# How old is too old for a butcher goat?



## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Does anybody know if a 2 year old Boer doe is too old to eat?
I've got 3 goats, one is a ringleader, fence buster, all around trouble maker.
I ponder trying to sell her or give her away, but I ponder eating her too.
Is she too old?
I'd rather sell her cheap to a good home.


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## michael1 (Aug 23, 2005)

I have a wether that is going under the knife this weekend he's about a year and a half. I'm thinking moist heat method or low and slow in the smoker.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

I've butchered 2 year old buck(in full rutt), 5 year old doe, and 2 year old wether. Slow-cooked and kept moist and they are all delicious. And of course there is always delicious goat burger.


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## CountryHaven (Jul 17, 2005)

Hey Emily, no problem with 'taste' with the old buck?


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## animalfarmer (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi Cornhusker,I sent you a P.M. It may be of intrest.Best of luck.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

CountryHaven said:


> Hey Emily, no problem with 'taste' with the old buck?


No. not a bit. But I was *extremely* careful not to let any dirt or hair touch the meat and i had it in the freezer asap so it cooled quickly.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Those who hunt whitetail (closest relatives to goats) don't usually know the age of their downed prize until it's down. They just relish the exciting moment and later enjoy the venison. Their animal could be a two year old doe/buck or a six year old. The point is age doesn't necessarily spoil the meal but poor preparation might.


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## CountryHaven (Jul 17, 2005)

I understand that too John, but I'm not sure deer are as well-known for their 'buckiness'. I wasn't sure if the smell would transfer to the meat the way it can milk if the doe is near a buck in rutt.

Emily, your last post brings up a question as well. You said you immediately put him in the freezer so he cooled quickly--so you don't have to 'hang' the meat for any length of time? That's been a big concern of mine when it came to doing the larger stock. I don't like the idea too much of a carcass hanging out to attract preditors, or for spoilage issues if it's not cool enough temperature wise outside. In the past all I've done is very young animals that could be put in the refridgerator for at least a day or two to go through rigormortis.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

CountryHaven said:


> I understand that too John, but I'm not sure deer are as well-known for their 'buckiness'. I wasn't sure if the smell would transfer to the meat the way it can milk if the doe is near a buck in rutt.
> 
> Emily, your last post brings up a question as well. You said you immediately put him in the freezer so he cooled quickly--so you don't have to 'hang' the meat for any length of time? That's been a big concern of mine when it came to doing the larger stock. I don't like the idea too much of a carcass hanging out to attract preditors, or for spoilage issues if it's not cool enough temperature wise outside. In the past all I've done is very young animals that could be put in the refridgerator for at least a day or two to go through rigormortis.


You can age meat in a cooler. Wrap it in plastic so it wont be in contact with any water, and put it on top of some large blocks of ice. Leave the drain open so water doesnt collect. I often do deer this way and leave it for a week or so. Keep the cooler in a shady spot or cover it with blankets and tarps and the meat will be fine


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## CountryHaven (Jul 17, 2005)

Hey that's a good idea. Thanks Bearfoot.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

CountryHaven said:


> Emily, your last post brings up a question as well. You said you immediately put him in the freezer so he cooled quickly--so you don't have to 'hang' the meat for any length of time?


No, I never let goat hang except for the short time it takes me to skin and gut it. The meat is excellent and doesn't need hanging the way beef does.
I asked other goat folks who are in the know about butchering and the concensus was that goat has no need of hanging the way some meats do. Its just something else that would take more time and room so I don't do it. Usually my butcher goats go from walking around, to in the freezer in 30 minutes time.


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## CountryHaven (Jul 17, 2005)

That's cool to know. I never would have thought to question the 'hang' time need. Thanks, Emily.


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Emily;

Was that two year old buck ever used for breeding?

I've heard that the meat won't be tainted if they haven't been used for breeding....I have a buck a year and a half old that has never been used for breeding that I am thinking about butchering, but I don't want to end up with dog food! 

