how much meat does a goat yield

The meat is of excellent quality because the goats are aggressive foragers, but because of their smaller size, Spanish goats tend to have a lower meat yield. Seasoning can be added to ground pork to make sausage. Boers usually give out the most meat. You can also check the breeders listings on the national website for your breed. The lactation period for dairy goats averages 284 days, with peak production usually occurring four to six weeks after kidding. ), so it depends on your wether's weight and condition. The DNA from Spanish goats being raised in the United States indicate they were of Iberian origin. For this reason alone, if I were raising a few goats for meat I would be keeping them until they are closer to 100 pounds, simply because per goat youll get so much more meat. As mentioned above, any figures you are likely to see regarding growth of meat goats is based on these goats being on a full feed ration. There are some other options for easy to raise meat goats as well: Youll know if youve been to India or are a native. Generally, milk goats will produce until they are 8 years old, but exceptions can keep producing up to 11 or 12. Connecting people with the University of Wisconsin. Dressing percentage for goats is 40% to 60% (don't quote me on that. Also, check for state goat associations. What You Need To Know, Baby Goats Dying: Whats Happening and How To Stop It. A carefully planned rotational grazing program can enhance pasture production and help prevent internal parasites. Dairy breeds yield closer to 25 percent of live weight. Carcass cutting yield is variable and depends on the carcasss fat thickness (leaner carcasses increase yield), muscling (increases yield), and the amount of bone-in versus boneless retail cuts (boneless decreases yield). So, for easy math, a 100 pound live weight goat with good muscling will yield 25-30 pounds of meat, packaged for your freezer. Heres the thing about raising goats for meat, you cant really do just one. Dunn, P. The Goatkeeper's Veterinary Book. Boer goats can feature solid coats of white or red but most often feature a paint or spotted coat. Beware of the inexpensive animal that sounds too good to be true it usually is. A Closer Look At Their Feet, Baking Soda for Goats: Benefits + How To Feed To Your Goats, Can Chickens Eat Clover? Female goats are called does or sometimes doelings if they are less than a year old. If you are not providing a full feed ration for your goats, you will not get these weights and growth rates. These were typically Spanish or Spanish crossbred boar breeds harvested for meat. Goats are ruminants that prefer to browse, rather than graze. Their animals will be more apt to be successful at that type of operation and getting breeding stock from someone that closely resembles what you want to do will help you have success early on. An average small square bale of hay has 10 to 12 flakes in it. Rentfrow, Gregg. Bucks should only have access to does during a planned breeding season. Given proper care, a herd should be capable of maintaining an average birth rate of 1.9 to 2.3 kids per doe. The next thing to consider is feed. Does do not secrete strong odors from their scent glands. Dressing percentage is the percentage of meat and bone on the animal compared to its live weight and is influenced by many factors such as muscle score and fat cover to name a few (Table 1). Myotonic goats are a bit unusual in the goat world because they are not prone to trying to either climb or jump their pen fencing. The meat is quite similar, dark, lean, and a little gamey. During this same decade, the South African Boer goats arrived in the United States. : $7,500$8,500, Chutes, gates, feeders, waterers, etc. Therefore, think of the data in these budgets as approximations and make appropriate adjustments using the "Your Estimate" column to reflect specific situations. Although meat goats are polyestrous, peak sexual activity occurs during the autumn months. Most Pennsylvania pastures can support one animal unit, or 1,000 pounds of animals per acre. FREE EMAIL BONUSTips & smart strategies to save time and money! Total goats imported were estimated based on total goat meat imported and an average carcass weight of 32.5 pounds. Your email address will not be published. Such an operation can be completed on far less land. It offers possible causes and solutions. These multipurpose breeds produce milk, meat, fiber, and skins. Around here, the local auctions cant seem to get enough of goats! Its a tradeoff, so before you choose a breed, think carefully about how much milk and meat you want, and select your animals accordingly. In our area, there are still quite a few dairy goats around. Advantages of this coverage include flexibility of when to insure during the year and how much to insure (you are not required to insure all your acreage). Find out what breeds are available and at what cost. He is believed to have hailed from Nova Scotia, bringing along one Myotonic Billy goat and a handful of mature female goats of the same breed with him. They are known to not only have a rapid maturity and high fertility rate but also to be an incredibly docile goat breed to raise. You are tired of paying $4 per gallon of milk and close to $3.50 per pound for ground beef at the grocery store. They are of African origin and are serious meat production animals with does weighing 150 to 225 pounds and bucks weighing up to 350 pounds. It is common practice to cure/smoke the hams and belly (bacon).The loin and shoulder can also be smoked to fit the consumers preferences. They produce high-butterfat milk and cross well with dairy breeds. Boer goats are the most popular meat goat breed in America. (Cute, and can also be used for wool in milk, but they have "extremely dul personalities," the site notes.) This was done to demonstrate measurements of meat quality impacting palatability, as well as factors influencing yield, or the pounds of meat one can expect from a butcher hog. This goat is quite interested in the camera. