around here, sells for a premium.
Thanks Vicki, I was thinking they should all be bred but am afraid i will have 150 goats next fall as I may go into retreat mode again :crazy
We were not able to buy winter hay though and buy it a few bales at a time. The goats are walked each day through the woods for browse and fed alfalfa/oats/beet pulp. Spring comes early, late bred does have the advantage of spring browse. early bred goats have little browse to suppliment diet. Diane's back, I may start yapping about the drought again, normally 32 inches rainfall/year...again short changed. 2008 we only had 15 inches instead of 32. Again. Dust bowl here. This area with little hay, blowing sand, skinny livestock. Thankyou Lord for Yaupon and Cedar and acorns.
Would you consider butchering some for your family meat supply? That would cut down on your feed bill immediately. Sara
What Vicki said. Our market is done here for any does not bred... No one wants to keep an open animal until next fall... Well almost everyone I would jump at the chance to buy some nice animals and keep them dry. (But a little too far for me to get a doe from. Plus yours have the wrong ears for my bucks. )
We still have wethers that need butchering and yes there are a few doelings that i could butcher if we actually needed the meat. however, we also have 3 hogs that also need butchering so no freezer space.
Actually, I wanted to butcher some and feed the scraps to the hogs but DH is afraid that it would turn hogs in human killers....it's his first hogs.
You could always breed them now and then sell them while they are bred. You might be able to sell a few and that would cut your herd size and help with the feed bill. Although I know it is a little hard to sell right now but might be worth a try. Theresa
I know if that was me I would sell everything except about 5 does and a buck and get the herd to where it was a little more manageable and easier on the pocket book. I would breed those five and have enough milk for family and soap, etc. It is so easy to get attached to these goats and get yourself overwhelmed with too many.
Christine, you are right about that! But I almost downsized myself completely out of goats this year and now I don't think I'll have enough milk for all my grandkids!
Diane, maybe check to see if your could sell the hogs easier than the goats and then butcher out some goats. Trisha
Well, I think I sold a good doe today (pending) and have some bites also. Can't sell the hogs, we have been drooling for pork for too long :biggrin And yep, i get WAY too attached.
We actually took some weathers to the sale barn and actually got a fair price for them as we have enough meat, sure helps with management and feed bill cost also.