I’ve never been very good at what to charge to sell for other people. \u00a0Probably, because for many years, I did not see this goat thing as a business. \u00a0That and I have always liked helping people. \u00a0I have always known what it cost me to produce them and raise them. \u00a0But what is the value of me selling them? \u00a0Or reselling them?<\/p>\n
For years, I bought lots of wethers and a few does. \u00a0This was mostly done for friends, kids I liked and people in a fairly close area to me. \u00a0I always just wanted to make sure to cover my fuel and motels. \u00a0Several have told me it was because I always had an ag teacher mentality. \u00a0They were right. \u00a0Looking back\u2026.without a doubt\u2026.I was a dumb ass. \u00a0I never put enough monetary priority for my knowledge or time. \u00a0Or the follow up service. \u00a0However, I was prepared to put a $ value on this back in 2014. \u00a0Then several occurences changed my mentality. \u00a0And it is amazing how our industry has changed since then.<\/p>\n
I go back to the years of 2008 to 2016. \u00a0I was buying wethers that would gather grand and reserve banners at \u00a0OYE, Tulsa, KC, OK State Fair, Phoenix and Denver, not to mention div. winners and premium sale goats. \u00a0Our list of winners is better than most. \u00a0Bragging–sure. \u00a0As long as I covered my costs, I was good. \u00a0Not a good business model. \u00a0But it was fun. \u00a0Some doors were opened while others were closed. \u00a0But that is a different story for a different time.<\/p>\n
A breeder or three made it worth my time. \u00a0Most didn’t. \u00a0But, most, at least thanked me for the business. \u00a0They wanted me to buy their goats at top $ and then it was up to me to charge extra for my time. \u00a0All assumed that I was making a pile on those wethers. \u00a0Several of those parents wish that they could go back to those days.<\/p>\n
Helms liked to deal in volume discounts as long as he knew that they were going to good feeders and showmen. \u00a0He even told me that I wasn’t charging enough on the backside for my service. \u00a0In 2012, I bought a trailer load from him. \u00a0Most were still on their mommas. \u00a0Some even had a twin to the one I bought. \u00a0We brought the twins home as well. \u00a0We cared for them, weaned them and then sold them for him. \u00a0I remember one twin that won a class at Tulsa. \u00a0Another was bloomy and looked good. \u00a0We sheared him and sold him at the Norman sale. \u00a0He brought $7,600. \u00a0(And he went on to make the OYE sale). \u00a0Kenneth and \u00a0I were both uncomfortable that he sold that high. \u00a0I didn’t make any money off of it. \u00a0But I already had a fleet of wicked wethers on feed. \u00a0And no, we didn’t get beat by him.<\/p>\n
One of my favorite wethers was J Bone. \u00a0On July 4, 2013, we were at Helms sorting doe kids and looking through shitty, skinny left over wethers. \u00a0I spied J099. \u00a0He had a look but not much else. \u00a0I found him several times in a mob of a bunch of crappy goats. \u00a0He was old to still be there. \u00a0I hit Helms up for a price. \u00a0I was thinking $250, maybe $500 tops. \u00a0He hit me with a price–$500. \u00a0I ate another tamale, pulled the trigger and carried him out on my shoulder. \u00a0Yes, that is the goat on my Facebook pic.<\/p>\n
I took J099 home and took care of him. \u00a0It came time for the labor day sale and I asked Duke if he wanted to keep him. \u00a0“I’ve got Optimus. That’s all I need.” \u00a0So we sold J099 as a Helms wether in the Best of the West sale. \u00a0 \u00a0He brought $3,500. \u00a0I really liked that goat.<\/p>\n
The rest of the story. \u00a0 Lexi Vanderwork bought J099 and named him J-Bone. \u00a0That goat made the sale at OYE and was the grand wether at Woodward District. \u00a0Duke was reserve grand behind him with Optimus. \u00a0Everybody was a winner with J-Bone. \u00a0I liked that goat.<\/p>\n
I know what people get to sell calves, goats, etc. \u00a0Some get 20% of sale price after expenses. \u00a0Some breeders give a discounted sale price in order to make it work to get stock in good hands. \u00a0Some want all the money.<\/p>\n
Some breeders let people use their sire (buck, bull, etc.), then gather the offspring and keep half of all sale proceeds.<\/p>\n
Several years ago, Seelke’s brought me a couple of young goats to look at. \u00a0One was a Fade2Black son. \u00a0He was chunky and hairy. But I didn’t think that he would make a wether. \u00a0I told them to get a picture of him and sell him as a buck. \u00a0I remember my statement well. \u00a0“Hell, sell him as a buck. \u00a0Some Kansan will buy him and he will improve most goats in that state.”<\/p>\n
They asked if I wanted to clip and photo him. \u00a0“Nope. Take him to Milligan. \u00a0He will do it.” \u00a0So they did. \u00a0And on picture day, some people showed up. \u00a0And they bought him. \u00a0For $3,500. \u00a0WTH? \u00a0I screwed up. \u00a0There was money to be made there and I missed it. \u00a0And the buyers were some of my own people–SCHOVANEC. \u00a0 Then they sold a pile of semen, leased him, used him, made more goats and then sold him for a pile–to TEXAS not Kansas. \u00a0Then that breeder used him and sold 1\/2 of him and made money. \u00a0That goat was Black Rhino. \u00a0He was out of my genetics and I set the whole thing in motion but I was the only one that didn’t make a dollar from that goat. \u00a0Who is the dumb ass?<\/p>\n
