Number of goats in Chatham County increasing

Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:54:49 -0400
From: Sam Groce
Subject: RE:  goats

In the last 15 years the number of goats in Chatham County has increased tremendously.  Today I estimate that there are around 5,000 goats being raised in Chatham County.  The demand for Chevon or Cabrito (goat meat) has increased significantly also creating the demand for goat production.  Goats, like cattle, are divided into 2 use categories.  Dairy goats are mainly for milking and have a high milk production.  The milk is used for making cheese and soaps.  Meat Goats are the ones used for meat production.  Many of the meat goats that we see today in Chatham County have a Boer influence.  The Boer was first introduced from South Africa and found its way into the United States from Texas, where it was first introduced.

As for the question is my area appropriate for goats.  Almost any area is appropriate for goats.  Goats do prefer browse (woody leafy plants) over grass and will eat many broadleaf weeds before they will turn to the grass.  One of the biggest problems with goats are that they are considered to be the Houdini’s of the livestock world.  I jokingly but somewhat seriously tell folks that if they want to see a fence that I would give about 99% guarantee of keeping goats in that if they will go down Western Blvd. in Raleigh past NCSU campus and Pullen Park there is a facility there on the left (Central Prison) that I would give the 99% guarantee to, but even Central Prison I wouldn’t give a 100% guarantee to!

For more information on goats you can check out the NCSU meat goat web pages at http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/meatgoat/ahgoats_index.html

If you need information on the different breeds the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Department has an excellent on-line breed library at  http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goats/.

If you contact the Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension at 919.542.8202 I do have hard copies of some publications that are not available electronically as well as many of the ones available electronically that I can send about goat production and what you can expect as you build a herd of goats.

Sam Groce

Samuel E. Groce
Extension Agent – Agriculture
Livestock & Forages, Field Crops, Pesticide Coordinator
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
North Carolina State University
Post Office Box 279
Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312
Telephone:  919.542.8202  Fax:919.542.8246
webpage:  http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/

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