Goats for Sale – 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Goats
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This is a guest post by Amber Bradshaw.
Buying goats is a significant investment – not just in the animals, but in all the time and equipment needed to care for them. We share 6 mistakes to avoid when buying goats, plus questions to ask your goat breeder, red flags to watch for and reasons to buy registered goats. For better or worse, anyone with excess goats can announce they have “goats for sale”, so it’s up the buyer to protect their own interests.
“Mistakes are a great teacher, and I think when you make mistakes and you recover from them and you treat them as valuable learning experiences, then you’ve got something to share.”
— Steve Harvey
Goats for Sale – Some Background Information
I grew up in an itty bitty town in the middle of nowhere, where kids played in grain silos, teens raced to beat the train (not a recommended past-time), and two weeks off during deer-hunting season was an excused absence from school.
Wanting to escape the harsh winters, I moved to a tourist town by the beach and traded the notion of ever owning a homestead for flip flops and surf boards. It wasn’t until years later that I realized you can make a homestead right where you are with what you have, and so our journey began.
Our Urban Homestead – with Goats
Our first step was to make conscious decisions to live more responsibly for the environment and ourselves; we started gardening for more than just a hobby, next came the composting and organic practices, raising worms, and adding chickens. Our baby step plans towards a sustainable future were moving along as scheduled. The next phase of our homestead was to: add bees, fish, a solar panel here or there, and move on down the line of small, sustainable additions to our little beach paradise.
Then I got a call that would change our path and take our beach side homestead up a notch. A single mother had purchased two Nigerian Dwarf Goats (does), was going through a life crisis, and needed to find them a new home.
Now I consider myself a person of average intelligence and a pretty decent judge of character. I try to dot my I’s and cross my T’s in all of life’s situations, that is why it is embarrassing and humbling for me to share this life lesson. Failure to share my experience would put this lesson to waste, and the frugal side of me hates seeing anything going to waste, even a lesson. This specific life lesson has to do with buying livestock, goats in particular, and six BIG mistakes I made.
Goat Fraud?
The goats came from a ‘reputable’ breeder that was well-known within the state. Her website still states that ALL of their goats are registered or can be registered. The prices start at $400.00 and go up. Discounts are offered for 2 or more.
The single mom, let’s call her Lisa, emailed said ‘reputable’ breeder, we’ll call them Addison’s Grasslands, expressing desire to purchase two Nigerian Dwarf Does to milk. Lisa wanted one Doe in milk and one kid doe (relation didn’t matter). Several emails went back and forth between Lisa and Addison’s Grasslands all the way to the pick-up day. Lisa paid $700.00 for both goats and was promised papers would be mailed to her because she (the breeder) didn’t have them at the moment (never do this, always have papers before leaving with livestock).
Lisa left with her two “registered” goats (one doe in milk and one two week old doe kid from another Dam) and went on her merry way. A couple more email correspondence took place about basic goat care and requests for the promised papers. Addison’s Grasslands said she would mail them on several occasions.
Fast forward 4 months, tragedy hits Lisa’s family and she needed to find them a new home. She contacted the breeder and explained her situation. Lisa asked if she (the breeder) would want them back. Breeder stated she was not interested in having them return but would help her find a buyer and would send her the papers to get her goats registered.
This is where I come in.
Goat Buying Mistakes I Made
After many, many, many questions to local breeders about owning goats, doing online research, and asking several questions to Lisa, my family and I agreed to buy Lisa’s two goats, on one condition; they came with papers. Lisa forwarded me every email she received from Addison’s Grasslands and I talked to another breeder about their reputation. The breeder was the President of our state Nigerian goat association, registered with the ADGA, and had a professional website, so I felt comfortable making the purchase (Mistake number one).
Papers, Please
Addison’s Grasslands sent Lisa a message stating the papers were sent and should be there by the time I picked up the goats from Lisa.
Pick-up day came and no papers; trusting the papers would arrive any day, I bought them and brought them home (Mistake number two).
Six months went by of back and forth emails, texts, etc. and I FINALLY received the papers that were promised with purchase from the breeder, but they were not obtained easily. Each passing email and text became more bitter, offensive, and unprofessional to say the least. As a matter of fact the last message was “DO NOT CONTACT ME AGAIN” But I finally had the papers in hand so life was good and the past was in the past (Mistake number three).
Or so I thought.
Misrepresentation
I noticed on the papers I received that the breeder listed the kid’s mom as my doe in milk, which was not correct, but I didn’t see any harm since I had the papers and could now get them registered (Mistake number four).
