1. Target marketing of slaughter goats
by Pinkerton, McMillin, Herr, Stanton
• Definition: target-marketing is a management
scheme in which portions of one’s herd are
bred to produce kids that will reach desirable
age/weight/condition (as defined) for sale at
predetermined times
• Target-marketing may not be a logical strategy
for all producers because of agro-climatic
considerations and other issues

2. Implementing a target-marketing program
• Why? To take advantage of seasonally higher
prices due to supply/demand imbalances
• When? Premium prices for slaughter kids
occur in the ‘winter quarter’; see below
• Where? The major sales venues are those that
supply packers in the northeast and mid-west
• What sort of goats? See handout
• How? See below

3. Seasonal variations in market prices
• Refer to handout showing sources of variation
• Seasonal variation, figure 1
• Annual variation, figure 2
• Weekly variation, figure 3
• Live grade, figure 4
• Sale weight, figure 5
• Sales venues, figure 6

4. Price variations, continued
• Differential price responses to weight
category; see figures 7 and 8
• Differential price responses to live grade; see
figure 9
• Differential pre-sale sorting practices at San
Angelo, Nashville, and New Holland; see
handout

5. Economics of seasonal marketing
• Winter prices typically average 25-30% higher
than Jun/Oct lows; holiday spikes higher?
• Are these premium prices worth pursuing?
• Only if the increased revenue exceeds the
associated costs by some measure
• First, calculate the returns to your current
production/marketing scheme (this is
sometimes a bit too thrilling/chilling.

6. Economics, continued
• Secondly, estimate the cost-benefits accruing
to targeting winter markets
• Income will be higher on the same weights
• Production costs of spring breeding/fall
kidding for winter sales may be higher
• These costs are rather site-specific and only
you can decide your optimum alternative;
compare fall vs ‘other’ kidding times

7. Logistics of seasonal production/marketing
• To target winter markets (mid-Nov/late Apr):
• Breed in Dec/Jan and kid in May/Jun; assume
ADG of .33 or 10 lb/mo, plus birth wt, less 3-
4% shrink; estimated sale wt 70-80 lb?
• Breed in Apr/May and kid in Sep/Oct; assume
same ADG, BW, and shrinkage; estimated sale
wt in Feb/Mar 65/75 lb?

8. Logistics of holiday marketing
• Refer to the Handout for planning breeding
schedules to optimize target holiday weights
• This can be both promising and dicey; you can
do very well or, on occasion, you can blow it,
depending on precise timing and on
competitive numbers at the same sale
• Forward contracting may reduce uncertainty,
but proceed cautiously

9. Obstacles to spring breeding/fall kidding
• Not all does will cycle in spring; some do so
‘naturally’, but some need hormonal
manipulation via management decisions.
• Mid-Dec/mid-Feb lighting (20/24 hrs/day),
followed by 4/6 week hiatus, followed by
introduction of ‘lighted’ bucks will USUALLY
result in April/May conception rate of 75-82%,
but there are no guarantees; breed
differences? Individual differences?

10. Estrous induction and synchronization
• Non-cycling does may be induced to cycle via
hormonal manipulation with vaginal sponges;
unfortunately, this is currently illegal here
• Cycling does may be synchronized to breed in
a very narrow window, 4-6 days, for
management convenience/target marketing
using Lutalyse (1-2 cc/hd on day 1; another 1-
2 cc/hd on day 10/11; estrus will occur 2-4
days later; conception rates will be 80% plus

11. Continued
• Caution: if you are selling market kids, au
natural, the use of endocrine products to
induce, or even synchronize, estrus may
render the resulting kids unacceptable to
certain buyers/consumers
• I have heard that eating such kids will render
one sterile or, worse, impotent/disinterested,
and can alter your DNA. On to New Holland…

12. Summary
• Consider winter sales of market kids if it
appears economically feasible and if it
fits your particular management scheme
• Use only a portion of your herd to ‘try’
this novel production/marketing strategy
• Breed yearlings late or use early-weaned
does end of presentation