SC - Kid Slaughtering age

[Philippa Alderton]

Niccolo skrev:

>I knew I should have sent this right to you. . . forgive my lack of
foresoight!  >How big a carcasse are we talking about at 6-9 months, and
about how much >meat?  I'm thinking it couldn't be more than 15 pounds total
carcasse dressed to >roast.

Well. that's problematical. You see, there are a large number of varieties
of goats available, and they vary considerably in size. You could get a
Pygmy at that age, and have a roast about the size of a rabbit, or you could
get a larger breed, and have a roast the size of a small horse.

Basicly, if you've got a good butcher, you can expect a carcass about half
the size/weight of the animal on the hoof. Goats, as a general rule, being
rather lean, will be on the lower end of the weight scale- sheep and calves
somewhat higher, pigs somewhere even higher, depending on how much fat you
develop on the animal. You also need to decide how much of the carcass
you're going to use.

When we did the rabbits for Ras' feast (Will's Revenge), we used the basic
carcass plus selected innards, for his dressing. When we did the lamb at
Pennsic last year, we used rather more- I did the head, Ras used the
testicles, Badger made a Haggis, the blood, some intestines and connective
tissue got thrown away, but I'd bet we tossed less than 5 lbs of offall,
because we had uses for the hide, the feet, and almost everything- much the
same happened when I butchered the veal calf for MK Coronation.

My suggestion to you, is to get a goatling, preferably a wether, about twice
the size of the amount of meat you intend to feed your guests, and make sure
there's plenty of other stuff to feed them, just in case you're not as
efficient as others might be. Now is a good time to buy a goat- last stock
sale I was at, none of them, regardless of size, went for more than
$30/head. Wish I was closer to you- I'd be happy to help, with buying,
butchering, and whatever.

Phlip

Nolo disputare, volo somniare et contendere, et iterum somniare.

phlip at morganco.net

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

"All things are poisons.  It is simply the dose that distinguishes between a
poison and a remedy." -Paracelsus

"Oats -- a grain which in England sustains the horses, and in
Scotland, the men." -- Johnson

"It was pleasant to me to find that 'oats,' the 'food of horses,' were
so much used as the food of the people in Johnson's own town." --
Boswell

"And where will you find such horses, and such men?" -- Anonymous