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large 4H clover Youth Meat Goat Projects


 

 NEW - Evaluating Goats for Market Readiness Workshop

NEW - NYS Fair Meat Goat Knowledge Exams

Meat goat breeding doe project - female goats (does) can be used for raising  meat goat kids rather than (or as well as) for producing milk for humans. Just like a dairy goat they require suitable housing for over-wintering and kidding but they do not need milking. However, you must find a market for their slaughter kids every year. Meat goat does often graze on pastures from May through November but may need supplementary grain, especially when pregnant or nursing.

 

Meat goat market kid project - market kid projects are short term projects. Goat kids (usually castrated males) are purchased in the spring when they are old enough to be separated from their mothers (weaned). This occurs when they are about 10 to 12 weeks old. You can also raise a kid from birth from your own meat goat breeding doe. Either way, the goal is to do a good job of raising them through the summer until they are ready to slaughter somewhere between 50 and 100 pounds.   Before you get a meat goat kid, you need to be sure you are willing to have it slaughtered despite how tame it gets.  Check with your county about the age, weight, and vaccination rules they have for market kid projects and to find out if the kid must have had their horns removed and be a wether (castrated male).


Useful Resources for NY State 4-H meat goat projects

small 4H clover Contact
Tro Bui
tvb2@cornell.edu
Animal Science Department
250 Morrison Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853-4801
607-255-4505 		tatiana Stanton
tls7@cornell.edu
Animal Science Department
250 Morrison Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York 14853-4801
607-254-6025
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