DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Victorian Resources Online - Goulburn Broken

Meat Goats

There has been a significant increase in interest in producing goat meat in the more intensive agricultural areas of south east Australia, since the introduction of Boer goat genetics in the mid 1990’s. These animals are being crossed with feral, Angora, Cashmere or dairy goat females, to produce animals with faster growth rates and higher carcass dressing percentage. Until recently most goat meat came from “harvested” feral goats from the pastoral areas, but these supplies are being rapidly depleted.

There is increasing demand for goat meat, both on domestic and export markets, with an increasing percentage being for higher quality cuts from carcasses with more exacting specifications.

As well as being very competitive with other grazing enterprises in terms of profitability, goats offer an extra advantage in being complementary with other grazing enterprises due to their different grazing habits (browsers rather than grazers).
Meat Goats
First cross Boer kids near Ruffy

There are about 100 landholders running goat flocks in the Goulburn Broken catchment, varying from 50 to 1000 head, although most currently run less than 200 head. Because there are a large number of farmers with low numbers for sale, there is a need for them to work cooperatively together to ensure processors receive the larger even lines of supply they require.

This map of biophysical suitability for Meat Goats has been developed by the Centre for Land Protection Research, DPI. It applies to the dryland parts of the Goulburn Broken region. The map has been developed using the Most Limiting Factor method. The factors and critical values used for determining the biophysical suitability are shown in the table below.

Please refer to Important Notes about these maps.


Factors and critical values used for determining the biophysical suitability for meat goats (Boer):

FACTOR
CRITICAL VALUE
High probability of being suitable
Moderate probability of being suitable
Low probability of being suitable
CLIMATE
Average annual rainfall
> 600
< 600

SOIL
Salinity (discharge site)
absent
present

Soil drainage (surface & sub-surface)
Moderately well drained (4), Well drained (5), Imperfectly drained (3), Rapidly drained (6)
Poorly drained (2)
Very poorly drained (1)


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