I let a couple of months go by before I sent in my paperwork for my does (Mistake number five) because of my own life complications, stuff happens— right? But I was ready to breed my does and wanted to get those T-s crossed and I’s dotted.
Trying to Get Registered
I joined the ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association), the ANDDA (American Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Association), I became a registered breeder, had a wellness vet check-up, all the proper blood-work done on my does to make sure they were disease free and healthy, hubby built a birthing area for our does, found a reputable breeder (Crosby Lake Farm in SC) with a registered buck to hire for buck service, and joined every online goat group I could find. Check, check, and check. The last thing on my to-do list was to send in my paperwork for my does and get them registered in our name.
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After I attempted to register my doe in milk (I needed to do this first before I registered the kid) with the ADGA, I received an Error on the registration papers stating the Dam of my doe in milk did not belong to the breeder at time of birth. WHAT??????*&^%$#@!!
After all of this headache I can’t register my Doe?!! I called the ADGA seeking guidance and advice. Not only was my doe in milk’s papers off but the kid as well. Turns out the breeder didn’t own the Sire to the kid and I wouldn’t be able to register her either. The only option they gave me was to contact the breeder and ask them to straighten out the errors. I was beyond upset. I did the only thing I knew to do and sought advice from social media.
Doing Research
Great thing about the goating world is that they are a tight-knit group of people who are very informative. They offered great advice and amazing support towards my situation, as well as some hard truths.
On the plus side, the breeder, Addison’s Grasslands, saw my post and contacted me expressing, although she didn’t like my post, (I never mentioned names or location-guess she made the connection) she wanted to help me get my does registered as she is a reputable breeder. WOW! I was shocked and equally overjoyed. I thought maybe I pegged her all wrong and this was all just a big misunderstanding (mistake number six).
To this day, I still don’t have the paperwork needed to get my goats registered.
My options now?
- Take the breeder to small claims court and or seek advice from attorney (with the help and cooperation from Lisa)
- Sell goats and start over with a registered herd
- Breed and sell unregistered goats
- Give up owning goats altogether
Honestly, I don’t like any of my options. I know getting rid of my girls are not an option in my, or my family’s eyes so what I do from here is yet to be decided but I am leaning towards court.
What are some of the character traits come to mind when you think farmer? Honest? Hard working? Trustworthy? Person of their word and you can make any deal with a Good ol’ boy handshake, right?
Truth is, we are all human. There is good in bad in everything; animals, investments, food, plants, and even people. Trusting someone is a good thing but blind trust is not. Making a purchase is an investment and should be treated like a business transaction. A reputable breeder will not have a problem producing necessary paperwork or be offended by any questions you have. No guilt, no shame, right?
5 Reasons to Buy a Registered Goat
- From a breeding standpoint, you can market to more people with registered goats. Many customers are looking to buy a registered animal. You will drastically reduce your future clientele if you choose not to register your herd.
- Registered goats have a pedigree to back them up, and you can track their lineage.
- You can enter them in shows and contest (4-H, county fairs, etc.)
- Registered goats command a higher price than unregistered (with Nigerian goats in our area, the difference is $75-$200 for unregistered and from $200 up to $1000 for a registered).
- You can always sell a register-able goat without papers, but you can never do the opposite.
Questions to ask a Goat Breeder Before Buying Your Goat
- First and MOST IMPORTANT questions to ask is if the herd has been tested for CAE, CL and Johnes and if they can provide you with a copy of the results.
- Ask for pictures of the goat(s) from all angles
- Make sure all the paperwork (if buying registered) will be included at the time the sale takes place (ask for them to email you a copy or take a picture and text it to you)
- Ask what goat organization they are registered with*
- Ask about worming and feeding practices, general maintenance, etc.
*There are many organizations you can register your goat with, some examples are:
- AGA- American Goat Society
- ADGA- American Dairy Goat Association
- ABGA- American Boer Goat Association
- ANDDA- American Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Association
And all of those in-between. The two biggies are the AGS and the ADGA.
6 Red Flags to Watch Out For When Buying Goats
- Lack of CAE and Johnes testing papers
- No photos
- Lack of paperwork
- Unable to list what is included with purchase
- Lack of information about the goats Dam and Sire
- Poor living conditions for the goats or goats that look unhealthy
Before buying a goat, or any livestock for that matter, do your research. Talk to other breeders, join social media groups, and find out all the ins and outs. Connect with a vet that specializes in that particular livestock and ask for a copy of their price list. Seek a mentor who has experience; most livestock owners are happy to share their wealth of information. You can contact your local extension office for a referral. My best advice? Never be afraid to walk away from a deal that you are not comfortable with.
