Goats vs. sheep?

[AMT15]

I posted in the sheep section, but what do you "goat lover" people think?(those of you who have raised both) Sheep or goats? Pros and cons? Fav.? Anything. The hair sheep people have won me over from the goat side, now I want to hear your opinions.

Thanks,

 

[bjjohns]

It's really a personal/needs choice. I like goats for my needs. I have -NEVER- had luck with sheep (Want to read my sheep joke that is truth?)

Goats eat grass LAST.
Goats are pretty durable.
Around here, goats are as high or higher than sheep in value.
Ever buy Sheep Milk? How about Sheep Cheese?

It's hard to answer when we don't know what you want them for.

 

[AMT15]

it's really just breeding and selling them as breeding stock or to people who want them for........ whatever. Nothing for me(meat, cheese, milk ect.) other than getting to raise them, and hopefully a little money to be made in the meanwhile. For me it'll depend a lot on what Kind of land we end up with. Just wanted to see the "other sides" opinion.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I am so biased I can not answer your question. It's goats all the way.

 

[ksalvagno]

If you are just wanting to sell some offspring, then I would probably go with the hair sheep. Depending on your area, sheep for meat are going for a decent price.

 

[AMT15]

I am so biased I can not answer your question. It's goats all the way.

Ha, I was the same way, so I understand. BTW, if I end up raising goats, they'll be kikos

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I am so biased I can not answer your question. It's goats all the way.

Ha, I was the same way, so I understand. BTW, if I end up raising goats, they'll be kikos

Oh cool. Well now why would you choose Kikos? lol : )

 

[bjjohns]

it's really just breeding and selling them as breeding stock or to people who want them for........ whatever. Nothing for me(meat, cheese, milk ect.) other than getting to raise them, and hopefully a little money to be made in the meanwhile. For me it'll depend a lot on what Kind of land we end up with. Just wanted to see the "other sides" opinion.

If you do that you will have to get into the show circuit stuff. Around here, thats just not worth my effort. I need to make money from them, not spend money on them. I'm lucky enough to have a bi-monthly auction 20 minutes from my place. Right now nice meaty Boer & Boer crosses at 60~80 lbs are going for $100-150 for meat. Thats my primary sales market. No folks to house, no quibbling over delivery or price, no "can you meet me half way?". That makes me really concious of birth to market price, and helps me identify my costs. The auction is 60 minutes from a HUGE goat meat eating area (Columbus Ohio has a large Somalian population).

Oh, and like Straw Hat said, for me it's goats, more fun, more simple, more economical.

 

[Roll farms]

I much prefer goat personalities to sheep personalities. (Not to offend any sheep people...to each their own). We had hair sheep and wool sheep and they were all sorta spacy.

I didn't use goats for milk or cheese or ice cream or pie or any of the wonderful 'extras' you can get either, for a while.

Sure am glad I do now, though. Mmmm MMMM MMMMMM.

We have no meat market near us, and I'm not set up or willing to haul them long distance.

We sell breeding stock off the farm and I simply don't tolerate stupid customers...real easy to weed them out w/ phone calls or emails.

I was one of the 1st people in our area to get Kikos. Back then nobody around here had heard of them....everyone wanted 'white goat / red head' (boers). I could barely sell them for breeding stock at break-even prices, and nobody wanted my surplus wethers for 4-H.
I gave up on trying to convert boer people to Kikos (they didn't care about the benefits, they just wanted what everyone else had... ) and started breeding 'hardier' boers and crosses, along w/ our Nubians.

So far, so good.

But if you want to sell 'breeding stock', you'll have to invest in some good stock and be ready to back it up w/ documentation.
The average 1st time goat buyer wants 'cheap'. You won't make money selling 'em cheap.
Most people who're willing to pay good money want proof of the quality....performance records, buck test info, etc.

If you're not already, buy "Goat Rancher" magazine. Lots of good info in it, and there's even a meat sheep section inside.

 

[AMT15]

Actually we live not to far from an auction now, but are looking to move, so if we end up somewhere with the same commodity then I might be interested in that. For some reason I thought you had to deal with killing all the animals first, lol, but just hauling them out there in a trailer, well, that might just work. (although I would still be more interested in just selling breeding stock ect.)

Thanks,