Goats are the most popular animals in the world, and goat meat and goat milk are the world’s most widely consumed of all animal products. Globally, goat production numbers have been increasing by 12% annually; however, the world import volume has been increasing at an annual rate of 8%, according to the Goat Industry Council of Australia from 1999 to 2005. Goats are popular with small holders because of their efficient conversion of feed into edible and high uality meat, milk, and hide. Goats are also used as holistic tools for land vegetation management and fire fuel load control. With proper grazing management, goats can eliminate noxious weeds, restore native grasses, and prevent fires through fuel load reduction.

Goats are the most versatile animals, too. Their products are used more extensively than those of any other species. Currently, they rank third in the world’s domestic ruminant livestock after cattle and sheep. Their products including meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, hides, leather, mohair, and cashmere rank high in nutrition and apparel for millions of people worldwide.

Goat production has been gaining popularity in the United States in recent years for several reasons, primarily because of the growing population of ethnic and faith-based consumers who traditionally prefer goat meat.

The U.S. imported more than 11 million kg or about 24 million lbs. of goat meat in 2006. The national estimates, based on import data only, indicate that the U.S. has a deficit of more than 750,000 goats in meeting current demands for goat meat; however, estimated demand, based on growing ethnic populations, likely far exceeds that number. Ethnic populations and faith-based (Muslim) consumers in the U.S. have increased more than 100% during the last decade, and this change may provide a great opportunity for meat goat producers and the entire industry. These groups of immigrants have a strong preference for goat meat and will add to the opportunity for this sector of agriculture to grow. The meat goat industry has yet to realize its full potential in the U.S. I believe the industry will develop in much the same way as beef did when European breeds were imported to the U.S. more than 50 years ago. As we import improved meat goat breeds such as Kalahari and Boer from South Africa and Kiko from New Zealand, I predict these new breeds will help advance the goat industry. The potential of hybrids or composite goat breeds is yet to be known. In addition, value added strategies may transform the goat meat industry as fast food restaurants and steakhouses helped change the beef industry.