Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Recent trends have fueled yet another boom in goat milk consumption: consumer desire to
avoid foods containing additives and bovine growth hormones (BGH), a mushrooming de-
mand for foods that are 100 percent natural, and a growing appreciation by gourmet chefs,
who use goat milk to enhance recipes. Meyenberg products are currently available in 90 per-
cent of U.S. supermarket chains, as well as through leading health-food distributors and
stores. Its farms and facilities produce more than 20 million pounds of goat milk annually,
and its lines of distribution stretch around the world.
Goats are an easy-to-keep species because they have minimal housing needs. They eat little
grain, but they do need good quality hay and pasture. One big advantage of owning goats is
that they will eat many weeds and brush that cattle will not consume. However, contrary to
popular belief, goats will not eat tin cans or garbage. Such items may actually prove to be a
health hazard to goats, and they should not be given access to these non-food items.
Goats are curious animals, and they love to explore their environment with their lips and
tongues. They are very smart and will search fences, gates, gate latches, and their living quar-
ters for an escape route from confinement. Because of their nimbleness and good sense of bal-
ance, they are high climbers and can even climb over fences. Low tree limbs surrounding pens
or pastures also provide another escape route for goats.
Goats are a versatile animal in terms of providing humans with food and fiber. Their meat is
popular around the world, and the Boer goat is a popular meat goat. Dairy goats provide milk,
which can be substituted for cow's milk for people with allergies. Goat's milk is made into
cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream. Unlike cow's milk, goat's milk is naturally homogen-
ized, and the fat stays suspended in the fluid. Goat milk has a slightly sweet taste. In terms of
fiber, Angora goats give plenty of mohair, up to 15 pounds yearly, to be woven into fine cloth-
ing articles. Likewise, each mature Cashmere goat yields about 9 ounces of soft cashmere
wool each year.
Breeds
Before you decide on a breed of goat, you will want to determine what you want to achieve
with your goats. Are you primarily interested in goats for milk? Do you want to raise goats for
meat? Some breeds of goats are more suited for meat production, and others are high-milk-
producing goats. Goat breeds vary with weight and size. This is important when considering
your pasture availability. Smaller goats will take less pasture to maintain weight. However,
you might sacrifice on meat quantities with a smaller goat. Smaller dairy goats might give less
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