Goat meat is in demand
Over the 40 year history of Canadian Western Agribition, the show has served as a Canadian launch pad for new livestock species. Many have gone by the wayside over the years, while a few have thrived. While they never garnered big attention like bison, Boer goats have followed a similar trajectory. Breeding stock for these meat goats was introduced back in the 80s with prices as high as $20,000 for a single animal. Agribition was the first place a lot of us ever saw a Boer goat, but the breeding market bubble deflated and the industry was sideswiped by BSE. In recent years, a strong market for goat meat has developed, based largely on a growing population of Canadians originating from countries where the meat is a staple in the diet. With live weight prices of $1.40 to $2 a pound, meat goats certainly aren’t a get rich quick scheme, but an increasing number of farms are finding goat production to be family-friendly as well as profitable. It helps that goats can eat a lot of plants that cattle can’t, include Leafy Spurge and Canada thistle. It also helps that goats are not as predator prone as sheep and that the does typically give birth to twins. Unlike wild boars and ostriches, Boer goats have been a success story. I’m Kevin Hursh.