What kind of warranty goes with this product?

What kind of guarantee is there?

This fine day found me answering texts and phone calls regarding warranties & guarantees on goats.   Excellent topic as most warranties & guarantees in the goat business are implied.  Most livestock people follow a time-honored warranty regarding their critters.  BUT, as non-livestock people enter the business, they might think differently.

Communication between buyer and seller will almost always help fix most problems.  Don’t wait a year and then gripe about the problem.  Let the breeder know as soon as possible.

To start with, a guarantee should be in writing and both parties should agree.  If I guarantee live births on a bred doe, then I will make it right.  If I guarantee a buck to be fertile, then it will be or I will give money back.  A warranty is different.

1–Death.   Once you buy it.  It is yours.  An online sale closes, you own it.  It doesn’t matter if you are planning on picking it up in two weeks and it dies a week after the sale.  It is yours.  HOWEVER, most breeders are going to work with a seller.  I sold a buck a couple of years ago to a big name Texan.  I agreed to deliver it on my next trip south.  The buck was sick the morning that I went to load him.  I doctored him, texted the buyer and told him that I would deliver on the next trip.  Well, the buck didn’t make it.  I swallowed the loss.  I didn’t have to, but I did.  It is worth more to me to do right, possibly have a repeat customer and just feel good about it.

Now, let’s be realistic.  If you buy a $500 wether and he dies 2 weeks later.  It is what it is.  Don’t make the call.  It isn’t the breeders fault (unless he had a pre-existing condition).  Now, if you buy a $10,000 wether–make the call.  You probably aren’t going to get a $10K wether or all of your money back but most breeders will make an effort.   Buying credit, replacement goat, something.

2–Doe kids & buck kids–NO guarantees.  If you buy a doe kid and she doesn’t breed, that’s it.  Not the sellers fault.  Same with a buck kid (under 6 months).  There is no way for the breeder to know if that animal is a breeder or not.  Too much time, too many variables.  There isn’t a guarantee on kids becoming breeders.  To me, this is common sense.

3–Breeding age bucks–They must be serviceable the first season.  If they are non-breeders the first season, the breeder needs to make amends.  Now, if they are breeders when you first get them but then go bad, 4 or so months later–no warranty.  It happens.  In all species.

Unless a valid reproductive specialist had tested the individual at time of sale and all was good.  But, once again, if I sell you a buck and he won’t fire.  I’ll make it right.  I have before.  But, if the breeding problem is caused by an injury after the sale, then it is not the seller’s problem.

4–Yearling does–If they don’t breed, with a live service, after several tries, call the breeder.  Most will work with you.  However, if they breed, but slough the kids after several weeks or months, no go.  She is a breeder and the problem is most likely on the buyer’s end.  STD, moldy hay/feed, stress, etc.  That is beyond the seller’s control.

5–Mature does–No warranty.  A person never knows when one will stop producing.  Human, bovine, caprine, ovine, porcine, whatever.  ALWAYS call and talk to seller before bidding on mature does.  I’ve got a bad bitch that has raised a lot 1 buck.  But, I didn’t get her bred back last year and I hope she is stuck this year.  Everybody that sees her asks if she is for sale.  If she isn’t this year, she will be offered next spring–with NO warranty.  If you can get it done, get after it.  But don’t call me later complaining.

also—see #4–if a mature doe settles then sloughs the kids, that is not the sellers problem.

Years ago (over a decade), I was at one of the original goat godfather’s Labor Day production sale.  Norman Kohls announced “that this is one of the best does that I had ever seen but she doesn’t give enough milk to raise a pigeon.”  Can’t get much more honest than that and she brought $2,500–which was a lot back then.

6–Bred does–Guaranteed to be bred at the time of pickup.  That’s all a breeder can do.  After that, there are too many variables that can cause issues.  Stress, nutrition, STDs, etc.  BUT, what happens if a doe kids a full cycle EARLIER than advertised.  That could be an issue as the buyer was not prepared.  Was she bred to advertised sire?  What about stress moving the last few weeks if you didn’t know that it was the last couple of weeks?  It is better if they go the cycle later.

My policy, if I sell a bred a doe and she doesn’t kid or loses kids before full term, as long as it wasn’t a shit-show on the buyers’ end and was natural causes, I will offer to re-breed her or give straws of semen to breed her.  I’m not giving money back.  Why?  Maybe it was buyer’s fault.  Or even buyer’s remorse and they gave a shot of lut to cause problems.  No way of knowing, so no money back.

Whatever the situation is, be in contact with the breeder and let them know as soon as you aware of problems.  The higher price the animal, the more likely they are going to help.

AND on that note, if you buy something cheap, or at a sale barn, don’t hit the breeder up.  Common sense and common courtesy goes a long, long way in dealing with livestock warranties.  I will always try to do what I can do to keep a person as a customer.  HOWEVER, there are limits.

This is an abbreviated version and in no way constitutes a contract that covers warranties, guarantees or anything else.  All of the above is simply to be used for educational and enjoyment purposes.  I will not allow this to be used in a legal setting to determine a warranty, guarantee or to be used in the impeachment of the POTUS.  None of this can be used without my expressed written consent.  It is only a common sense guideline.

You all know that I have to refer to a movie quote at this point.  You people that know me, know the movie.

“Let’s think about this for a sec, Ted.  Why do they put a guarantee on a box?  Hmmm, very interesting.”

If you don’t know the movie line, I highly suggest that you dial up the Chris Farley classic “Tommy Boy” movie.  Watch it, laugh until you hurt and then thank me later.

Changing topics.

Impeachment!!   These dumb asses are making a mockery of the word.  No matter how this ends, we are at a tipping point in the U S of A.

I will guarantee you this.  The American farmer & rancher is the best producer of the safest, cheapest and most abundant food supply that the world has ever seen.

The United States military is the strongest, best trained and heaviest armed military that the world has ever seen.

We only need three things to remain the best nation EVER!!    Prosperous agriculturists, strong military and an ever present faith in GOD and his son.  Our nation cannot survive without all three.  Ag is in trouble, we need more GOD and Jesus.  And LORD, please be with our troops and the people in our capitol that have lost sight of all three.

No matter the topic, common sense goes a long way.  And we need more of it.

This is the abbreviated version.  I’m sorry.  Not sorry.  Peace be with you and yours and for the love of GOD and all that is holy, please let there be more common sense when and where it is needed.  Never let the warranty expire on common sense and good deeds.  I guarantee that it will help.