While the goats are doing a great job cleaning up the spurge, Foote and Duncalfe also realize secondary returns from sale of the offspring for meat. He is marketing most of them between 50 and 70 pounds. Demand for goat meat is steady especially for the eastern ethnic markets. The goats have now cleaned up a 30-acre pasture. Duncalfe said they found a small patch of spurge near the yard, and he couldn't get them out.
Costs remain low for goat herd maintenance.
They do regular vaccinations and worming as well as turn over the herd regularly, culling nannies at 6 years old. Costs of maintaining the herd year-round is offset by returns from gaining back lost pasture and sale of the kids. Now they are looking at the goats to challenge the expansion of ground cedar in their pastures. Foote and Duncalfe would recommend the goats to anyone with a spurge problem. They are looking at leasing goats to others with spurge problems.