Sales & Reservation Policy

Sales and Reservation Policy

Registration

• ADGA & AGS: Our Nigerian Dwarf goats are registered with the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) and the American Goat Society (AGS).

• Kid Registration: Doe and buck kids will be registered online with ADGA and/or AGS at our expense.

• Transfers: Registered does and bucks will be sold with properly completed transfer applications for both ADGA and AGS. Registration papers and transfers will be handed over at the time of pickup after full payment is received. It is the buyer's responsibility to submit the transfer papers and pay the associated association fees.

• Identification: Kids will be tattooed prior to pickup.

• Performance Homes: We love seeing our goats in performance homes! Please let us know if you participate in linear appraisal, DHIR milk testing, or show programs.

Reservations & Payment Terms

• Retentions First: Reservations and waitlists are managed at our discretion and will be honored after we have determined our herd retentions.

• Reservation Process: To establish a reservation, a purchase agreement must be completed and placed on file with Duckwater Ranch. Once all herd retention decisions are finalized, buyers on our waitlist will be contacted in the order received. 

• Deposit Deadline: Buyers will have 72 hours to submit the required deposit once notified. If the deposit is not received within that timeframe, the kid may be offered to the next buyer on the list.

• Deposit Amount: A non-refundable $100 deposit is required to hold a goat and remove them from public availability until pickup.

• Payment Methods: Deposit invoices are sent via PayPal and can be paid using PayPal, credit card, or debit card.

• Remaining Balance: The remaining balance is due prior to or at the time of pickup (or before goats leave with a transporter). Balances may be paid via PayPal, credit/debit card, or cash. Livestock will not leave the premises without full payment.

• Deposit Refunds: Deposits are non-refundable except in the unlikely event that your reserved kid dies or becomes unviable while in our care. In that event, your deposit may be transferred to another available unreserved kid or applied toward a future breeding reservation.

• Herd Environment: Goats are herd animals. Single kids will only be sold to homes that already have goats or where two goats are purchased together. Moving is stressful, and we strongly recommend purchasing kids in pairs so they have a familiar buddy during transition.

Herd Health & Management

• Vaccinations: We do not administer the CDT vaccine to our herd. Buyers wishing to vaccinate should consult their veterinarian upon taking possession.

• Biosecurity & Testing: We conduct annual biosecurity testing for CAE, CL, Johne’s disease, and Q-Fever to maintain a clean, health-monitored herd.

• Rearing & Weaning: Kids are primarily dam-raised unless otherwise noted. All kids are trained to accept a bottle or lamb-bar for DHIR test days.

  1. If a buyer is experienced and comfortable bottle-feeding, kids may leave prior to 10 weeks of age.

  2. Otherwise, weaning begins at 10 weeks, and kids will be ready for their new homes between 10 and 12 weeks of age.

• Wethers: Bucklings destined as wethers will be banded prior to leaving, starting as early as 6 weeks of age.

• Disbudding & Horns: All horned kids are disbudded within 2 weeks of birth.

  1. If a buyer requests that a kid remain horned, we must be notified at birth, and full payment must be received within one week of birth.

  2. The only other circumstance in which a kid will remain horned is due to specific health considerations during the disbudding window. Animal health and welfare are our highest priorities.

• Does in Milk: Milking does may leave for their new homes only when one of the following conditions is met:

  1. The doe's kids are reliably taking a bottle/lamb-bar for daily feedings.

  2. The doe's kids are fully weaned.

  3. The doe and her kids are purchased together.

• Health Guarantee: We ensure all animals are healthy and receiving proper care before leaving our farm. Because stress and environmental changes can affect health once an animal leaves our care, we make no health guarantees after the goat has departed the property.

Transportation & Pickup

• Arrangements: The buyer is responsible for making all transport arrangements.

• Out-of-State Buyers: Out-of-state buyers are responsible for obtaining required CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) health certificates and covering any associated veterinary fees.

• Timelines:

  • Transport arrangements for kids must be finalized before they reach 10 weeks of age or by the agreed-upon pickup date.

  • Adult goats and fully weaned kids (over 10 weeks) must be picked up within 7 days of deposit placement.

• Boarding Fees: If pickup or transport does not occur within the agreed timeline, a boarding fee of $10 per day will apply. Boarding fees must be paid in advance and are subject to Duckwater Ranch's availability and discretion.

• Transporter Logistics: We are happy to coordinate with professional haulers. If scheduled in advance, we can meet transporters at the nearest major highway junction.

• Local Delivery: Delivery must be arranged and approved at the time of reservation. Delivery is available for locations between 12 and 50 miles away for a flat $50 fee. For distances between 50 and 80 miles, an additional charge of $0.73 per mile applies for the extra mileage beyond 50 miles.

• Transit Liability: Duckwater Ranch is not responsible for injuries, illness, or stress acquired during or after transport. We encourage buyers to have basic immune-support supplements and supplies on hand to help goats adjust.

First Right of Refusal

If you decide to sell your Duckwater goat at any point in the future, we kindly request the First Right of Refusal to purchase the animal back at fair market value.

Implied Consent

Placing a deposit or purchasing an animal from Duckwater Ranch indicates full agreement with and acceptance of these sales terms.

Policy Updated 7/24/2026