We have been occasionally been making extra goats that we will not be using within our herd available for meat. I’m putting together this FAQ to address some of the most common inquiries we have received. Please let us know if there is something that has not been covered here.
Q. What does goat meat taste like?
A. We think it tastes most like lamb. We have not gotten a “goaty” or “gamey” taste from any of the meat we’ve consumed from our own herd, and haven’t had any reports of it from our customers. It’s quite delicious!
Q. Where do I go to get the meat once it’s ready?
A. We use Richardson’s Meat Processing in Linden, MI. It is about 10 minutes away from our farm.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. We weigh the animal prior to taking them to the custom butcher, and it is $2.00 per lb live weight (“on the hoof.”) We transport the animal to Richardson’s, at which point you are a customer of theirs for the custom butchering of the animal you purchased from us. Currently, they charge $60 for basic slaughter, butchering, and packaging services. You can also opt for additional processing services from them at an extra charge. You will write two checks at the time to pickup: one for the processing fees to Richardson’s, and one to Serenity Acres Now, LLC for the per pound live weight. Richardson’s will provide our check to us, simplifying matters for you.
Q. How will the meat be packaged?
A. Richardson’s uses a combination of butcher paper and vacuum shrink wrap, ready for the freezer.
Q. Can I have custom cuts of meat done?
A. You will speak with Richardson’s staff prior to the butchering in order to select which cuts you would like. Depending on what options you select, there may be additional charges – for instance, if you want sausage made, there will be a small upcharge.
Q. How much does a goat usually weigh?
A. It all depends upon the size of the animal. Small kids that are just a few months old usually weigh between 15-30 lbs. Yearlings are typically 50-70 lbs. That may sound like a lot of meat, but do realize that you only get about a 40-50% yield. So, for instance, a 50 lb goat will likely yield 20-25 lbs of meat. When you contact us we can let you know what we have available and work with you to find the right size for your needs.
Q. Can I split a goat with another customer?
A. Yes! We can place you on a waiting list if you only want 1/2 of a goat and let you know when we’ve found someone else looking for the other half. Or, if you’d like to hasten the process, you can arrange with someone you know to split the animal.
Q. Can you sell particular cuts of meat, like a roast or a package of ground meat?
A. Unfortunately, no. While we have our warehouse license through the state of Michigan, and this does allow us to sell meat we raised here on our farm directly from our freezers, that meat must be processed in a USDA (federally) inspected facility for us to do so. Unfortunately, the USDA regulations have become so burdensome to small operators over the last couple of decades (this is by design – the large corporate conglomerates don’t want the “little guy” presenting any competition to them) that most are forced to just stick with a custom butchering business model. This means that they are inspected by the state, rather than federally, and that the customer that will be consuming the meat must deal with them directly. There can be no middleman.
The only two USDA inspected processors/slaughterhouses that still take small orders are in Mount Pleasant and in Yale, and both would represent a considerable driving distance for us – and we would have to make the trip twice, once to drop off, and once to pick up. We simply cannot offer goat meat at a reasonable price when you factor in those costs, so we can therefore only offer the custom butcher option at this time. If a USDA facility opens closer to our location, we can revisit the possibility of offering goat meat on a per-cut basis. We would like to be able to do this – it just depends on the availability of a qualified slaughterhouse within reasonable distance of us.
Q. Can I purchase the live animal and slaughter it on your property?
A. We are able to sell live animals, but we do not have the facilities nor do we allow slaughtering on our property. You can purchase the live goat and transport it to your chosen location for slaughter. In this case, there would simply be the live weight (“on the hoof”) per pound price paid – and no slaughter fee, since you are doing it yourself elsewhere. You MUST bring appropriate transport for the goats. We will NOT allow you to hog-tie them or put them in the trunk of a vehicle. You need to bring a large enough cage, a pickup truck with a cap over the bed, or something along those lines. We have raised these animals with kindness and we refuse to see them treated unkindly in their final hours. Contact us to arrange for a live animal purchase.
Related Images:
Leave a Reply