“There’s a lot of ethic markets that prefer goat meat over any other kind, but we’re also seeing that goat meat is very healthy. It’s lean. It’s high quality meat.”

“We’re not even close to meeting the demand for goats in this area of Texas especially.”

“I talked with one gentlemen that is sending 700 goats a week to a slaughter house up in Tennessee, and he said I’m not meeting the demand.”

“We talk about the Hispanic market versus other markets, that may not be as big of an issue as we talk about the middle-eastern market, and the communities within these urban settings.”

Mike Vader raises goats in Washington County.

“Some of the different stores located in different towns, of course, are carrying goat meat on the shelf, so you can actually go in and buy a leg of goat or you can buy a goat loin or you can buy a front shoulder, and you can buy some of the different cuts of meat…and it’s not cheap.”

Eric Zimmerman is the Agrilife Extension agent for Brazos County, and says that goat meat isn’t the only thing driving demand.

“It’s big business in terms of breeding stock and wethers in the United States. All of these other states that have 4-H programs, they’re putting goat shows into their states as well.”

“The goat project or the meat goat show industry in 4-H and FFA is the second largest project in the state behind the swine project, it over took lambs.”

And sometimes with show goats, value like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

“Well, how much is that goat worth? Well, that goat’s worth a dollar and sixty cents a pound, in real market, but what do you perceive him to be as a purchaser for a show? Well, the sky’s the limit.”

I’m Joe Brown, looking at Brazos Valley agriculture, From The Ground Up.