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. There are several risk-management strategies you may want to employ for your farm. To be fair, the meat was very high-quality, low-fat, 100% organic and totally delicious. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. We're here to help. Its even got you thinking about taking another step toward food independence by purchasing a few goats. Traditionally, dairy breeds were more commonly sold for meat because of the fact that breeding is required to keep a doe in milk, and that young males are not useful. Milo, oats, corn and wheat are all fine. Let's start by defining some terms: Live Weight. Balancing feed quality to maximize weight gain is vital to amplify your nutrition investment and bring home more profit. 250 lb x 70% = 175 lb. The sample budgets include cost estimates for a meat goat herd of 100 does and three bucks or 25 does and one buck. The Kiko meat goat breed was developed during the 1980s by New Zealand ranches Anne and Garrick Batten. This allows for year-round kidding and yearling meat production. Supply your property with a consistent off-grid water source, and save a bundle of cash, by drilling your own well. Raise Sheep, Sheep and Goat Marketing, How to Plan Your Breedings to Target Specific Holidays, Sheep and Goat Marketing, How to Plan Your Breedings To Target Specific Holidays, Why Do You Cull Sheep? The higher fat content of this milk makes it ideal for making cheese and other dairy products. Generally, prevention methods for sheep within a certain region of the country will also be effective for goats. Example Meat Yield Calculations. Great! The remaining bone, adipose (fat), and lean (meat) makes up the post-harvest hanging weight (hot carcass weight). One good way to counter this is to feed them a little grass hay before turning them loose on lush green pastures, so that they dont overeat. In the United States, goat inventories have held steady at around 2.6 to 2.7 million animals in the past decade demonstrating their economic value as efficient converters of low-quality forages into quality meat, milk, and hides for specialty markets. Under favorable nutritional conditions, meat goats gain at a rate of around 200 grams (0.45 pounds) per day from birth to 100 days of age. If you are thinking more in the 100 pound range, youll have some work to do, since goats in this weight range take longer. (Will your flock make money?). If I had to guess, I would say close 8 or 9 months and that the weights are, of course, going to be lower than those of fed goats. 2. Along with direct marketing to ethnic groups, there are two other potential niche markets for goat meat: 1) targeted markets serving health-conscious consumers wanting low-fat diets and 2) the restaurant trade serving ethnic or gourmet foods featuring goat meat. Insuring your farm may be accomplished by consulting your insurance agent or broker. Many will milk through, milking for 18 to 20 months without rebreeding. An open shed arrangement with ten to twelve square feet per doe can provide shelter during extremely hot or cold weather. Sales of feral goats imported to America from Australia brings in roughly 30 million on an annual basis. On average, a goat will produce around 3 quarts of a gallon per day. If you are choosing to milk goats, you must accept that you will be required to milk them at least once per day and probably twice per day, every day for up to 10 months a year. Hot carcass weight x (100 - shrink) = chilled carcass weight 744 x (100% - 3.5%) = 718 lb. document.write(CurrentYear) This breed remains at least one of the most popular meat goats in the United States today. In 2018, production was around 340 million tonnes. These brush goats are prone to keeping or even putting on weight when living without the aid of human keepers in even the harshest of the environment. By this I mean that if you want your meat kids to forage their way to butchering size, plan on them taking way longer, Id guess double the time and be sure you are using adapted genetics to start with. Pygmy goats, the only actual small stature meat goat breed, generally weigh between 85 to 130 pounds. A nice young buck or doe kid can cost anywhere from $100 to $250 for purebred stock. Required fields are marked *. This sample budget should help ensure that all costs and receipts are included in your calculations. The following yields assume you are buying individual, pre-cut and trimmed steaks. Reasons for Missing Feathers on Backyard Chickens. Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: 2023 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Non-Discrimination Policy & How to File a Complaint, Possible Retail Cuts from each Primal Cut, A carcass is comprised of lean (meat), fat (adipose), and bone, Feet, blood, and viscera are not parts of a carcass, Carcass cutting yield is just one factor that influences the amount of take-home product, Pork purchased from locker plants is typically sold as whole or halves, Live weight x typical dressing percent = hot carcass weight, Hot carcass weight x (100 shrink) = chilled carcass weight, Chilled carcass weight x carcass cutting yield percent = pounds of take home product. If you know your way around the kitchen however you can find a way to mask the gaminess of the meat. How Much Do Meat Goats Sell For? These are all integral parts of managing a successful goat enterprise. Its a Toggenburg, however, that holds the Guinness World record for dairy goat milk production with 1,140 gallons produced in one year. Current Selling Price Of Goats is written to help you figure out the current market prices for goats in your area. They thrive in almost any climate, hot or cold. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2010. Another alternative is the milk/meat cross. If you are wanting to get your goat kids to market weights sooner, you can buy feeder goats. Raise Sheep. At first glance, it looks like they have no ears. If you are wanting to roast a whole goat, then smaller is probably more what you are looking for, but if you want larger retail type cuts in your freezer, plan on raising your goats to a larger size. The foraging preferences of goats encompass a wider spectrum of plants than those of other small ruminants. let CurrentYear = new Date().getFullYear() Now, that will depend on your animal's genetics, activity level, and the quality of feed they get. The amount of meat you get from each goat depends partly upon how you structure your custom cutting orders with the butcher and on the meat to bone ratio of the market goats you raised. When crossing with another famous miniature goat, the Nigerian Dwarf, homesteaders can develop a quality dual-purpose meat and dairy goat. But now what? They are often docile in disposition. If stocked according to recommendations for your locale, meat goats can be grazed with other livestock. Boers yield a higher percentage of meat than other breeds. Cattle pens can be easily adapted by making the lower section goat tight. Preference should be given to kids born early in the kidding season when selecting replacements. Meat goat production, like any other animal-production enterprise, requires that good husbandry practices be followed in the areas of sanitation, health, feed, water, and shelter. Access Date: July 16, 2020. During carcass chilling and fabrication, some carcass weight will be lost from the hanging, boning, and trimming process. The cells outlined in red automatically calculate your revised totals based on the changes you made to the cells outlined in green. Because the market for fiber goats took a downturn, animals once bred for their mohair were often crossbred with Boer goats. - The Happy Chicken Coop - All Rights Reserved. However, it is not usually sold in traditional marketplaces in the United States. How do you decide what kind of goat to buy? Meat goat breeds can produce kids(s) twice each year and take substantially less time to mature than cattle. Important considerations in a selective breeding program are multiple births, rapid growth, good conformation (sound feet, legs, and mouth), and attention to color standards for certain breeds. Dairy goats are very boney looking compared to meat breeds. They are very hardy and require a minimum of management and labor. If hay gets moldy, make sure you dont feed it to your goats. More information on the use of crop budgets can be found in Agricultural Alternatives: Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making. Production The eight major dairy goat breeds in the United States are the Saanen, Sable, Nubian, Toggenburg, LaMancha, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, and Alpine. More than sixty recognized or "official" breeds of goats exist in the world. link to Is Raising Sheep Worth It? A really good milk goat can produce a gallon or more of milk per day for about 10 months. I know this is not the case everywhere, but heres the numbers if you are one of the lucky areas that has access to high quality dairy goat kids. (Table 2). Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Pygmy Goat: What You Need to Know About this Miniature Breed, How Many Toes Do Chickens Have? There are three origins of milk goats: Swiss, African and American. are evaluated from live and through carcass fabrication. In my area, this is not a very economical option, usually the weaned kids sell very well. The Beginners Guide to Raising Goats: How to Keep a Happy Herd. They are hardier and more cold-tolerant than Boers and grow very quickly with a size similar to Boers. You can use the red Clear Form button to clear all the information from your budget when you are finished. Thats why goats are expensive. Some processing plants will remove the skin and leave the head for the chilling process and others may remove the head and leave the