A 370 pound goat lives at NatureWalk Ranch Boer Goats, Brooksville, Florida. It's a male South African Boer show goat named Braveheart. And its on the lean side according to ranch owner Jeff Huffman.
The Huffmans' goats are primarily for shows or breeder stock but they do have some commercial stock for meat.
"You can make more money per acre on goats than you can with cows," says Tammy Lodato of Soaring Spirit Ranch. And Huffman agrees. Last year he sold goats to a cattle rancher in Sanford who had 300 head of cattle. The rancher said he could make more money on 100 head of goat than he could on cattle.
Goat meat is the most eaten meat in the world, according to Huffman. In 2011, he saw goat meat for sale at Miami Publix stores but because of goat meat shortages they had trouble keeping up with demand.
Most meat goats have a 38 to 40 percent carcase yield (meat left after you get rid of all inedible parts) but Boer goats have a 60 to 70 percent carcase yield.
"The goat business is in its infancy in America," Huffman says.
Huffman offered one word of caution if you are planning to keep Boer goats on your property. "They have to have shelter. They cannot be out in the rain especially if it is cold because in four days they will have pneumonia and in six days they'll die."
To find out more about NatureWalk Ranch Boer Goats, Go to www.NatureWalkboergoats.com
To find out more about Soaring Spirit Ranch, go to www.soaringspiritranch.com
The Huffmans' goats are primarily for shows or breeder stock but they do have some commercial stock for meat.
"You can make more money per acre on goats than you can with cows," says Tammy Lodato of Soaring Spirit Ranch. And Huffman agrees. Last year he sold goats to a cattle rancher in Sanford who had 300 head of cattle. The rancher said he could make more money on 100 head of goat than he could on cattle.
Goat meat is the most eaten meat in the world, according to Huffman. In 2011, he saw goat meat for sale at Miami Publix stores but because of goat meat shortages they had trouble keeping up with demand.
Most meat goats have a 38 to 40 percent carcase yield (meat left after you get rid of all inedible parts) but Boer goats have a 60 to 70 percent carcase yield.
"The goat business is in its infancy in America," Huffman says.
Huffman offered one word of caution if you are planning to keep Boer goats on your property. "They have to have shelter. They cannot be out in the rain especially if it is cold because in four days they will have pneumonia and in six days they'll die."
To find out more about NatureWalk Ranch Boer Goats, Go to www.NatureWalkboergoats.com
To find out more about Soaring Spirit Ranch, go to www.soaringspiritranch.com
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