So there it is, six mistakes that I made, and I hope to help you avoid.
I want to send a special thank you for Crosby Lake Farms for guidance and advice with my goating ventures.
More Goat Information
- Holistic Goat Care – The Owner’s Manual for Healthy Goats
- Getting Started with Homestead Goats – choosing the right breed, basic goat care (food, water, shelter and fencing), additional goat resources
- Keeping Homestead Dairy Goats – What age dairy goat should you get? Breeding your dairy goat, Basic pregnancy Care, Kids and Weaning, Basic milking procedures and milk handling.
This post is by Amber Bradshaw of My Homestead Life.
Amber and her family moved from their tiny homestead by the ocean in South Carolina to forty-six acres in the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.
While building their off-the-grid homestead, they live like the days of old – cooking without electricity, collecting water from the creek and raising chickens, goats, pigs, turkeys, bees, and guineas. They’ve recently filmed their journey for a TV show on the Discovery Channel and the DIY Network/HGTV called Building Off The Grid: The Smokey Mountain Homestead.
I once saw the perfect goat online and then when I showed up she looked nothing like her picture!!! I felt so disappointed. You just can’t trust the internet these days. Always better to meet in person first before taking that big step.
In reference to your comment “CAE is a retro-virus, like AIDS” . AIDS is a condition (not a virus) when the Immune system reaches a state when it cannot defend the body. CAE is a retro-virus, similar to HIV and not AIDS
Thank you, I will make the correction.
I just want one girl goat to mow my lawn… well, she will also have high quality goat food. Goat milk is a premium. Mostly, I am lazy and do not to mow lawn.
I would like to have milk goats for mostly making soap, possible cheese. Is there anywhere I can get some information on how to process the milk from a liquid form to a solid form for the soap making process. This soap is used for my family only as I don’t like the ingredients in store bought soap. Any other information on using the milk would be greatly appreciated.
I’d suggest searching on “how to make goat’s milk soap” and “how to use goat milk”. I know goat’s milk soap requires only a small amount of milk per batch, so that’s not likely to use up much of your milk. As for other ways to use the milk, you can use it mostly the same as you would use cow’s milk. Again, with some online searching, I’m sure you can find some great tutorials on making cheese, yogurt and other recipes.
I have some experience with milking goats-Here is what I learned from old people with experience:Buy female goat with full UDDER only not young or no milk/ Instead of keeping a male use the service of frozen sperm insemination to avoid inbreeding /wash your corn (if you buy it)it could be chemically treated/ hard to find females with good performance/ In the countries of good breeds milking goats( Europa-Europe but not only) the breeding process is in the hand of a Specialist which know how to create a Bank of good lines to be sold to people,in USA there is no such think but could be organized/ Papers are not a good sure guarantee for good plenty of milk/ And HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFO.WHICH CAME FROM OUR CREATOR; FIND IN THE MULTITUDE OF THE BIBLES TRANSLATIONS GOATS FOR MILK,AND THE COMMAND TO HAVE GOAT MILK EVERY DAY FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY BUT MORE IMPORTANT FOR MADE ,young and adult WOMEN- IT IS POSSIBLE THAT GOAT MILK OR KEFIR STOP THE BREAST CANCER AND HELP OUR HUMAN BODY IMMUNE SYSTEM FIGHT BACK-What is the secret ? goats eat a lot of herbs,bark,twigs which are good for our chemistry-the goat stomach has a system to neutralize poisons but focus on spelling:GO-AT meaning keep an eye on them or you will be in trouble.Folks is someone familiar with black milking goats I notice they keep in Africa ? Send info.if you have.Sincerely Gbr-Tennessee USA.em:cleanspringsforlife@gmail.com
I do not know if this is right place to ask but hope it is… At what age is it reliable to test young goats for CL, CE,CAE,Johne’s and some of the other disease? Do you recommend any vaccinations for young goats? If so, what and at what age? these are 3 month old milk goats who have only had CD&T initial and booster. Do most goat owners vaccinate for CL or just go for annual testing? Thanks
Loved all the info, i have found a 12 month old Saanen doe for sale , seller has mother on site, says mother is registered she purchased from a dairy herd, I asked if doe had been tested and she said no, that the dairy herd she bought from tested and that they were healthy. She tells me since mother of this doe is registered and that I can register this doe. Is this so? If doe looks healthy, do you think it is ok to buy and then test and start a worming program, price of doe is very reasonable, I want to use her as a milk goat and am very concerned that I not pass something along to my family…I do plan to pasturize the milk, would this kill any of the disease? thanks carolyn hammack
From Amber:
“Hi Carolyn. This is only my opinion about your situation, you need to do what is best for you.
