You are correct on the timing of a pig. If you get one now, it should be butchering size by spring.
For meat you would want a barrow (neutered male) or a gilt (female).
This piglet will start out at 25-40 lbs now and be about 250 by February. Some people grow them out to 300-400 lbs for butchering.
We've raised several for FFA, and sending them to market was hard. They had so much personality and were smart. They eat and drink a lot, but I had no idea when we started what good pets they were.
Pigs need to be worked with when they are young. A tame pig is much easier to handle at 300 lbs than a wild one!
The smell factor is a big difference too. Goats have dry, pelleted poop and pigs poop is wet. We cleaned our pens daily to keep the smell down.
Goats are great pets too, especially the bottle raised ones, but they are herd animals, so you'll need several, and a very secure fence!
If you want the one that is easier to keep as a pet and cheaper to feed, I'd say goats.
