Raising Meat Goats

Much of the demand is generated by the changing ethnic demographics of the continent. About 63% of the red meat consumed worldwide is meat goats! Much of the raising goat meat demand in the United States comes from ethnic groups that include Middle Eastern, Asian, African, Latin American and Caribbean heritage. Most of these groups buy goat meat whenever they can find it, and they are willing to pay better prices for higher quality meat.Raising meat goats is profitable.

What is so special about chevon (goat meat)? Many people have digestive problems that require a careful diet. The molecular structure of chevon is different than that of other meats. Therefore, chevon digests more easily. It is also a low fat, good tasting alternative to chicken or fish. I am one of those people who have to watch what they eat. I can eat chicken, some kinds of fish, turkey and chevon. I prefer chevon from an animal that is at least 75% Boer. The Boer influence changes the taste of the meat to a milder, more veal-like flavor. When you have as few choices in your diet as I do, you learn what you like. I have not had the opportunity to try Kiko or Fainting goat meat. My comparisons are with dairy goat meat.

The Direct Market Niche and the Commercial Meat Herd In our area, if you put out the word that you are raising meat goats and have them for sale, you usually have enough calls to sell your animals right off your ranch. I get about $1.00 per pound on the hoof. I have had other raising meat goat breeders tell me that they can get more for goats with Boer blood. This is a good example of one way to market your goats - find a profitable direct market niche.

One of the most popular market niches in the raising meat goat industry today is the direct market. A `direct market' is a group or type of buyer that will come directly to your ranch to buy from you, for a specific reason. There are many direct market niches for meat goats. I have already suggested one type of direct market niche: the ethnic meat market. Another direct market niche involves the growing trend in the 4-H and FFA clubs to raise meat goats. One of the most profitable direct market niches supplies Chevon to the local restaurants that are serving an ethnic clientele. Another direct market niche is the market for raising goat meat breeding stock. Commercial meat breeders will usually pay about double, for breeding stock, what you might have expected to receive for the same animal by the pound.

Many breeders are now working together, in cooperatives or associations, to meet large commercial sales contracts. These contracts supply the meat markets on the east and west coasts of the United States, and require a supply of high numbers of animals, of a consistent quality, on a regular basis. At this time, much of the meat for these contracts is being imported because there just are not enough meat goats in the United States to supply the contracts.Dah! start raising meat goats,their problem solved.

In many areas of the country, slaughter houses are being constructed specifically for goat meat. However, almost none of the goats being processed at these facilities are actually meat type goats. There are just not enough meat goats being raised, which are not pre-sold to direct markets, to supply a production facility.

Full Blooded Meat Goats

There are several types of meat goats: Boer goats, Tennessee Fainting Goats, Kiko goats, and 'Spanish' goats. However, only three of these are true breeds with breed associations and standardized meat breed characteristics. These are the Boers, Kikos and Tennessee Fainting goats. The 'Spanish' goats are an indigenous goat of the southern United States. There are a couple of breeders who have done a terrific job of breeding these animals up into a very good meat animal. However, no registry or breed standards have been developed at the time of this printing.

Boer goats are large framed animals resembling, in many ways, the Nubian goat. The most striking difference between a Boer goat and any other type of goat you may have seen, is the size. A Boer is a large, double muscled animal developed in Southern Africa specifically for meat and hardiness. They can consistently produce more muscling in less time than any other breed of goat, and will pass this capability to their kids. Boers are vibrantly colored and relatively uniform throughout. They are easy to raise, have mild temperaments, are affectionate, require no milking, no special care, no shearing, and no fancy fences. Boers and Boer crosses also have huge rumen capacity. The Boer goats were developed to clear land that was too difficult to be cleared by humans. They spend a lot more time grazing than other types of goats do. One reason for this, is that they are out grazing in the heat of the day when dairy goats are wilting in the shade. They are also out grazing when the snow is blowing across the pasture. They will graze and thrive on ground that will not support dairy goats without supplementation.

The Kiko goat is a recent development of a New Zealand company called "Goatex Group LLC". These hardy goats were developed as a result of a government funded project to get the native goat population in New Zealand under control. As part of this project, in the 1970's, many goats were hunted and killed, and thousands more were captured to cross with angoras. Some of the native goats confined during this project exhibited enhanced characteristics for growth and meat production. The members of Goatex isolated these animals and began to cross them with hair and milk goats to find a combination that would yield the best results in both hardiness and meat carcass production. The resulting breed was called "Kiko" meaning "meat for consumption" in Maori.

Full blooded breeding animals are a whole different industry from the raising meat goat production industry. However, the two are very closely tied. When you take a look at what you want to raise, you might consider adding at least a few quality full bloods to your operation. If the meat industry in your area blooms and expands, there will be more demand for good full blood meat goats. We are heading into an era of serious raising goat meat production.

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