AN ANALYSIS OF SEASONAL MEAT GOAT PRICES AT A TENNESSEE GRADED AUCTION
Applied Research
John Campbell
EXTENSION AREA SPECIALIST
Lewisburg
Abstract
\r\n Producers of market livestock, including meat goats, can often use seasonal price data, both to target the time of year for sales and to select specific sale dates within a shorter time frame. Analysis of meat goat market data has been limited. Market price data from a twice-monthly graded goat sale was analyzed to study seasonality of prices for two weight classes of market kids in three grades. For every grade and weight class, seven-year average individual sale prices were higher than the annual average from January through the first sale in May and in both sales in December. The lowest prices generally were in June and July. Individual sale averages for Selection 1, 35 to 50 pound kids, were 105.04, 115.39, 117.47, 118.75, 114.25, 108.86, 110.49, 106.24, 103.39, 99.29, 92.75, 84.32, 86.05, 88.17, 87.85, 93.24, 89.91, 89.68, 82.99, 94.89, 94.58, 111.80, and 113.03 per cent of the annual average respectively. Sale prices above the annual average were usually during times of higher demand and shorter supply. Lower prices often corresponded with higher sale volumes. Price variation as determined by standard deviation was larger for the sales with prices above the annual average. The standard deviation for individual sale averages were 34.406, 39.632, 40.03, 25.368, 39.842, 39.953, 34.133, 20.643, 18.266, 21.545, 22.560, 18.045, 20.356, 22.003, 30.809, 32.144, 16.857, 28.460, 30.208, 17.621, 23.620, 32.683, 34.941, and 50.880 respectively. The other weight range and grades revealed similar results. This data indicates that goat producers can achieve higher sale prices by timing sales.
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Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: J.C. Campbell
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Campbell, J. Area Farm Management Specialist, University of Tennessee Extension, Tennessee, 38402