The rest is to anyone that knows/has an opinion:

I also have four, three-month-old nubian bucklings that I would like to butcher. I just weaned them. What should I be feeding them for optimum growth, other than the alfalfa pellets that everyone around here gets? Should I be graining them - or does that make the meat fatty? What age is best for butchering - some of them seem nice and meaty and others seem a bit well, 'dairy'! 

Can I feed the offal (guts, left-overs) to my pigs if I do it immediately?

I'd also like to preserve the pelt on that older buck - any suggestions on how to handle it prior to taking it (the pelt) in?

Sincerely;
Niki


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

dezeeuwgoats said:


> Emily;
> 
> Was that two year old buck ever used for breeding?
> 
> I've heard that the meat won't be tainted if they haven't been used for breeding....I have a buck a year and a half old that has never been used for breeding that I am thinking about butchering, but I don't want to end up with dog food!


Oh yes. In fact, he was breeding does a month before when he injured his back(which is the reason I butchered him). He also had sired many kids his first year. So he was certainly a breeder buck. Right now is about the best time to butcher a buck since they don't smell too bad and aren't in rutt.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

dezeeuwgoats said:


> I also have four, three-month-old nubian bucklings that I would like to butcher. I just weaned them. What should I be feeding them for optimum growth, other than the alfalfa pellets that everyone around here gets? Should I be graining them - or does that make the meat fatty? What age is best for butchering - some of them seem nice and meaty and others seem a bit well, 'dairy'!
> 
> Can I feed the offal (guts, left-overs) to my pigs if I do it immediately?
> 
> ...


The dairy kids I like to butcher at 3-5 months of age. Especially if they are intact because that gets them out of the way before their hormones start causing me problems as fall gets here. They go into a long lanky stage after that, so I'd just as soon butcher them early and not have as much in them for the amount of meat.
I give mine just alfalfa pellets and a little rolled barley. They also browse. Nothing else. I just butchered a three month old Lamancha buckling. He had been on the above diet and there was a lot of meat on that dude. And oh was it GOOD.
I don't have pigs, but my dogs get *everything* that I don't put in the freezer for our use. This means offal, bones, hide, head, feet and organs. I just dump them far enough away from the house that its not visible(or olfactoraraly visible either  ), and the dogs do the rest within a day or so.
I've heard to roll up the hide and freeze it until your ready to process it. Probably better just call the place that will be handling the process for you and see how they want it handled.


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Thanks, Emily - appreciate the feedback! 

Niki


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## drewjunr (Jun 22, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> You can age meat in a cooler. Wrap it in plastic so it wont be in contact with any water, and put it on top of some large blocks of ice. Leave the drain open so water doesnt collect. I often do deer this way and leave it for a week or so. Keep the cooler in a shady spot or cover it with blankets and tarps and the meat will be fine



With both deer and hogs (feral) we put a layer of ice in the cooler, meat and then ice until it is well covered and the meat is not touching other meat.

You must drain the cooler at least 2 times a day and always keep the cooler full of ice. I usually leave it for a week doing this same process and it bleeds it all out the meat and there is never any game taste to the meat. Done it with 100lb deer and a 350lb hogs and never had a problem. 

With deer where I hunt they are usually 3-5 years old going off their lower jaw/teeth structure. 

Took a trip to India last year for business and they were letting the goats hang in the sun for hours after being skinned...ewww


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## odieclark (May 11, 2016)

Salt the inside of hide completely with a light fine salt, and let it drip. Flesh it out. Can be frozen if you can't get to that point or if you do get it dried can freeze as well-if you don't or can't finish the process.

Ozark-love your methods and suggestions! What kind of dogs do you have? Are they large? No problems with the bones or skull? Very interesting


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

odieclark said:


> Ozark-love your methods and suggestions! What kind of dogs do you have? Are they large? No problems with the bones or skull? Very interesting


It's been over a year since the last time she was here.


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## odieclark (May 11, 2016)

Hmm. I was just reading while traveling and didn't check the dates!


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