skin. Also, since you raised and fed your goats, youll know exactly whats in the meat. The average person in the world consumed around 43 kilograms of meat in 2014. (But try to fit all them on one acre! If the goats have to do more for themselves, youll need to substantially increase the time you have planned until the selling or butchering date. Partly because its the latest option and had had quite the fad sort of celebrity status as a breed. Problem diseases associated with reproduction or kidding can be managed and treated, in most instances, the same as for sheep. Thats a lot of feed overall, but they eat mostly weeds and grass so if you have space, it can be done very cheaply. There isnt really one best breed for meat. Owning milking animals is a decision that will significantly impact your lifestyle. Average Field-Dressed Weight (lbs) Average Meat Yield (lbs) Average Meat Yield (%) Antlered 129.69 62.51 48.20 Antlerless 92.27 45.05 48.83 Combined 107.56 52.19 48.52 Several factors . Animal Husbandry 101. Will your flock make money? A mature female Pygmy goat weighs around 60 to 86 pounds. Spanish goats are small to medium size, and are descended from stock that Spanish explorers brought to the Americas in the 1600s. They may be on a pasture to graze or forage, as well, for exercise or added snacks to their main diet but the main source of calories for the growing kids is the feed provided by the farmer. Milking goats are bred for maximum production of high-quality milk. LaManchas are an American breed from stock of Spanish origin. Wed love to hear from you if you have any questions! The only way to raise them for meat and not break the bank is to maintain a herd and keep them in a well-managed pasture. When buying a half a hog that is exactly what you will get. Pygmy goats are famous meat goats on small farms, ranches, and homesteads for residential consumption because they are incredibly friendly and easy to handle. You do need to have enough hay to last the winter and spring. Goats need their own defined space with a great fence. Feeding Does at kidding time. A mature Billy goat typically weighs between 50 to 75 pounds. If you can sell them, thats great because they can demand a high price. Well, not so surprisingly, it depends upon what you start with (genetics) and what you feed. Kime, L.F., J.A. This publication was developed by the Small-scale and Part-time Farming Project at Penn State with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Extension Service. Feeder goats would be around two months old and completely weaned. Let's use 70% as an average yield and 12 ounces per portion. 5 Smartest Pet Birds Meet the Most Clever Birds in the World! If the goats you have are more of a diary goat or dairy goat cross, count on your goats taking much longer to gain per day. Dairy breed goats tend to yield between 10 and 30 pounds of meat. The USDA Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry was developed with the focus on meats and poultry since most of these products are cooked during the preparation process, resulting in changes in yields. We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities. If you choose to buy feeders, you will get a few ready to grow, weaned kids that will do the majority of their growing with you. High-tensile electric fence wire. Some examples: Ground goat may sell for $11 per pound Most market hogs are raised for optimal meat quality and yield between 5-7 months of age, or between 250 -325 . A planned breeding season allows a producer to better manage does during pregnancy. Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com 457082825. A whole pork carcass is first divided into 6 distinct primal cuts (Figure 1). Kiko goats originated in New Zealand. Comercial-breed goats usually weigh around 35 pounds when butchered young and 90 to 100 pounds when butchered older. How Much Meat to Expect from a Carcass a Consumers Guide to Purchasing Freezer Meats. Kidding and milk production seems to come both naturally and easy to Myotonic goats, as well. Amundson, C. How to Raise Goats: Third Edition, Everything You Need to know: Breeds, Housing, Health and Diet, Dairy and Meat, Kid Care (FFA). This top meat goat breed generally matures far more quickly than its peers. Prices for goat meat range from $13.63-18.24 per pound if you are getting a half or whole goat. As long as you start with goats that have the genetics to allow them to perform under a no grain system and plan on them taking longer to finish. The goat's horns may become entangled in the fencing and severely harm the goat. Be sure to think carefully about your requirements, do your research, and youll be providing your family with excellent food and companionship in no time. Under good management, many does are known to rebreed while still nursing. In some regions of the world, goat meat is also referred to as capretto or cabrito meaning kid or young milk-fed goat. Jan 8, 2009 On average, what kind of meat yield in pounds can be expected from a boer-what is optimal butcher age? Meat from an average half of beef (800 lb whole carcass) consists of approximately: Because of this possibility, you should contact your local County Conservation District to determine what regulations may pertain to your operation. A nubian goat produces 1 to 