I asked if doe had been tested and she said no: This is a red flag for me. I would never suggest buying a goat that does not have recent test (3 months). The goats could be sick, have a disease or worms that would transfer your soil and contaminate it forever. Even if they have Johnes disease (a common disease in goats), there is no cure for Johnes disease. There is nothing to rid the soil of it other than indeterminate amounts of time.
Since mother of this doe is registered and that I can register this doe. No. Both the mother and the father have to be registered in order to get the kids registered. If she did not own the sire, she has to provide breeding papers (buck papers). This is something you can only get from the breeder, you can not register goats on your own.
Price of doe is very reasonable generally this is a sign on it’s own. Since she has not tested her herd nor can she provide papers, I would walk. If she had a recent copy of disease testing and gave you a copy, I would consider purchasing from her. The only reason I like papers is to prove the lineage and for resale value of the kids. If your only reason is milk, then I would make sure the goats not only have disease testing but a vet check. You want the vet to check the udder (very important for milk production), legs, teeth, etc.
Please keep in mind, if you are getting a goat, you need a minimum of two. Goats are herd animals and they have to have more than one. In addition, you need to keep your doe in milk which means you need to breed her every other year and have access to a buck.
There are many good breeders out there, but there are scammers as well. This animal will become a part of the family and your daily routine, it’s worth it to make sure you’re getting good stock. Best of luck!”
Outstanding advice!!????
Thanks for this excellent info, I did not buy this goat.
I cannot express how much I appreciate this article as we will be purchasing our first set of goats soon. Wish us luck & many blessings to you. ~ Annie W
I hope everything goes smoothly for you and you enjoy your goats.
Wish you for ur success.
I live in El Dorado County, Ca on five acres. At least 3 1/2 need tractor or goat maintanence . I want goats only for yard weed eating goats that don’t require milking , breeding and very little $ maintanence. ‘My eldest daughter can administer vaccinations if I can purchase meds from feed store for CL and other two conditions goats might catch. My goal is to fences installed and get water troughs installed. Then look for cheap goats that just eat weeds.
Yep. Then just make sure you’re getting healthy animals.
Bless you and your Goats
shelly westlund is a known con artist. rude and disrespect to others. she makes good first impressions but as you get to know her you see her true evil side. if you don’t trust me ask around town, or experience it for yourself. heed my warning she is very bad.
We went the registered goat route at first only to have spent a boatload of money. Unregistered goats are fine for homesteading, hobby farm, etc. We raise LaMancha’s and greatly recommend this breed. Excellent disposition, excellent mamas, great milkers. We have one buck (Mr.Stinky) who thinks he is a lap goat! And he weighs in at 200 lbs.!! He’s pretty cool????
Also, as mentioned by others, the most important aspect is your goats health. Anyone who balks at sharing vet info on your prospective purchase should make you walk away.
So all you really care about is MONEY…. What is the point of going fully sustainable, if you are now slaving yourself to another authoritative body like the ADGA? They are a sham. They are a bunch of 90 year old ladies that don’t get their paperwork right, EVER. A for what? So YOU can make more money off a kid?
TOP REASONS NOT TO REGISTER WITH ANY SHAM “REGISTRY”:
1) You pay upfront annual costs.
2) You pay for each animal registered, regardless if they are registered already.
3) You get paperwork errors from them, all the time, which costs YOU time and money.
4) You WILL NOT get more than a non-registered price for your goat UNLESS it places in show and the cost of showing.
5) Did I mention, it’s a scam?
Like AKC Purebred Dogs, there is absolutely no reason to join a goat association as a breeder. HOWEVER, YOU MUST tell the USDA that you’re a breeder, and YOU MUST register them with the state and get a LIVESTOCK tag.
Afterall folks, you are breeding livestock…. NOT PETS DAMMIT.
Dear blah,
Who doesn’t care about MONEY? It’s a useful tool and medium of exchange. And when I make a purchase, I certainly expect to get what I purchased.
If someone’s willing to lie about registry, how do you know they’re not also willing to lie about health records or other items? If they had sold the animals as unregistered, that would be a completely different set of circumstances.
