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[Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>]

Now do you have a nearby butcher or are you having to transport some
> distance and what is their cut?
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I've got a guy about 15 miles from me who does slaughter and custom cut.
Meat comes back frozen and vacuum sealed. He gets $80 kill fee and 50 cents
a pound, hanging weight. I usually just add that into what my customer pays
me, not sure if that's legal or not. He is not USDA, so I technically have
to sell the cow to you live, etc.

How do the pigs and goats work out?
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I've tried pigs several ways, and I can't grow them out and sell at a price
that is anywhere near profitable. I just raise for me.

Keeping sows and a boar, even on pasture the need enough feed that I can't
break even. Piglets sell here for $80 or more, but corn is so expensive...
There is an old saying about buying the pig and buying the corn, you can
turn a profit. It's true! For some strange reason, you can buy a fully
grown hog at auction for pennies a pound. I care more about what goes into
my food to butcher a hog like that, but I can't compete with that and cheap
supermarket pork.

 I'm trying guinea hogs (have two young gilts for breeding). I'm hoping
that I might be able to keep two breeding sows and a boar, sell enough
piglets to help pay their way and since they are smaller, do the butchering
at home to save butcher fees. We'll see how that works.

Goats, I just keep a few for milk, brush clearing and then sell the
bucklings at 4 months or eat them. Usually, the price to sell them is good,
so I do that. Last year I got $90 a head for 3 month old bucklings. I'd
rather sell than eat at that price. I use the milk and make some cheese for
the house from the mothers, sell an occasional milker or doeling.

Rob - Va