6 quarts of milk per day, which is not as much as is produced by a cow or a sheep. Goats that are fed browse alone, or mostly browse, will take much longer to grow than goats that are being fed concentrates (grain or pellets). Marketing options include direct marketing off the farm, supplying goat meat for specialty markets (particularly holiday sales to various ethnic groups), and producing kid goats for commercial marketing firms. Goat meat is prevalent around the globe, more so than any other meat-producing animal in many regions. Choosing to bring home organ meats such as liver, heart, and tongue will also influence the pounds of meat product you take-home, increasing your cutting yield. They arrived in the United States during the 1950s aboard a ship from South Africa along with the big cats they were supposed to feed on the way to American zoos. Pigmeat is the most popular meat globally, but the production of poultry is increasing most rapidly. But for us non-natives, meat from an adult goat is called chevon. Goats are intensely curious and will investigate anything that sparks their interest. Boer goats seem to be the breed of choice for meat production. Tennessee goats are not only incredibly self-sufficient and able to traverse the most rugged of terrain quite easily, but they also boast a very friendly, docile, and curious nature. Turning that carcass into individual cuts of meat; the average yield for bone-in cuts is 75-80 percent of carcass weight for pork, 65-70 percent for beef, and 70-75 percent for lamb. While these goats can be used for meat, their primary purpose is to produce mohair. Goat meat is leaner and offers more protein than poultry. Example Meat Yield Calculations. This means they are domesticated on a local level. They also will kid year-round. These replacement doe kids can return to the breeding herd when they reach desirable size (65 to 70 percent of their mature weight) or are one year old. after she has the babies and they are weaned, she can go back to milking. Mowlem, A. And most importantly, how do I keep my goat from jumping on my car?! They discovered when John Tinsley, a migrating farm hand appeared on the Marshall County farm of Dr. H.H. For example, the loin may be broken down into rib, loin, butterfly, and sirloin chops/roasts. Maintain forage quantity and quality Goats need plenty of high-quality forage for efficient growth - between 1.5% and 2% of a goat's body weight. They take up substantially less space to house and range than standard-size goats. For others, it is a way to ditch some of their culls. While the Boer is more production-based and slightly less hardy based on breeding in the US, they do tend to gain better on most forages, as long as parasites are managed. Along with meat, the sale of breeding stock from small herds of dairy goats may be an important income source. Best Breed of Meat Goats for Beginners is an article I wrote that will help you figure out which breed of goats will suit you and your situation the best. Goat meat is called chevon, or sometimes even mutton, derived from mature animals. Also, consider the condition and quality of the animals in a herd. I Want My Free Ebook On Egg Laying Chickens. Goats are called "nonselective browsers" because of their desire to choose from a large variety of vegetative types. Dressing Percentage = (Carcass weight/Live weight)*100. WFRP uses information from the past five consecutive years of your Schedule F tax records to calculate the policy's approved revenue guarantee. Most either sell them or butcher them. A simple beginner's guide to preparing for goat kidding season. "Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making." This equates to approximately six to seven does per acre, depending on their sizes. We leave the kids with their mom during the day and shut the kids in the barn at night. You will lose milk production, but you will gain meat. My wife and I have experience dealing with goats, although I tend to handle the butchering department. However, all operations may be a source of surface or groundwater pollution. This site is a resource for people seeking to learn sustainable, practical, and productive family-oriented homesteading skills. However, its leanness has a place in todays market for meats with less fat. They are among the lowest breeds in terms of butterfat content with 3 to 3 1/2 percent on average (according to the American Dairy Goat Association) with high production. Beef and Pork Whole Animal Buying Guide. The first full-blooded Boer goats did not arrive in America until 1993. Also, their ability to conserve body water, their limited subcutaneous fat cover, and their hairy coats are good survival traits under a wide variety of climatic conditions. The quantity and quality of milk a goat gives will vary by breed, forage and individual genetics. Each primal cut is then further fabricated into different retail cuts. Its a fair trade-off. Be ready for anything so you are not caught off guard. As a result, they are the most heat-tolerant of all the breeds. They are heavily muscled and produce a lean carcass. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), meat goats account for 78 percent of the total of goats produced in the United States.
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