Re: What do you do with the bucklings???????

December 14, 2006

In all honesty, if you are going to bring them into the world, be

prepared to take them out of the world.

Not 'wanting to sell them for meat' and the hard reality of a huge

feed bill and lots of extra unwanted males pales in comparison to the

hard cold fact that these guys can feed the rest of your herd by

bringing in money fronm the sale of them at the sale barn or the like,

in one fell swoop, and can mean a nice big load of hay in a time when

hay is going to be really short.

Do not name them, leave them on their mothers and let them grow to 40+

lbs., then take them to the sale barn, or put them in your own

freezer. Or wether them at 3 days of age, then sell them by the lb. to

folks who do raise for meat.

Being brutally realistic in farming is part of the business- keep your

heart out of the picture.

Betsy

Cosby, TN

December 14, 2006

We eat them or sell them for meat. The reality of farming is that you

don't need as many boys as you do girls. It might not be easy but

you'll need to get used to the idea that some of your animals will end

up on the dinner plate.

Belinda in TN

>

> What does everyone do with their bucklings? I am hoping for mostly

Does, of course, but I wonder what I will do if I have more bucks. I

am not opposed to keeping one as a wether, I've heard they are so

incredibly sweet. I just had not planned on really keeping bucks at

all. I don't want to sell them for meat, although I realize that I

have no control over what someone may do with them once they buy them.

>

> Someone told me to cut them all and people will buy them for the 4H

Fairs????????

>

> Just wondering what others do with their little bucklings.

>

> ~ a ~

> www.farmgirlhaven.com

> www.homesteadblogger.com/MyFarmgirlHaven/

> http://my.tupperware.com/ROBERTA67

>

December 14, 2006

Oh I see. Yes, I am a new "farmgirl" and this is something that I have always wanted to do because I just love animals. I have raised chickens for the past almost 4 years and I have realized that in the beginning each death was a sad time but now I just pick up the dead chicken and toss it in the burn pile without a second thought *sigh*

I do have to realize that selling for "whatever" IS how a farmer makes their money and my husband is not one to keep an animal that can not at least provide SOMETHING back. The chickens provide the eggs and we sell the extras. The Does will have babies to sell and also the benefit of milk.

I appreciate your honesty, I realize that it's just the way it is and something I will have to get used to.

a

Re: What do you do with the bucklings???????

In all honesty, if you are going to bring them into the world, be prepared to take them out of the world. Not 'wanting to sell them for meat' and the hard reality of a huge feed bill and lots of extra unwanted males pales in comparison to the hard cold fact that these guys can feed the rest of your herd by bringing in money fronm the sale of them at the sale barn or the like, in one fell swoop, and can mean a nice big load of hay in a time when hay is going to be really short.Do not name them, leave them on their mothers and let them grow to 40+ lbs., then take them to the sale barn, or put them in your own freezer. Or wether them at 3 days of age, then sell them by the lb. to folks who do raise for meat.Being brutally realistic in farming is part of the business- keep your heart out of the picture.BetsyCosby, TN

December 14, 2006

In case you didn't know, most 4-H and FFA project animals wind up as

meat after the fair. If it really bothers you, make sure its for a

breeding class (uncut only) show and not a market show. Other than

that, unless its good breeding potential or should have a good amount

of winter cashmere, you don't realy have a lot of options (that I

know of). I actually know of goat dairies that immediately cull their

bucklings upon birth.

" R. Underhill " wrote:

>

> What does everyone do with their bucklings? I am hoping for mostly

Does, of course, but I wonder what I will do if I have more bucks. I

am not opposed to keeping one as a wether, I've heard they are so

incredibly sweet. I just had not planned on really keeping bucks at

all. I don't want to sell them for meat, although I realize that I

have no control over what someone may do with them once they buy

them.

>

> Someone told me to cut them all and people will buy them for the 4H

Fairs????????

>

> Just wondering what others do with their little bucklings.

>

> ~ a ~

> www.farmgirlhaven.com

> www.homesteadblogger.com/MyFarmgirlHaven/

> http://my.tupperware.com/ROBERTA67

>

December 14, 2006

Not our 4H fair. The only animals that are auctioned are cows and lambs. The goats are not. We live in a very agricultural community. Lots of farms and ranches around here. It's a big cattle area. I live 10 miles down the road from the larges working cattle ranch in the USA. I have never even heard of people eating goat until recently.

a

Re: What do you do with the bucklings???????

