Harvesting Your Own Goats


We harvested our first two goats with the help of Chelly & Jason Holmes of BRC Boers (Big Rock Candy Mountin Goats) in Appleton, Washington. Actually, Jason & his buddy Gary did most of the work. It was a learning experience and I think everyone was shocked as I  stood there and watched the whole harvesting process of two of my homebred kids. Sadly, I must be getting cold hearted, with as much as I've chased goats that have gotten loose in the past 6 years....there was sadly some feeling of vengeance. :)-

Of course the one that deserved it the most came back home to grow out more over the winter. Our plan is to have 3 wethers to harvest every fall for our family and friends. The target age will be 1 year or older or at least 100lbs.  You can get 120lbs of meat off of a 160lb goat. (approximately) Why butcher so young, when you can feed a few wethers over the winter and get more meat for your money. Also, if you can do it yourself you will save money too.
After of course this wether was humanely put sleep, beheaded and drained for just a bit, Jason set to work on harvesting the animal. Here he starts at one hind foot and splits the toe and works up the animal.
You can see what the goal is now as he slices his way up. You can pull apart the skin and start to skin faster once the hide has begun to separate.
If you are harvesting your "baby" I suggest not being there. Or at least, don't think of it anymore as your goat. It's now your meat. I like the fact that the head is no longer on the animal when the cutting begins. This makes it less personable.
My husband agrees to pay out all this money to feed them as long as we are eating them too. I've sold numerous wethers as pets in the past, but now my husband wants them on his plate. I can't say that I blame him. Meat is expensive and Goat Meat is excellent and better for you.
Below the leg is exposed and now both men can wrap a rope around the hind ankles and hang the goat up to process the animal easier more at eye level.
The goat is now hanging, hind feet spread far apart, as they work on processing the rest. Jason on the left is pulling the skin tight and gently and carefully going in with the knife to separate the skin and healthy fat layer part from the meat.
This was a very young goat, 3 months old and only 54 pounds, but still look how healthy. Notice they are NOT cutting near the goats pizel (penis) You do not want the urine to leak out all over the meat. So leave that for last.
Gutting is easy when the animal is hung up. You open it and everything just falls out. Jason placed a garbage can directly below. No mess! I was actually really suprised at the lack of blood. I thought it would be really messy and really disgusting, but considering it wasn't bad at all.
I've sold numerous wethers as pets in the past, but now my husband wants them on his plate. I can't say that I blame him. Meat is expensive and Goat Meat is excellent and better for you. Heart of a healthy kid.
Jason cuts and Gary holds. Splitting the goat from the bottom down.
One half goat cut perfectly in half.
The actual cutting of the meat. We got about 50lbs of meat off of two young wethers. Our March wether was about 80+ pounds & this one was 54lbs. Which is why were are holding three summer 2008 wethers over until fall 2009. The bigger the better! This was an excellent learning experience and yummy