Holidays spur demand for lightweight goats

By Terry Hankins

Goat Rancher Editor

Some of the highest prices ever for meat goats have been reported this month. On December 11 at the Tennessee Livestock Producers Graded Goat and Sheep Sale in Columbia, Tenn., 25-35 pound Selection 2 kids brought from $3.20 to $5.15 a pound. The somewhat heavier kids weighing 36-50 pounds brought up to $4.35 a pound. Even the skinny Selection 3 kids in the 25-35 pound range brought as much as $4.95 pound.

That trend continued this week in San Angelo, Texas, with Selection 1 30-40 pound kids bringing $3.02 to $3.18 per pound; 40-60 pounds brought $2.60 to $$2.94 with a few bringing around $3.10 a pound.

Even heavy weights were holding their own with 80-100 pound kids bringing $2.10 to $2.28 a pound.

“These super prices recur, in very small numbers, just before Christmas and again just before Easter,” Dr. Frank Pinkerton said. “(Producer and order buyer) Bob Herr and I were at New Holland, Pa., some years ago and 20-pound Saanen twins sold to Bob for $4 a pound. He was filling special orders from two Italian and Greek businessmen for Christmas dinner goats.”

“It is also apparent that, in high demand times like holidays, the prices for Selection 2 goats are almost equal to the price for Selection 1 goats,” Frank said. “Also note that the bigger the goat across all categories, the lower the price per pound — no matter the grade.”

To see the complete market reports, go to http://goatrancher.com/markets.php.