|
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky’s goat population ranks sixth in the nation at an estimated 70,000 head as of January 1, the first time the hardy farm animal has been counted by the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service. The state was credited with 68,412 head two years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, following a meteoric leap from 16,223 in 1997.
Kentucky also ranks fifth nationally in meat and other goats with 63,500 head, up from 61,618 two years ago. Texas leads the nation with more than 1 million meat goats.
“The goat industry is one of the fastest-growing segments of Kentucky agriculture,” Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Kentucky’s topography, its climate, and its growing ethnic population make goat farming a tremendous opportunity for Kentucky producers.”
Ray Bowman of Franklin County, a goat farmer and president of the Kentucky Goat Producers Association, gave some of the credit for the increase to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s goat marketing specialist, Tess Caudill.
“With the leadership of the Department of Agriculture, we have one of the best marketing systems in the U.S.,” Bowman said. “Kentucky goat producers could not be better blessed.”
Caudill said she came up with the idea to market goats in graded sales, like cattle.
“We are grouping goats of similar quality and weight together and selling them in lots,” she explained. “It increases the competition for those kids, which therefore affects the price.”
Caudill said the department also sells goats over the telephone in Tel-O-Auctions.
Bowman attributed two factors to the growth in demand for meat goats: an increasing number of Hispanic and Muslim immigrants, and the superior nutritional value of goat meat.
“Eighty percent of the world’s population eats goat on a regular basis,” he said. “Cultures other than ours desire it, but there are not a lot of places you can go right now and buy it right off the shelf, other than some ethnic butchers.
“Goat is probably the healthiest meat you can eat, even better than chicken,” Bowman added, noting that goat is low in both fat and cholesterol. “People have a misconception about the palatability of goat. These are very, very young animals, and the meat is very fresh and tender, just not very juicy. I love it.”
--30--
|
