To be honest, for the first 15 years of raising goats, I really didn’t care about sale barn prices. If I was hauling something to the sale barn, I wanted it GONE! I really did not care what it brought.
Now, as a result of having commercial hair sheep, sale barn market reports have became a deal that I check weekly. Market prices for sheep and goats are higher than usual. These prices also look to sustain for awhile. So, when people are looking for show goats below say $400–no way.
And in the show world, good goats are selling way high. And the common goats are not selling at all. There is no in-between market. A dang good wether or doe kid will easily bring $5K. And if it has the right genetics and the right name selling it, that animal may be worth $20K+. Should the good ones be worth this much? Let’s discuss that topic.
In all reality, the genetic pool for high quality show goats is very shallow. This show goat industry is only 20 some years old. The other 3 species are a 100+ years old. I mean, for pete’s sake, people still advertise goats as “900” genetics. I would like to think we have moved past a 2005 model goat. One can find a good goat that is raised on either coast or in between. But there are only a handful of truly progressive breeders in each state and that includes Texas. Yes, even Texas. A high percentage of the banner winning goats at majors are going to come from BTW, Hutto, Stork, Schrank, Mock’s groups and the Martin Mafia (and a few others). For the rest of the states, the # of top shelf breeders is smaller. Therefore, those elite goats from the name brands are in even more demand. The pursuit for new genetics is a large factor in several major herds selling out. Legendary names like Kelly, Gallagher, Helms, etc. all had a hard time finding that “next” piece.
AI and ET in goats is still less successful than other species. Sure, it’s better than it used to be but still not where it needs to be. About any vet can AI and perform Bovine ET work. Sheep AI & ET numbers are routinely better than 75% conception. A monkey can successfully AI a pig. As a whole, goat AI and flush numbers are still low. It’s like going to Vegas–the payoff can be huge but you have to push all in and then pray. Plus the semen costs on the elite bucks are willy high.
Now add in the proven FACT that show goats are a hard damn animal to raise. In an effort to make goats look like “show animals” we have bred out the productivity of them. Things like fertility, maternal instincts and growth are lacking and those items cause losses in animal lives, time, labor and other related expenses.
Simply put the elite genetics cost a lot. The low success rate of AI/ET costs a lot. The problems that arise from raising goats cost a lot. Plus a high demand for good ones all drives the show goat market to be Snoop Dogg high.
There is also the simple truth that their is some publicity and political positives of purchasing a high end prospect. If you are trying to win a big one, one better consider this aspect because it is real.
So, you can either bite the bullet and spend some $s. Or spend a pile of $s and time to raise your own. Or, you can just become a low rent rock flipper like the Shattuck ag teacher. But even still, a lot of time is spent studying genetics and traveling to hunting grounds where rocks can be flipped.
On a side note, I don’t listen to many podcasts. I listened to the Bob May uncensored. A friend told me that I ought to listen to the Norman Kohls episode. I did. People, every livestock person should listen to that episode. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to NK’s place. That dude is a true stockman. He ain’t wrong. And he knows it.
On another side note–these hair sheep are legit. So much less labor than the goats. Several weeks ago, we sold the weaned kids, I mean lambs. Didn’t vaccinate or worm them. Didn’t band tails or band nuts. The only time we touched them is when we sorted them to sell. No, I’m not going to own a bunch of them. But I can see their value in the livestock industry.
Have a good one and a better tomorrow.