Hello Sarah!! I strongly recommend Manna Pro kid replacer-I have have had excellent results with that product along with Manna Pro’s Colostrum. If you should need replacement or just fill in until kid and doe figure it out, these are outstanding products I have used with confidence.
Happy Kidding ????,goats are the greatest!!
Also anyone have a favorite Milk Replacer brand for a baby goat?
Many goat-owners do not recommend milk replacer due to the nasty ingredients. I used regular cows milk when goat milk wasn’t available and so did local breeders I knew.
So I’m buying a Mini Newbian goat from a friend this month, he was born on the 9th and I was going to talk to the seller about it being registered, this is very helpful, I could spend HOURS online reading everyone’s opinions that are just opinions but I feel strongly u know what you are talking about! I want to do this the right way, what exactly should I ask my breeder, how do I get it registered, if I’m planning on keeping him till he grows old do I really need to get him registered? If you have any more advice I would appreciate it!????????
Also please don’t sell my email address to other companies????
We never share or sell your email. I’m sure Amber will get back to you shortly.
I give this advice often about papers- if you have papers and choose not to use them, no harm no foul. But if you ever want papers in the future, there is no turning back if you never received them to begin with. Some of the things papers will come in handy with: tracking lineage, proving breed and blood-line, registering your herd with a goat organization, entering 4-H contest, county fairs etc.,selling offspring at a higher price and easier, there may be other reasons but that is the list off the top of my head. If none of this appeals to you, then my answer would be a big NO. You don’t need papers to have a healthy and happy goat herd.
Papers or not, the main concern is the health of your goat, make sure you get a full vet check for a clean bill of health and worm test.
Best of luck on your new adventure!
Wow, all of this could make a persons head spin!! I am a new homesteader. I recently purchased 17 chicks. I’m looking at ducks, goats and mules. All are for pets and eggs. Not sure which goat breed is best. I have several grandkids and want them to be comfortable petting and playing with the goats.
Would you suggest getting registered goats even tho they are pets and personal use of their milk???
Thank you!!!
Papers allow you to track the lineage and purity of a breed, they also allow you to command a higher price if you ever decide to sell the kids. If your children or grandchildren ever want to show your goats with 4-H or other county fairs, many require papers.
If none of this pertains to you, then no- you do not need papers. Papers or not, the herds heath is the most important. I would contact a vet for a full check up of your goats before purchase, it is worth the fee for peace of mind.
Nigerian Dwarf Goats are great for children because at maximum weight for a pure-breed they are 75 lbs and 22″ at shoulder height.
The down side, they are not heavy milkers. Max you can expect is 1 qt for a goat in milk. My friend raises Nubians and gets 1 gallon per- they are much bigger goats.
Keep in mind, no matter what breed you get you need to have a min of two, even if you own other animals.
Best of luck !
What is your advice in renting goats to clear a plot or two of property? How long would they clear bushes along the fencing? What is required for shelter? I’m not interested in keeping them just want my property cleared and was advised to buy two but I don’t want to buy them just want them to do a job.
Check out the article https://commonsensehome.com/homestead-goats/ for basic goat requirements. As for how much time would be required to clear the area, that will depend on the goats, the terrain and the vegetation. I’d try to find a local goat person you trust and work with them to meet your needs.
Thank you sooo much. This is very helpful, for me a first time goat buyer.
Being able to walk away from a deal with which you are not 100% comfortable— that is probably the hardest part. Especially once you have gone to see the goats( and we had driven about 3.5 hours to get there). This was not from a breeder, but someone who had lost a family member, and was overwhelmed with the farm and trying to thin herds. It was clear that the animals were not getting the best care, and so we wanted so much to help. And, of course, they are cute! We did buy the two we’d read about on Craig’s list, and have been very happy, fortunately, with our browsing pets. We only paid $75 each, though. Wow, does it sting to have spent hundreds of dollars and been so misled. Thank you, everyone who shared their cautionary tales.
Amber, thank you and bless you for doing this. It IS the right thing to do! I would like help… I would like to do likewise as you have done, but it would be in regard to miniature cattle. How can I post a similar article, warning others about the pitfalls in buying and breeding miniature cows? After ten years, we are giving up. MUCH to tell and it might help others and spare them the devastation we’ve endured 🙂 Nancy M
Nancy, sending you an email. – Laurie
I would love to hear what you have learned about the miniature cattle. I have debated for going on ten years, whether it is worth it or not.