Question re goat meat please...

[Little Quacker in OR]

Hi! I just watched a nice program on TV about meat goats. I know we have Boers here and there over the valley so I know people do raise them here in Oregon. I like goats and find them interesting creatures, pretty too!

But, where is the market for meat goats? Who actually eats goat? I am familiar with veal, lamb, etc but have never seen kid or goat meat packaged for sale. Who buys it?

Just curious here, I know a market must exist as people do sell these goats.

Thanks, LQ

[mpete]

I just got started with my boer herd and have already had 4 inquiries just by neighbors word of mouth. Some buy it for cultural/religious reasons/holidays, some sell it to restaurants (in So.Cal I hear it is becoming quite popular in stew). If you ever have a problem selling meat on the hoof, just take it to an auction. The local meat shops here offer chevon on occasion, too.

[Ezrandi]

my family loves goat meat.. I have only recently found a processor near by.
I should be buying one this fall from one of the local herds for the freezer.

Until then we buy our Goat meat at the local carniacera and the meat market.
the meat market only sold cubed goat meat, but I like the leg and shoulder meat too.


Eventually I will be raising my own.

[mygoat]

It's tasty stuff. Even if you raise it just for yourself, it's worth it. Start with good stock so you can sell the doe kids for breeding stock, and possibly even the occasional exceptional buckling.

[Goat Servant]

Who eats goat meat? Over 70% of the worlds population!! Just about everybody except most white Americans. Yeppers, your local Hispanic market would have it and maybe Asian market as well.
McPete wouldnt the resturant business need to have a regular large steady source?

[RiverPines]

Originally Posted by Goat Servant

Who eats goat meat? Over 70% of the worlds population!! Just about everybody except most white Americans. Yeppers, your local Hispanic market would have it and maybe Asian market as well.
McPete wouldnt the resturant business need to have a regular large steady source?

Yup!!!!
And I am one if that 70% but I dont buy the meat, I raise my own.

[mpete]

I hear there is a place down south that slaughters about 300 head of goats a week, and they do it in the muslum way, too, if ordered.... I was really suprised to hear that, but you're right, Americans have commercialized so much of our society that when you say "goat" people take a step back.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Major metropolitan areas will have a large enough ethnic population to provide a market for goat meat.

We have friends in west central Texas who raise Boers and provide goat meat for one of the big food chain stores.

[pookshollow]

Around here it seems to be the Italians and Filipinos - at least that's who is buying from my neighbour. There is a large population of migrant farm workers here in the summer - Mexican and Jamaican - so once I get my meat goat operation up and running, I might see if I can find a market with them.

[Goat Servant]

Pookshollow be prepared to deal. Set your prices somewhat higher than what you will get out of them. It is customary for ethnic groups to wheel & deal so give yourself room.
I was not aware of this at first.

[pookshollow]

Wouldn't surprise me. Although I sold one last year to a Filipino couple and they didn't bat an eyelash at my price - they usually buy from my neighbour and he had nothing, so they were rather desperate.