Rangeland goat solutions require diplomatic handling

I've heard many stories about the days when goats would sell for $1 or $2 a kilogram, but also got to witness the rise to more than $10/kg - when goat returns were at lamb levels.

There are numerous stories of goats keeping pastoral properties ticking along during drought, with this particularly focused along the SA/NSW border.

With returns for goats dropping significantly recently, it has created concerns about how to ensure numbers don't get out of control in pastoral lands.

This becomes a big problem when the cost of harvesting and removing the animals may work out as more than can be made by selling them.

But, as is the case in the kangaroo conversation as well, simple destruction seems a massive waste.

The notion of leaving a potential protein source as waste does cause some discomfort.

This becomes even more evident after listening to a recent talk on how much food is wasted in Australia and how many people are starving throughout the world.

The best case scenario would be for markets to grow again, to get those returns that these animals deserve.

But this can't happen overnight, as anyone who has been working in this field can attest.

There are many people working to make this happen, and a lot of people hoping they can get it right.