Meat and Livestock Australia reported in 2017, Australian goat meat production hit 31,000 tonnes carcase weight, rising 4 per cent year-on-year, with the majority of slaughter animals sourced in rangeland areas of western Queensland and NSW.

Australia exported more than 90 per cent of production last year, with exports totalling 28,000 tonnes. This was a 6 per cent rise in volume over the year, but the value of exports grew by 28 per cent to $257 million, reflecting the increase in export prices.

MLA’s latest goat meat market snapshot indicated the US received two-thirds of Australian exports in 2017, with Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, South Korea and Canada also representing important markets. The Global Consumer Tracker 2017 suggested a number of other markets with latent demand for goat meat.

Ausgoat managing director Phil Lynn has grown, traded and processed goats for more than 20 years – his own goats and others sourced from a network of producers in NSW, Queensland and South Australia.

Mr Lynn said the majority of the goats he were rangeland or wild goats mustered and captured for slaughter, but more people were starting to breed the animals or manage their feral numbers behind wire.

“Many people use opportunity harvesting as a sideline to their main enterprise,” he said. “It’s very good extra income for them.”

Goats were low maintenance compared to sheep – no shearing, crutching, muelsing, fly problems or castration – and far more hardy.

“Goat prices for the past two to three years have been exceptional,” Mr Lynn said.

“Prices are sitting around $5 per kilogram over the hooks, but they did spike at $7/kg for a few months last year.  

“With lower input costs it brings them in line with fat lamb prices of about $6.20/kg, and better than mutton currently bringing about $4-$4.50/kg.”

Mr Lynn said as demand has increased over recent years, goats have become a mainstream enterprise, particularly in the Western Division. At the moment Mr Lynn said 18-20kg weaner goats were worth about $30-$35 in the west, but after growing out for 12 months, to around 35kg, could be sold for $75.

“Goats are not as fast growing as cross bred sheep, but they don’t eat as much either,” he said.

Ausgoat supplies a domestic abattoir at Cowra and an export works at Wodonga, as well as sourcing goats for re-stocking through direct consignment or from its goat depot in Glen Innes.