In case you didn't know, most 4-H and FFA project animals wind up as meat after the fair. If it really bothers you, make sure its for a breeding class (uncut only) show and not a market show. Other than that, unless its good breeding potential or should have a good amount of winter cashmere, you don't realy have a lot of options (that I know of). I actually know of goat dairies that immediately cull their bucklings upon birth. "R. Underhill" wrote:>> What does everyone do with their bucklings? I am hoping for mostly Does, of course, but I wonder what I will do if I have more bucks. I am not opposed to keeping one as a wether, I've heard they are so incredibly sweet. I just had not planned on really keeping bucks at all. I don't want to sell them for meat, although I realize that I have no control over what someone may do with them once they buy them. > > Someone told me to cut them all and people will buy them for the 4H Fairs????????> > Just wondering what others do with their little bucklings.> > ~ a ~> www.farmgirlhaven.com> www.homesteadblogger.com/MyFarmgirlHaven/> http://my.tupperware.com/ROBERTA67>

December 14, 2006

Wow, a. Where do you live? I started with goats in 1980 and that was the first order of business, where to sell off the meat goats. I've been butchering our own goats here since 1990. This last one was the best one ever. He was 100% boer goat. I've heard that in Texas meat goats are a really big deal.

Back in 1994 or so I got the Colville fair in NE WA state to accept the meat goats into the 4-H sale. Looking at it from both sides at the time it seemed like a great idea. But and there always is a but somewhere, my daughter ended up selling off her prize goat in that sale. She cried so hard. I felt just awful. It effected her so that she never had another thing to do with the goats as a project, meat or dairy. I tried to buy the goat back for her but the people wouldn't sell it. Not until later and then it went through several homes before ending up back at our place and with such a bad attitude that we ended up butchering it anyway.

I was sent this link last night from a friend on different meat animal videos. Check it out for more info.

http://www.ssawg.org/virtualfarm.html#goats

LHR Manufacturing Setting The Standard for Portable Milking Machines http://www.milking-machines.com

December 14, 2006

Well *blush* I grew up in the city. The only meat we ate was chicken, fish, beef or pork. Goats were pets and farm animals. NEVER heard of people eating them. Then about 4 years ago we moved to the country. It's always been my dream to raise animals and such. I've been a farmer girl at heart all my life. Because I love the animals so much. Well my next door neighbor, who grew up in the country, was telling me that the Mexicans (no offense, i'm just saying what she told me) ate goat. We live in a large Ranch/Farming area and we have A LOT of Mexican farm hand workers around here. I was appauled. The thought of it *gasp* I was wanting dairy goats for my own personal use and have been researching and reading about them for the past 3 years. I finally just got 2 Dairy girls that are breed and due any day now and the reality of having a buck all of a sudden hit me in the face. What on earth will I do with a boy? I happen to have 2 fine young little boys that I personally birthed myself and am very happy with them *grin* but I realized that my husband is not one to let me keep animals that do not "give back" in some way. I've always wanted the animals because I just love the animals but he is the realistic one that told me there is no way on earth we can support all the animals I'd like to have just because they are cute and I like them. He said if they don't give us SOMETHING, we can't have them. Since a buck is not going to give us anything back (except some love when I have him cut) I can't really keep them and I kind of wondered what I'd do with them. I am planning on keeping on wether because everyone is saying how sweet they are, but I will have to get rid of the rest.

a

RE: Re: What do you do with the bucklings???????

Wow, a. Where do you live? I started with goats in 1980 and that was the first order of business, where to sell off the meat goats. I've been butchering our own goats here since 1990. This last one was the best one ever. He was 100% boer goat. I've heard that in Texas meat goats are a really big deal.

Back in 1994 or so I got the Colville fair in NE WA state to accept the meat goats into the 4-H sale. Looking at it from both sides at the time it seemed like a great idea. But and there always is a but somewhere, my daughter ended up selling off her prize goat in that sale. She cried so hard. I felt just awful. It effected her so that she never had another thing to do with the goats as a project, meat or dairy. I tried to buy the goat back for her but the people wouldn't sell it. Not until later and then it went through several homes before ending up back at our place and with such a bad attitude that we ended up butchering it anyway.

