The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Skirza on November 25, 2011, 06:24:50 pm
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So, the day dawned that I had really been dreading, our young billies were booked in to the abattoir for mid afternoon last Wednesday. I had given myself the 'pep' talk...they've had a good life, you don't know what's going to happen to them if you sell them, you didn't like the thought of pts at birth...blah blah blah and so they were duly loaded up and my OH and I set off on the 110 mile journey to our nearest slaughter house.
I was fine unloading them, the man who met us at the unloading bay was really sweet and kind, the pens were clean and there was no 'smell'. The boys happily went exploring the new environment and didn't seem at all stressed. So there I was, feeling fairly positive when the very nice man announced, 'I don't like doing goats, they seem such an intelligent animal'. OH GREAT, thanks a lot...there's me feeling all brave and he's getting wobbly!
Anyway, quick look back at the boys, (seemed fine but was probably a mistake) and off we went. A bit of excitement a mile down the road when we hit a road block (5 squad cars, the dog handler and a police motorbike) and a young man being escorted away from a crashed 4x4 and then we hit the road to home. 10 minutes later we were parked up in a layby unable to drive any further due to a certain amount of moisture in the optical area (yeah....we were in floods)
As the week went on we started feeling a little more positive about the whole thing and yesterday we picked up 3 boxes of nicely butchered and bagged meat.
This is our 1st ever meal using goat. Cooked in red wine and Ras el hanout with saffron rice. I have to say, it was delicious ;)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd396/skirza123/PICT0069.jpg)
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you did well x
what breed were they? and what weight did u get back?
theres not much meat on our bagots, tho they eat their heads off...lol
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:bouquet: :yum:
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Well done you :thumbsup: It's never easy but you can enjoy them knowing they had a good life and a useful end :)
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you did well x
what breed were they? and what weight did u get back?
theres not much meat on our bagots, tho they eat their heads off...lol
We had 2 BTs and 1 Saanan. They weren't very 'meaty' being dairy breeds but I was happy with the leg and shoulders we got. We also got some mince, the loins and liver and kidney and ofc, the ribs etc. They each weighed near on 20kg butchered so I was quite pleased.
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Well done! :bouquet: And enjoy the results! :yum:
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i would love to drink/eat goats milk and cheese, but i just dont like the "husky" taste, whether it was fresh from our goats or from supermarket.
is meat the same?
hats off to u though.
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Well done!! I think, so long as you have decided from the outset that the billies are for eating - and like you say, its a better outcome than letting them go on to an unknown, and maybe not so nice life ......its the right thing to do. That was a long journey to the slaugherhouse for you.
I like the taste of goat meat - for those who find lamb too fatty, you may prefer goat meat. Its darker coloured, but the Anglo Nubian is very lean with hardly any fat. OK, they are not gong to be as fat as lambs going for slaughter, but all the same there should be enough meat on most billies.
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It is always hard but so worth it :bouquet:
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Thanks for sharing - my first two go....maybe Jan/Feb :-\
You say you got 20kg meat - did they weigh live?
Mine were 30kgs a few weeks ago, usually don't take lambs til they're 40kgs, though may have to alter this now, with my new Shetlands :D
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Honestly couldn't tell you what they weighed live, as I say they were dairly breeds but quite nice and chunky. Born end of March so just coming up for 8 months old