GOAT meat is becoming a booming business in North Queensland with breeders struggling to keep up with demand.
Bambaroo breeder Leeann Brace bought her first four Boer goats as a hobby four years ago, but due to the popularity of the meat now runs a successful business, Hillview Meat Goats.
“Because of the popularity of the goats we just got bigger, the amount of people interested in goats has tripled,” Ms Brace said.
“We virtually started from scratch, we borrowed a buck and started from there.
“Now we’re in a position where we have a waiting list because we can’t keep up with demand. People are prepared to wait six to eight months.”
Ms Brace has 17 females, with 12 expected to give birth any day.
She said demand for her Boer and Kalahari cross goats, was driven by hobby farmers in the North, and people who were wanting to breed quality meat goats.
“We were just overwhelmed with the amount of people coming in.
“There’s a lot of people who want to breed them with Rangelands to improve the quality of their stock.
“There's a big market for it now, you're looking at $5/kg live weight compared to cattle at $2.50, so a lot of people are realising the money that's in them and not just going out and shooting them, they're actually farming them.
“To build that muscle up in the goats they are breeding the Boer and Kalahari into the goats.”
Goats have a five month gestation period, and kids are weaned at three months, when they are sold.
Ms Brace said about 75 per cent of goats were sold as breeders in the North Queensland market.
Those that are deemed not up to scratch are kept at the property until they are butchered at nine months.
Ms Brace breeds her females every eight months and the girls generally give birth to twins or triplets.
But despite this, she is struggling to keep up with demand.
Ms Brace calls her goats the poor man’s cattle and believes the increasing popularity in livestock circles is due to their value, and quick turn over.
“They’re worth twice the money of cattle, and the turnover is quicker.
“It’s the new age meat, it’s got less cholesterol, less fat, more iron.
“They don't take as much to feed as a beast and they're more suited to people with smaller properties like hobby farms, if you've got five acres you could have six goats.”
Ms Brace feeds her goats pellets, grains and fresh fruit and vegetables.
“I feed pretty heavily here because we haven't got a lot of paddocks.”
Ms Brace sells goats throughout North Queensland and had buyers in Torrens Creek, Forsayth, Innisfail, Bluewater and Mareeba.
