Goat Industry An Overview of the Goat Industry

Goat Industry An Overview of the Goat Industry in Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Scott Register September 2006

Objectives Students will be able to: Explain the importance of the goat industry in Georgia. n Explain the significance of the three categories goats are utilized for. n Identify key facts about each of the three categories. n Name 5 or more of the 13 major goat breeds. n Name the top three goat producing counties. n

Why is the goat industry important? • Most of the goat industry in Georgia is in the meat market, but worldwide more people drink goat milk then cow milk. • Goats were one of the first domesticated animal. • There are over 2 million goats in the US, half are meat goats. • Georgia has the second largest meat goat population surpassed only by Texas.

Goat Products Goats are classified into 3 main types 1. Meat 2. Dairy 3. Mohair Within each category there are several common breeds

Dairy Goat Breeds There are 6 major dairy breeds Alpine La. Mancha Nubian Oberhasli Saanen Toggenburg

Dairy Goats • More goat’s milk is consumed worldwide than cow’s milk. • Goat milk has a more easily digestible fat and protein content than cow milk. • A dairy doe may be milked the same way as a dairy cow with either a machine or by hand • The same care is taken for the milk and the doe as taken with a dairy cow. • Goat milk is used for drinking, cooking and baking. • It is used to make cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, candy, soap and other body products. • Goat milk is whiter than whole cow milk. Therefore, products made with it are white, but may be colored during processing.

Meat Goat Breeds There are 5 major meat breeds Nubian Boer Pygmy Spanish Myotonic

Meat Goats • Goat is the most highly consumed meat in the world. • Meat from goats is known as chevon. • It is a very popular product worldwide, and gaining popularity in the US. • A major challenge facing the meat goat industry is the need to create a wider range of products that will appeal to more (or newer) clientele consumers while still meeting the needs of existing consumers.

Mohair Goat Breeds There are 2 major dairy breeds Angora Cashmere

Mohair Goats • The mohair goat is a variety that originated in Turkey, centering around the region of Angora. • The average goat in the U. S. shears approximately 5. 3 pounds of mohair per shearing and are usually sheared twice a year.

Goat Production in Georgia In 2004 the counties with the most: Average Value Head of Goats (total Nannies) 1. Carroll 5, 700 2. Coffee 5, 000 3. Laurens 5, 000 4. Atkinson 4, 800 5. Banks 4, 000 6. Tift 3, 000 7. Meriwether 2, 500 8. Screven 2, 500 9. Warren 2, 500 10. Habersham 2, 250 1. Carroll $570, 000 2. Coffee $500, 000 3. Laurens $500, 000 4. Atkinson $480, 000 5. Banks $400, 000 6. Tift $300, 000 7. Meriwether

Interesting Facts • Goats were domesticated as early as 7000 BC. They were brought to North America with sheep in the early 1600's. • A goat has only two teats for milking whereas a cow has four. • Many people who are allergic to cow's milk can digest goat's milk without difficulty. • Goats most commonly give birth to twins.

Assessment 1. Name 5 or more different breeds of goats. 2. Which of the following is the most accurate about the number of goats in the US? A. 1 Million B. 2 Million C. Less than 1, 000 D. Over 1 Billion 3. One half of the total goat population is used for ______. A. Milk B. Wool C. Meat D. None of these 4. Georgia has the second greatest goat population second only to____. A. California B. Texas C. Florida D. Indiana 5. What are three most common categories that goats are classified as? 6. More goat milk is consumed worldwide than is cow milk. A. True B. False 7. As compared to cow milk, goat milk is______. A. Whiter B. Darker C. Cleaner D. Dirtier 8. Worldwide, beef is the only meat that is consumed more than Goat. A. True B. False 9. On average a mohair goat produces ______ pounds of wool per shearing. A. 2. 4 B. 20. 4 C. 10. 6 D. 5. 3 10. Name three of the top 5 goat producing counties in Georgia.

Quiz Key 1. Alpine, La. Mancha, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen, Toggenburg, Alpine, Nubian, Boer. Pygmy, Spanish, Myotonic, Angora, and Cashmere Angora, Cashmere 2. B. 2 Million 3. C. Meat 4. B. Texas 5. Dairy, Meat, Mohair 6. A. True 7. A. Whiter 8. B. False 9. D. 5. 3 10. Carroll, Coffee, Laurens, Atkinson, and Banks

References http: //www. georgiastats. uga. edu/crossection. html agalternatives. aers. psu. edu/livestock/meatgoat/meat_goat. pdf http: //members. tripod. com/~duhgoatman/dgi. htm