Who isn’t excited when someone wants to buy your goats!! Remember how excited you were with your first goat purchase? Ah, memories………all those little hooved bundles of love you just had to have.
So, let’s talk about what happens, or should happen, before you sell or buy that hooved little cutie. We’ve already covered some thoughts in our Internet Goat Dreams blog. Ok, so you have a buyer, YEAH! Now what? This is the hard part, we feel very strongly that knowing what the buyer NEEDS is far more important than what the buyer WANTS.
Our mantra has always been ‘Just because a kid CAN be registered, doesn’t mean they SHOULD be!’ Well, we’ve added another mantra, ‘Just because you CAN sell, doesn’t mean you SHOULD sell!’
OK, you have a potential buyer, now what? Money isn’t everything…..yes we know, it sure is nice, but there are more important things than selling all your kids. So let’s talk about some of those things…
So, let’s talk about what happens, or should happen, before you sell or buy that hooved little cutie. We’ve already covered some thoughts in our Internet Goat Dreams blog. Ok, so you have a buyer, YEAH! Now what? This is the hard part, we feel very strongly that knowing what the buyer NEEDS is far more important than what the buyer WANTS.
Our mantra has always been ‘Just because a kid CAN be registered, doesn’t mean they SHOULD be!’ Well, we’ve added another mantra, ‘Just because you CAN sell, doesn’t mean you SHOULD sell!’
OK, you have a potential buyer, now what? Money isn’t everything…..yes we know, it sure is nice, but there are more important things than selling all your kids. So let’s talk about some of those things…
Standards & quality, genetics, care & responsibility, preparedness, and even happiness.
These are all things that should be considered, and discussed, before you cash that check. Here are some examples of our thoughts and what we think about before we sell…….
Let’s use a cute little bundle of boy hooves as an example for what we are talking about………
These are all things that should be considered, and discussed, before you cash that check. Here are some examples of our thoughts and what we think about before we sell…….
Let’s use a cute little bundle of boy hooves as an example for what we are talking about………
STANDARDS & QUALITY……
You have a buyer needing a buck and of course you have him! What does the buyer need from a buck? Do they need to improve the stockiness of their lines? Are they wanting to improve udders? Will the buckling you have do that? Think about what his sire has and hasn’t done in the past. If you know his sire doesn’t add stockiness to the line or improve udders, should you sell this buckling?
Now say this awesome looking fella that someone wants to have, has a dam with no rear width and/or problems with her foreudder. Do you sell that buckling intact or do you lose a sale and wether him? As a seller, these are decisions that we have to make. Regardless of how much someone wants that buckling, he has to be a wether. But by talking to a potential buyer, they’ll be happy you where honest.
A tough decision to make, but one we have made before. If your buyer doesn’t even know what they want to improve in their herd – that would be a concern to us. We want our buyers to make good choices, just as we try to do. So if a buyer isn’t asking those questions, or telling you more than ‘I want a buck’, then it’s up to you as a seller to do that.
GENETICS…..
Your buyer just has to have that ‘flashy’ buckling. You check online and see the pedigree of the animals they already have. You find that the lines are very closely related. Do you still sell this buckling or do you talk to the potential buyer about a different buckling that has a more diverse gene pool that would be better for their breeding plans? At this point we wouldn’t sell that buckling…….with the expense of shipping, CVI, transportation, etc., it wouldn’t be the best option for a buyer to get a buckling that wouldn’t give them the genetics they need to continue breeding long term. Let’s face it, genetics are important. Culling is hard, but a necessary part of line-breeding and not everyone is capable of making those hard calls. We would never want to sell half siblings to use in breeding. Be honest with your buyers, and yourself, someone has to make those hard calls – if not them, then it better be you.
CARE & RESPONSIBILITY…….
They want your buckling!! Are they ready for it? Often times we have buyers that want a buck, because everyone else has one. It will be so fun! Really? Ok, those of us that have bucks, know a thing or two about the extras that come with having Big Boy. Not everyone is really ready for extra housing, separate pens, the unique way our boys romance the girls. If you have bucks you already know what we’re talking about. We find that all the excitement goes away when buyers understand what having a buck on site REALLY means. So, have we lost out on a sale? You betcha! We would rather have an informed buyer than a buyer who doesn’t understand what they are getting into. We, ourselves, want a seller to talk to us about what they want and need. Before we buy, we want sellers that will tell us everything there is about their lines. If a seller won’t, then we won’t buy from them. We definitely don’t want a phone call a year from now about how miserable having a buck is!!! Goats can live for a long time in the right environment. Years of enjoyment is far better than years of disappointment.
PREPAREDNESS……
Are they ready for goats? As a seller, it’s important to us to know that the buyer is really prepared. Not only do we want them to understand about their responsibility, the care the animals need, we want them to be prepared for both. How is the housing lined up? Fencing? Feed? Is their foraging available or just a paddock? Do they have a vet lined up? An experienced goat mentor? What happens if they get sick? Is everything in place or are they just in the planning stages now? These are all very important things to discuss whether you are a buyer or a seller. You would be surprised how many people haven’t thought everything through. We, ourselves, have learned a lot since our first goat purchase. But being prepared tells us so much about the buyer. We know their ready and that our goats will have a good home.
HAPPINESS…..
Finally, this is just as important to us, we want goats that will be happy here or where ever they go. If people are willing to spend the time, effort, and money to get goats….we want goats that they will be happy with. Do your best to match the kids to what your buyers NEED and WANT before you sell. If the fit isn’t right, speak honestly with the buyers – even if that means sending them elsewhere. We expect that from a seller, so how can we do less for potential buyers?
