Australian Rangeland Goats

Farmers in the Australian state of Queensland’s are ramping up to capitalize on rangeland goat resources as the export goat meat market continues to expand to the US and Taiwan. The DPI&F is to host a goat workshop for interested and potential goat farmers at Joe and Fiona Owens’ Isisford district property, Gydia Park, on May 18. The invited speakers will present on subjects that include goat husbandry, goat handling, goat nutrition, along with domestic and export marketing and industry economics.

Helen Darlington who is the Yarrabee Boer goat stud principal will present her experiences on goat husbandry and goat production. The livestock nutritionist, Rachel Davison, will cover the subject of commercial feeding. Gallagher Fencing will talk about electronic fencing technology (a subject dear to my heart and subject number one in your plan).

In addition there will be people from the major goat processing organizations there to outline current domestic and export market opportunities. Western Queensland’s major goat meat processors are Western Exporters at Charleville and an abattoir located at Wallangarra. Meat and Livestock Australia’s goat industry fact sheet states that some 1,257,000 goats were slaughtered in Australia in the period 2004-05, with goat meat exports reaching 18,725 tonnes.