Goat Sellin' is hard!

We put ads in a few publications each year. You have to be a bit picky in placing ads because you could spend all the money you'd make on a sale simply in ads alone. We had the most calls we've ever had this year. Many of them never call back and some say they want one of your kids and then disappear before the deal is sealed. Some of our sales occur due to word of mouth and we in turn do the same for the other dairy goat farms we know.

This year two of our wethers went to a pet home together. One doeling was bought and I'm keeping her until she's weaned at 12 weeks because it's easier for that person's particular set up. That person is sending me a deposit so I know she really is interested and will not disappear into the sunset. One of our milkers and a doeling went to a really awesome young family with three children.

I have one milker and one doe kid left to sell and the calls have dropped off. I'm not so worried about the milker - sometimes through the summer/fall someone is looking for a milker and it's not usually the time people have them available but I'LL have one available for that special someone! And she is a nice doe so she isn't so much trouble to keep around. The doe kid really needs to go... I have someone interested but not sure if that will come together or not. If it does come together, she will be going to an EXCELLENT farm.

There is a Fuzzy Goat Show this weekend in Cheyenne, WY. Fuzzy because the weather could still turn cold and it's too soon to shave the goats for showing as is customary. I shaved a doe too early once ... you shave their entire body... everything.... and then the weather turned cool and rainy. That poor doe stood there bawling and shivering... I put an old sweatshirt on her and went to the thrift store to find a childs jacket to put her in and keep her warm. It worked, she looked awful cute dressed in human clothes and I certainly learned THAT lesson well!

Furry (not Fuzzy) Husband and I usually go to watch the Cheyenne Fuzzy show and say hello to the other goat crazed people we know. We might bring that last doe kid to the show, show her off a little and see if anyone is interested in buying her. It will also let the interested party take another look at her.

If I could have some way of having milk without having the kids... sigh. The kids are cute and fun and all that but they are also a lot of work. They really are the "by-product" of having dairy animals. We are getting better about selling the kids... we still worry about where they go and if they will be well cared for but we are learning to "let go".

Also, no one wants the boys. We had A LOT of anxiety over this the first three years. We knew ahead of time that many of them are sold for meat because we did the research before we got into dairy goats. It doesn't make it any easier. Sometimes we find pet homes for them but this year four of our boys will go to a woman to finish for meat.

Being raised in the city, you have pets. Dogs, cats and you treat them as pets - they are your "friends" and they are in your house, they sleep with you and you would never eat your cat or your dog (in this country). Dairy goats are livestock. There is a world of difference. Yes, I love my does. Yes, they are very similar to pets to me. Yes, they have personality plus and I take good care of them. Furry Husband does most of the bottle feeding for the babies to help me keep that detachment so it's easier for me to sell them.

However, dairy goats are also livestock. We can not keep all the babies, we HAVE to sell the babies. There simply isn't room enough to keep them all or money enough to feed them all. We have to have babies each year in order to have milk.

We keep our herd small and in order to keep animals in the herd that are in line with our herd goals and producing the milk we love, we will sell milkers from time to time. To me, it is harder to sell the milking does because you form a relationship with them - you are there for their kidding, you help them with birthing if they need it, you milk them twice a day, you know their personalities and individual quirks and they look to you for comfort/food/care.

It is a fact that many of the males will be sold for "cabrito" (meat). It isn't easy at all. I am sad on those days, however, they do serve a purpose and function and we give them a good, happy start to life. They have known kindless, good health and love in their little goat lives.

And that is all I gots to say 'bout sellin' goats. Have an excellent day!