MIXED-farming takes on a new meaning for Mallala's Paul Blacket, who operates a goat-finishing business on his broadacre farm.
With his wife Claire, he crops 2225 hectares in a rotation of wheat, barley, lentils, beans and oaten hay.
He also operates Riverlight Goats, finishing rangeland goats and selling them direct to restaurants and butchers across mainland Australia.
Mr Blacket said the goat business was originally set up as a sideline to cropping.
"We started out with 15 to 20 goats a week to a few restaurants," he said.
He said that 20 years ago goats of unsuitable size for export were simply destroyed, which gave him the impetus to develop alternative market options.
"A friend and myself came up with the idea that there has got to be some use for them," he said.
"We started bringing some down to try and market them.
"We'd go to restaurants and butchers and ask if they were interested in getting goat on the menu or in the shop."
This was initially difficult because of unreliable supply and inconsistent size and quality.
"You tend to get thousands and thousands of goats over summer and then none the other six months of the year," he said.
"None of the restaurants wanted to put it on the menu if they couldn't rely on it."
So Riverlight developed its own quality control, to ensure it sent the right size and quality to the right customer, selling between 300 and 400 a week, depending on the season.
Mr Blacket said one of the motivators to go into goats was the chance - to an extent - to set a price and not be a price taker.
But, he gets a guide from international prices, with present high global prices a bonus.
"These prices are the dearest I've ever sold goats at," he said.
"At the moment they have reached $4.60 a kilogram (carcaseweight).
"Last year I was selling goats for $3.40/kg to $3.50/kg, so it's up quite a lot.
"It does make them more expensive to buy but it's great when the markets are going well."
Mr Blacket buys most of his goats from the pastoral region of SA, with some from western NSW and Vic.
He picks up goats throughout the state, putting them through Riverlight's 8ha feedlot - using home-grown hay and grain - for any that are in poorer condition or too small, then sorts the goats to fit the right market.
"We're able to get more cost-effective feed by using our own produce," Mr Blacket said. "We also know exactly what we're feeding them.
"We need to make sure we've got good-quality to keep our customers."
Mr Blacket said the benefits of the goat trade have been great for the pastoralists he works with.
"Twenty years ago they had to put these goats down, which is a terrible job, but now they're getting, between $20 and $40 for kid goats," he said. "A lot of guys average $50 to $60 for big goats.
"It's a win for the pastoralists, the trucking company, myself, the butcher shop, the whole chain of work for everyone."
His goat meat price is partly influenced by the season as well as the international market.
"Traditionally in summertime, when a lot of numbers start coming through, the price comes off," he said.
"But I don't think we'll see the days when goats were only worth $1-$2/kg.
"The export market is really what drives the goat market for sure. Internationally they seem to be screaming out for our Australian goat."