Market for goat meat reflects changing tastes / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, April 16, 2007

By Mark Scott - The Manhattan Mercury

April 16, 2007

David Mayes/The Manhattan Mercury

Boer goats like these are one of the meat varieties of goat, a growing industry in Kansas. These goats are being raised on a farm near Manhattan.

Manhattan — The nation's changing demographics - and particularly the recent influx of several immigrant groups - is expanding a historically small market for Kansas ranchers: goat meat.

Without the benefit of a flashy slogan or major marketing campaign, the industry is rapidly carving itself a spot right along the beef and pork markets. Demand for the meat has grown with the growth of Middle Eastern, Asian, African, Latin America and Caribbean populations, each of which buys goat meat and is willing to pay higher prices for a quality product.

The Kansas Meat Goat Association, founded in 2000, numbers around 100 members. Beth Gaines-Riffel, editor of Grass and Grain weekly newspaper, and her family have been in the goat meat business for about nine years and have witnessed the growth.

"I used to travel quite a bit for my job, and you'd see a pack of goats in southeast Kansas," Gaines-Riffel said. "Anymore, you don't have to drive very far to see meat goats popping up."

As of Jan. 1, 2006, the total number of milk goats and kids in Kansas totaled 23,000 head, up 5 percent from 2005, according to a Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service report. Figures for the goat meat industry were not even compiled by KASS prior to 2005.

In 2006, the country's goat inventory totaled 2.8 million head, up from 2.5 million head in 2005, according to the KASS report.

Nutrition information compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows a 3 oz. serving of cooked goat as 122 calories, 2.6 grams of fat, 23 grams of protein, and 63.8 milligrams of cholesterol. The same size serving of chicken has 162 calories, 6.3 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein, and 78 milligrams of cholesterol. Similar servings of beef and pork were even higher in all these categories.

"Goat is one of most healthy meats you can find," Diane Hess, president of the Kansas Meat Goat Association, said.

Some goat meat experts describe the taste as similar to lamb, but with a slightly sweeter taste.

Discussion

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16 April 2007
at 9:17 a.m.

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GSWtotheheart (Anonymous) says…

I don't want to ever eat goat's meat.

that's baaaaaaaaaad
16 April 2007
at 9:21 a.m.

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prioress (Anonymous) says…

Goat good! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm……..
16 April 2007
at 9:49 a.m.

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ljreader (Anonymous) says…

I guess the market for goat meat “among the several immigrant groups” probably explains the thefts of kid goats reported in the area.
Maybe the welfare office should start issuing vouchers for goats so these thieves can enjoy their customs without ripping farmers off.- God forbid they pay to feed their own families- they have their money earmarked to send out of the country.
Thieves really get my goat.
16 April 2007
at 10:19 a.m.

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jrlii (Anonymous) says…

A trend fence builders & suppliers surely like 'cause that three wire fence that works OK for cattle won't even slow down a goat. I foresee many miles of new fence.
16 April 2007
at 1:11 p.m.

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pelliott (Anonymous) says…

I like goat meat, first time I had it was in Texas, ill prepared and tough, didn't try it again for years. Had it served to me in Lawrence, it was wonderful. Great flavor. I now know how to cook it. I have learned to like a lot of different foods, but I had to leave my bias at the door.
LJReader , funny thing i hated your creepy hate remarks, don't consider them valid comments, your just too kkk for me.