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Got goats???????
Northwest Alabama Livestock Monthly Goat Sale
By
Don Linker
On
February 15, 2007, goat breeders from Northwest Alabama met with Jim
Martin, manager at Northwest Alabama Livestock in Russellville, to
discuss the feasibility of having a monthly goat sale.
After
discussing several pertinent questions, they agreed to begin with the
first sale on March 3 at 1 o’clock, with subsequent sales being the
first Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. Northwest Alabama Livestock is a
full service livestock facility with a large amount of great seating,
professional staff, super restaurant and plenty of parking. All sales
are broadcast live on the internet. |
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There were 215 goats at the first monthly goat sale at Northwest Alabama Livestock in Russellville.
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Goats
were once considered cleanup artists. If you had some land with
undergrowth, you might put goats in that area to eat the weeds and
brush, hence the name brush goats. Now with the influx of large meat
breeds and the interest in goat milk, goats have found a niche in meat
and dairy agriculture. Goats are ideal for small acreages and are very
adaptive to modern goat management practices. A market for goats like
the one in Russellville will be a plus as it will give goat producers
another way to market their animals close to home.
According
to the National Agriculture Statistics Service, goat numbers have risen
3% nationally to 2.93 million head as of January 2007. In Alabama, as of
January 2007, meat goats showed a 5000 head increase over 2006 for a
total of 48,000 head. Dairy goats also show an increase of 10% to 2000
head in Alabama. These numbers indicate the interest in goat agriculture
in Alabama and should continue to rise with more people becoming
involved in the industry. |
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On
Saturday, March 3, just two weeks after the inception, the Northwest
Alabama Livestock held its first monthly goat sale. Two hundred and
fifteen goats of many breeds went on the auction block with the bulk of
the offering being Boer, Boer percentages, and Boer crosses. Bidding was
brisk as an almost full house of buyers from Mississippi, Tennessee and
Alabama vied to get the winning bid. The average price per head was an
impressive $51.05, with select nannies going back to farms in the area.
Buyers and sellers alike are very excited about the outcome of the
auction and are committed to the continued success of this venture.
Jim
Martin is also committed to making this auction a viable market for goat
and sheep breeders in the Tennessee Valley. You can contact Jim at
256-332-3323 or visit on the internet at www.nwalivestock.
com for any
questions you may have about the monthly goat sales or the regular
Monday livestock sales. |
Cheyenne Martin, seated on the rail, helps keep things running smoothly in the auction ring. |
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Remember
your local Co-op carries all the supplies you need for sheep and goats
from fencing to feed, minerals, and health care.
Don
Linker is an outside salesman for AFC. |
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