I was sent this link last night from a friend on different meat animal videos. Check it out for more info.

http://www.ssawg.org/virtualfarm.html#goats

LHR Manufacturing Setting The Standard for Portable Milking Machines http://www.milking-machines.com

December 14, 2006

a, no matter how much the thought bothers you right now, if you can find local people who will kill humanely and butcher for personal use, that is the kindest thing you can do for most of the little boys. Wish I had that available here.

Most of the world eats goat 'cept us white Americans. I love goat meat and I can eat anybody's goats except mine. Just can't do it.

in TN

Re: Re: What do you do with the bucklings???????

Well *blush* I grew up in the city. The only meat we ate was chicken, fish, beef or pork. Goats were pets and farm animals. NEVER heard of people eating them. Then about 4 years ago we moved to the country. It's always been my dream to raise animals and such. I've been a farmer girl at heart all my life. Because I love the animals so much. Well my next door neighbor, who grew up in the country, was telling me that the Mexicans (no offense, i'm just saying what she told me) ate goat. We live in a large Ranch/Farming area and we have A LOT of Mexican farm hand workers around here. I was appauled. The thought of it *gasp* I was wanting dairy goats for my own personal use and have been researching and reading about them for the past 3 years. I finally just got 2 Dairy girls that are breed and due any day now and the reality of having a buck all of a sudden hit me in the face. What on earth will I do with a boy? I happen to have 2 fine young little boys that I personally birthed myself and am very happy with them *grin* but I realized that my husband is not one to let me keep animals that do not "give back" in some way. I've always wanted the animals because I just love the animals but he is the realistic one that told me there is no way on earth we can support all the animals I'd like to have just because they are cute and I like them. He said if they don't give us SOMETHING, we can't have them. Since a buck is not going to give us anything back (except some love when I have him cut) I can't really keep them and I kind of wondered what I'd do with them. I am planning on keeping on wether because everyone is saying how sweet they are, but I will have to get rid of the rest.

a

December 14, 2006

Listen to what Betsy is saying. We have butchered goats together

and she knows her stuff. We have both eaten a lot of goat. Which by

the way is quite good. You would not know it from the best of beef

until you studied upon the bones and wondered at the small size.

I think of it as 'some must die so that the rest can live.' By

far, there are many worse things that can happen to a goat besides

living a short, happy life and going to slaughter. Both Betsy and I

can relate many stories of the 'pet' trade and what can happen to

a 'pet' goat. I don't know about Betsy, because I have not heard her

say lately, but I don't sell for 'pet' any more, ever. If you think

you are going to find good long term (a wether can live 12 years or

more and I have known some that were into their twenties!) home for

all your kids? You are really not well connected with livestock

reality. Before I stopped selling 'pet' I probably placed 40 or so?

over ten years. I bet there wasn't two or three that lasted more

than a couple of years. After many stories about what happened to

their pet goat when they came back and WANTED ANOTHER??? I said, NO!

and quit selling pets.

With newbies, I strongly suggest you wether on the third day of

life every single one of your buck kids. Just like what Betsy said,

it makes them a marketable commodity. Then, when they are in the 40

to 60 pound range, market them as meat. Like Betsy points out, they

are a real source of income to feed the rest of the herd.

I have known Betsy for many years and I know we both are of the

hard old school- don't bring them into the world if you can't put

them back out. And, that means from your own hands..... these

animals do make the ultimate sacrifices for the greater good of their

herdmates and for us, too. Death and life are part of the same dance

and we are all going to dance both halves, sooner or later.

Donna

Safehaven Nubians

Dandridge, TN

>

> In all honesty, if you are going to bring them into the world, be

> prepared to take them out of the world.

>

> Not 'wanting to sell them for meat' and the hard reality of a huge

> feed bill and lots of extra unwanted males pales in comparison to

the

> hard cold fact that these guys can feed the rest of your herd by

> bringing in money fronm the sale of them at the sale barn or the

like,

> in one fell swoop, and can mean a nice big load of hay in a time

when

> hay is going to be really short.

>

> Do not name them, leave them on their mothers and let them grow to

40+

> lbs., then take them to the sale barn, or put them in your own

> freezer. Or wether them at 3 days of age, then sell them by the lb.

to

> folks who do raise for meat.

>

> Being brutally realistic in farming is part of the business- keep

your

> heart out of the picture.

>

> Betsy

> Cosby, TN

>

December 14, 2006

I have to agree here, even though I Hate this part of the farm life.

No pets sold ever.

Jessi

LHR Manufacturing

Setting The Standard for Portable Milking Machines

http://www.milking-machines.com