So you have buyers, YEAH!! Now time to talk………talk about what they really need, ask them questions. Talk to them about your lines, not just your kids. Will you lose a sale? Sometimes you will. We have refused to sell from time to time. Our goal is to make sure the animals we love go to homes that will love them. Our goal is to match each kid to the right buyers. You would be surprised at how many people will wait for kids from you, just because of your honesty. Some will just go buy from someone else……but that’s ok too.
In the end, our animals are far more important than the sale…….
Think about this as well. If as a seller, or buyer, you have concerns about a sale, or purchase, listen to your gut……why are you concerned or uncomfortable? There is a reason the proverbial ‘red flags’ are waving.
Ultimately, it’s important to make sure our amazing Kinder goats promote the breed. Selling goats, just to sell goats, doesn’t benefit us, as sellers, or those buyers wanting Kinder goats so badly. By being careful sellers and buyers, we make sure our amazing Kinders will always be just that….amazing KINDERS!
So you CAN sell that kid, but SHOULD you?
Blessings
Brenda Lee
You have a buyer needing a buck and of course you have him! What does the buyer need from a buck? Do they need to improve the stockiness of their lines? Are they wanting to improve udders? Will the buckling you have do that? Think about what his sire has and hasn’t done in the past. If you know his sire doesn’t add stockiness to the line or improve udders, should you sell this buckling?
Now say this awesome looking fella that someone wants to have, has a dam with no rear width and/or problems with her foreudder. Do you sell that buckling intact or do you lose a sale and wether him? As a seller, these are decisions that we have to make. Regardless of how much someone wants that buckling, he has to be a wether. But by talking to a potential buyer, they’ll be happy you where honest.
A tough decision to make, but one we have made before. If your buyer doesn’t even know what they want to improve in their herd – that would be a concern to us. We want our buyers to make good choices, just as we try to do. So if a buyer isn’t asking those questions, or telling you more than ‘I want a buck’, then it’s up to you as a seller to do that.
GENETICS…..
Your buyer just has to have that ‘flashy’ buckling. You check online and see the pedigree of the animals they already have. You find that the lines are very closely related. Do you still sell this buckling or do you talk to the potential buyer about a different buckling that has a more diverse gene pool that would be better for their breeding plans? At this point we wouldn’t sell that buckling…….with the expense of shipping, CVI, transportation, etc., it wouldn’t be the best option for a buyer to get a buckling that wouldn’t give them the genetics they need to continue breeding long term. Let’s face it, genetics are important. Culling is hard, but a necessary part of line-breeding and not everyone is capable of making those hard calls. We would never want to sell half siblings to use in breeding. Be honest with your buyers, and yourself, someone has to make those hard calls – if not them, then it better be you.
CARE & RESPONSIBILITY…….
They want your buckling!! Are they ready for it? Often times we have buyers that want a buck, because everyone else has one. It will be so fun! Really? Ok, those of us that have bucks, know a thing or two about the extras that come with having Big Boy. Not everyone is really ready for extra housing, separate pens, the unique way our boys romance the girls. If you have bucks you already know what we’re talking about. We find that all the excitement goes away when buyers understand what having a buck on site REALLY means. So, have we lost out on a sale? You betcha! We would rather have an informed buyer than a buyer who doesn’t understand what they are getting into. We, ourselves, want a seller to talk to us about what they want and need. Before we buy, we want sellers that will tell us everything there is about their lines. If a seller won’t, then we won’t buy from them. We definitely don’t want a phone call a year from now about how miserable having a buck is!!! Goats can live for a long time in the right environment. Years of enjoyment is far better than years of disappointment.
PREPAREDNESS……
Are they ready for goats? As a seller, it’s important to us to know that the buyer is really prepared. Not only do we want them to understand about their responsibility, the care the animals need, we want them to be prepared for both. How is the housing lined up? Fencing? Feed? Is their foraging available or just a paddock? Do they have a vet lined up? An experienced goat mentor? What happens if they get sick? Is everything in place or are they just in the planning stages now? These are all very important things to discuss whether you are a buyer or a seller. You would be surprised how many people haven’t thought everything through. We, ourselves, have learned a lot since our first goat purchase. But being prepared tells us so much about the buyer. We know their ready and that our goats will have a good home.
HAPPINESS…..
Finally, this is just as important to us, we want goats that will be happy here or where ever they go. If people are willing to spend the time, effort, and money to get goats….we want goats that they will be happy with. Do your best to match the kids to what your buyers NEED and WANT before you sell. If the fit isn’t right, speak honestly with the buyers – even if that means sending them elsewhere. We expect that from a seller, so how can we do less for potential buyers?
So you have buyers, YEAH!! Now time to talk………talk about what they really need, ask them questions. Talk to them about your lines, not just your kids. Will you lose a sale? Sometimes you will. We have refused to sell from time to time. Our goal is to make sure the animals we love go to homes that will love them. Our goal is to match each kid to the right buyers. You would be surprised at how many people will wait for kids from you, just because of your honesty. Some will just go buy from someone else……but that’s ok too.
In the end, our animals are far more important than the sale…….
Think about this as well. If as a seller, or buyer, you have concerns about a sale, or purchase, listen to your gut……why are you concerned or uncomfortable? There is a reason the proverbial ‘red flags’ are waving.
Ultimately, it’s important to make sure our amazing Kinder goats promote the breed. Selling goats, just to sell goats, doesn’t benefit us, as sellers, or those buyers wanting Kinder goats so badly. By being careful sellers and buyers, we make sure our amazing Kinders will always be just that….amazing KINDERS!
So you CAN sell that kid, but SHOULD you?
Blessings
Brenda Lee
RSS Feed
