For goats

A tribe of goats

Not so very long ago it was difficult to buy goat meat, goat’s milk cheeses or goat’s milk in Australia. These days, with our vastly more multicultural population, these products are commonplace. Although local consumption has increased, the vast bulk of the products of goat farming are exported. In fact, Australia is the world’s largest exporter of goat’s meat.

All of which has seen something of an explosion in goat farming. The industry is diverse, however, ranging from bush goats captured and farmed for meat to dairy goats, and breeds bred and farmed specifically for fine fibres like cashmere and mohair.

Nor are all goats created equal. While there are anatomical and physiological similarities across breeds, there are also differences. Some of which affect the health care a particular breed may require. Industry bodies and breed associations are the best place to obtain detailed information on the farming of a specific breed, but the articles collected here provide an overview of the main health, management and welfare issues likely to affect these intelligent and friendly creatures.