I have had great partners over the years. \u00a0I really don’t have a complaint, but from a business side of things, it doesn’t always make sense. \u00a0I used to keep 1\/2 semen interest in bucks that I sold. \u00a0Looking back that wasn’t smart. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Because it is me that does all of the marketing and taking all of the phone calls and telling people how to breed their special doe and on and on. \u00a0And it is a pain in the ass trying to take care of all the percentage. \u00a0 \u00a0And normally, it is me paying the storage and collecting. \u00a0That is why when Justin Burns bought half interest of Dirty Rain, I said, “You do what you do with your half and I will do what I do with my part.” \u00a0And it has been all good. \u00a0I will guarantee you that you will be hard pressed to find somebody that can gripe about me as a partner.<\/p>\n
I have sold bucks for people that have used my genetics. \u00a0I kept feed costs, clipping\/photo costs and online sale commission costs. \u00a0I am a dumb ass. \u00a0I dealt with every phone call, delivery\/pick up, etc. \u00a0And who will get the call if something goes wrong? \u00a0This dumb ass.<\/p>\n
I get lots of calls\/emails\/texts from all states about goats. \u00a0Have I seen this or that? \u00a0Do you know of? \u00a0What about these? \u00a0I still answer these. \u00a0Those that have actually met me and done some sort of business with me get better answers than others. \u00a0Am I wrong? \u00a0Heck no.<\/p>\n
I’m not going to have time to take a vacation on a beach or an island this summer. \u00a0But, I have been heading towards Goat Island for a year or two. \u00a0I have told a guy that I was headed to Goat Island for the past two years. And I am now there. \u00a0I even have the blow-up pool in the back yard to soak in. \u00a0Tammy thinks that this is a better alternative to the stock tanks that I crawl in when I got hot. \u00a0I don’t agree but it is closer to the carport.<\/p>\n
While on Goat Island, I can look at buck prospects that we are growing for the spring. \u00a0I’m really amped about a couple. \u00a0I can look at the 20 female goats waiting to be bred. \u00a017 of which are 2 years or younger. \u00a0I don’t have to schedule dates to trim hooves\/coach\/handle goats\/clip, etc. \u00a0I have only been south of the Red River once this year and I didn’t buy a goat on that trip. \u00a0I am officially on Goat Island and it pays exactly the same as before. \u00a0Maybe better.<\/p>\n
There are no political affiliations on Goat Island. \u00a0I don’t have to worry about what judge is crooked, who is doing what or any of that other stuff. \u00a0We don’t have to worry about offending anybody (not that I ever worried much about that anyways). \u00a0We have minimal rules on Goat Island. \u00a0Play hard, work harder and only good livestock allowed. \u00a0And maybe most important–Keep gas in the Gator. \u00a0And if it ain’t worth my time or effort, I don’t have to help sell, breed or whatever.<\/p>\n
All I really know is that I can sell goats. \u00a0Why? \u00a0Because I keep it honest. \u00a0As honest as anybody in the business, regardless of species. \u00a0And I don’t have to sell goats for anybody except the people at Kelln Livestock that inhabit Goat Island. \u00a0And I am perfectly content to sit on Goat Island. \u00a0And how big is Goat Island? \u00a0It all currently resides in the 73840 zip code.<\/p>\n
I just realized how long this deal has gotten. \u00a0I’m not mad at anybody nor pointing at anybody. \u00a0But, if you take offense, so be it. \u00a0A lot of times, I am just writing this crap for myself. \u00a0Because once it is on the internet, it is always there. \u00a0Then I get carried away. \u00a0And realize–Dang Dude–you are right! \u00a0 But then again. \u00a0If you are reading this crap, you are probably hoping that I get off centered and half-pissed.<\/p>\n
And while sitting on the picnic table in the front yard of Goat Island, on occasion, I pull up the youtube video of the Ozzyman talking about the weather lady, Yanet Garcia. \u00a0 I had to look up the term Bog Roll.<\/p>\n
“Makes me approach the apocalypse with a can-do attitude.”<\/p>\n
Maxima, minima, noche\u2026..<\/p>\n
Hey, hey. \u00a0Don’t pull that video up around kids. Nothing but a couple of bad words. \u00a0But, it is funny. \u00a0Real funny.<\/p>\n
In the end, as I study the goat business, people feel better to get over-charged and maybe even screwed. \u00a0But, they feel like they got something. \u00a0Even if they don’t know what it was they got. \u00a0And it may require a shot of penicillin.<\/p>\n
Not here on Goat Island. \u00a0 It stays clean here. \u00a0Year round. \u00a0We only have controlled campfires on Goat Island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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