Range Developed Meat Goats

At Brewster Ranch, our journey with range meat goats began as a practical solution to an environmental challenge. The lower Nowood River bottom, with its thick brush and hard-to-reach areas, was overrun with invasive species like Russian olive, bindweed, pigweed, and wild licorice. Concerned about these weeds' impact on the land and dedicated to sustainable management, Mark and Kate introduced goats for natural weed control. Starting with just 20 does, we quickly saw incredible results. Today, our herd has grown to over 100 full-time does, and we are thrilled with their progress in reclaiming the land and restoring native vegetation.

Our goats are a blend of Boer, Savanna, and Spanish genetics, carefully selected for adaptability, maternal instincts, and hardiness. While Boers are known for their high meat yield, they often lack resilience and strong mothering traits. Through rigorous culling and selective breeding, we’ve developed a herd that thrives in the rugged conditions of Wyoming’s lower Nowood River bottom. Any goat requiring worming is culled from our program, and we do not trim hooves—our goats are expected to perform and maintain their health naturally.

We also focus on pasture kidding to maintain hardiness and self-sufficiency in our herd. Our does kid outside and are not jugged; they are expected to care for their kids independently and return to the herd. This method reinforces strong maternal traits and produces resilient offspring that can thrive without intervention. By culling any does that fail to meet these expectations, we ensure that our herd continues to improve in both hardiness and productivity.

By incorporating Spanish genetics, known for their hardiness and strong maternal abilities, we’re enhancing the resilience of our herd while maintaining the Boer influence for excellent meat yield and grade. Our goats graze on brush, weeds, and native forage, making them an efficient, low-maintenance tool for land management.

Sheltering in calf shelters and natural brush during winter, these goats contribute to sustainable ranching practices while offering an efficient solution for brush control. At Brewster Ranch, we’re committed to raising livestock that embodies quality, adaptability, and stewardship of God’s creation.

Whether you're looking to manage invasive weeds, expand your herd with hardy, maternal does, or source high-quality meat goats, our range meat goats are ready to meet the challenge.

Goats with Goals!

Naturally Raised and Low-Maintenance: Our goats thrive on native forage with no grain supplements, hoof trimming, or routine worming. Only the hardiest goats stay in the program.

Docile and Easy to Handle: We prioritize selecting for calm, gentle temperaments, making our goats easy to manage and handle. As a cattle-focused operation, we don’t have extensive goat fencing or specialized facilities, so we’ve had to “make do” with what we have. The docility of our goats has been key to successfully integrating them into our ranch, ensuring low-stress handling and efficient daily management.

Efficient Weed Control: Proven success in tackling invasive species like Russian olive, bindweed, pigweed, and wild licorice, helping restore native vegetation with sustainable methods.

Resilient Genetics and Strong Maternal Traits: Selective breeding and rigorous culling ensure hardy does with excellent mothering abilities, capable of pasture kidding and raising resilient offspring.

Excellent Growth and Meat Quality: Despite their hardiness, our goats maintain strong Boer influence, ensuring they grade and yield well. We select for feed efficiency, focusing on goats that grow well on forage alone. We do not grain our goats at any point in the year. Some of our goats have even gone on to win daily rate-of-gain contests at the county fair!

Liter Size Expectations: We have averaged 1.8 kids per doe for the last 3 years. While this is a solid standard for range-based operations, our goal is to consistently achieve a 2.0 average while keeping our herd on pasture. To achieve this, we hold our does to high maternal standards. Only first-time mothers are allowed to raise singles—experienced does are expected to produce twins and care for them efficiently.

Livestock Guardian Dogs: To protect our herd, we rely on Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs). These dedicated dogs live alongside our goats, providing round-the-clock protection. Their presence not only deters predators but also allows our goats to graze and kid with confidence. Our LGDs are essential partners in our operation, allowing us to raise livestock in these tough environments without compromising safety or productivity.

Moderate and Efficient: We focus on raising moderate-sized does to ensure efficiency in our range operation. While large does may produce heavier kids, they often require more resources and struggle to thrive in rugged conditions. Our moderate does are hardy, efficient foragers, and capable of maintaining body condition on native forage alone. This balance between size and efficiency allows us to maximize productivity while minimizing inputs, keeping our operation sustainable and profitable.

Our faithful Guardian dogs are truly the only reason we can make running goats work!