East Texans can capitalize on lack of goat supply, expert cites

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

May 29, 2003 -- Slaughter goats are a commodity whose demand outweighs the supply in the United States, and that's something East Texans can capitalize on, noted a well-known goat expert during the recent Northeast Goat Production Seminar in Sulphur Springs.

The main reason for the strong demand is the growing ethnic population "who grew up eating goat," detailed Dr. Frank Pinkerton, retired Extension goat specialist.

About 90 percent of the goats slaughtered in the United States are eaten by persons of ethnic groups, such as Hispanic and people of Middle Eastern descent, Pinkerton said. (Some of the people attending the seminar tasted goat meat for the first time.)

One of the best ways Northeast Texans can sell their slaughter goats is directly to the customer. "People that eat goats, they want it blood-dripping fresh," Pinkerton said.

"Let it be known you have slaughter goats for sale and they'll beat your door down. ... You understand, when you sell direct, you are a 'fruit.' What that means is when a Hispanic comes and buys and leaves, you are out (of the caring and marketing of that goat).

Goat traders will also come to your door, and Pinkerton said that's not a bad way to sell the animals either. The price offered will likely be less than the current prices offered at some of the major, regional goat sales, such as the auction in San Angelo. "But he (trader) has to keep it for a little while, risk it, and haul it (to the sale). And, you (seller) don't have to pay the hauling, commission, shrink; things like that."

Sellers, of course, can haul their slaughter goats to the big, regional markets (all of them are west of I-35, Pinkerton pointed out) "but you cannot load up and haul eight goats to San Angelo" and make a profit because of the travel and travel-related expenses.

But one point the expert made was the increased number of buyers at the big sales. "I was in San Angelo three weeks ago. There were less than 20 (volume) buyers that bought about 9,000 goats. One guy was running eight different cards (representing different slaughter plants)."

Hauling the slaughter-weight goats to local auctions may, or may not, go in front of competitive buyers. "Say you haul them (to a local auction), and there's two buyers. One has to go pee-pee and the market goes to hell."

While there are a some goat slaughtering plants in Texas, most are hauled, about 500 to 600 head per truck, from the big sale auctions in Texas to the world's largest goat market area - New Jersey. Pinkerton cited, last year, one plant in New Jersey processed 97,000 head.

Another statistic Pinkerton noted is a goat will dress out 48 to 50 percent, compared to beef's 60 percent. And, "very little is sold like we know (cuts of meat)," but rather in large portions of the carcass.

Another selling point made during the seminar is the seasonal market trend. "Try desperately not to sell slaughter goats in the summer time," Pinkerton said. He suggested Northeast Texans can "kid the goats" in April or May, which is later in the year than most are born. "They may not grow as well because it's hot (through the summer), but if he's not too big (around 75 pounds) by December, you can sell for a premium."

Or, Pinkerton said to breed the does in April or May, kid in October, and then hit the market in February (another premium price time) with the slaughter-weight goats. In Northeast Texas, this is a good option because the winter weather is generally not as cold as other regions.

Pinkerton also informed the goat raisers, "Can you feed slaughter goats? Not unless you are independently wealthy."

Some goats net more profit than others, especially those sold for livestock show competitions. In the mid-1990s, Pinkerton said a producer could get around $100 for a 45-pound goat. A few years later, as the popularity of showing goats grew, that same goat could sell for $175, "or maybe $200 for the best." But as more people got into selling goats, the price came down.

"If you think you can sell only to 4-H kids, ... you better think about it," he suggested. "There's not enough room for all of us to do that."

In Texas, Pinkerton estimates there are around 2 million head of goats, down from the 5.5 million head in the 1950s. Texas is the only state that does not count goats, but "I've got some guesses. ... In East Texas, I say there's 60,000 to 80,000 head. And, I think there's more backyard people, like me, who raise less than 100 head."

"Anybody can raise goats, but selling them is the critical thing," he concluded.

So when should a producer sell? In wrapping up his presentation, Pinkerton said he poised this question in the 1950s to Texas' largest goat raiser, somewhere near San Angelo, and the man simply said, "When you catch it, you sell it."