close to double what she was last year.
Before we get too deep into this, understand each operation is going to have its own cost to getting a doe kid in production, its own doe maintenance cost, market price fluctuations (which lately seem to only fluctuate higher), own market strategy, regional prices/supply and things unique to the operation that would to be factored in. Here’s the quick math: A doe should average 2 kids per kidding. For this example, we will say she weans two market buck kids. If you sell at weaning (3-4 months old), and getting around $5 a pound (yearly average), those two buck kids, conservatively, should bring $165 each — or $330 that doe got us that kidding. Now she still has a value and to be conservative let’s just assign her a butcher value. In late winter/early spring this year, I saw does (depending on breed and condition) sell for $140 to $250 (that’s slaughter value, not replacement doe value). So, for the sake of it let’s say that same doe that we just sold her weaned buck kids off of would butcher out for us $170. Now we have her $170 + $330 (her two buck kids) for total of $500. Yes, we all un- derstand that isn’t profit and not considering the upkeep of the doe, other input costs, sale fees and hauling (which for us very minimal). Beane gave an example: “In June we sold a fat but obviously cull doe in the 150-lb range and she brought $315!” If we alter our scenario some and have that same doe give us a buck kid and a replacement quality doeling, the doe gets more valuable. In the “new normal” we are told to accept and navigate through, maybe $400 and higher adult commercial replacement does is the norm.
(Derek Beane operates D&J Goat Farm with his father, Jackie
Beane. Derek can be contacted at 336-465-3430 or dandjgoat-
farms@hotmail.com.)
Productive Kiko family
This wether weighed out at 85 pounds in 150 days on a newly es- tablished pasture of 60% orchard grass, 30% chicory and 10% red clover. What’s more impressive is that he had a 60-pound twin doe- ling. To top it off, they were raised by a 2020 doeling, giving birth to them at 1 year of age herself. She only weighed 80 pounds her- self and produced 145 pounds of kids in 150 days. That 2020 doe- ling was a 60-pound twin to an 80-pound wether at 150 days. Her mother produced quints this year. None of these goats have re- ceived grain. Talk about a productive, efficient, low maintenance family line…
Adam Ledvina, Iowa Kiko Goats Haven, Iowa
28 Goat Rancher | October 2021
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