In terms of productivity, there is a lot of variation in the growth rate of Spanish goats. These improved Spanish goats are much larger and meatier than the average Spanish goat. Some producers have improved the stock by selecting for better muscling, more milk, or other criteria. These goats have been referred to as "brush" goats in some regions, because of their use in controlling brush. Living in the wild gave an advantage to smaller stock, because they needed less food. Survival of the fittest insured that the breed became hardy, good foragers, and good mothers. The Spanish breed has developed through natural selection from goats first placed in Texas in the early 1540's by Spanish explorers.
Crosses of any of the above have value in meat production as well. There are some newer breeds such as the Savannah and Scandinavian ridgeback, but currently they have limited animal numbers. While most dairy goats provide meat, the Nubian breed is used to improve milk production and frame size of meat goats. Angora and cashmere goats are raised for their luxury fibers, but also provide meat. These are the Spanish, Boer, Myotonic and Kiko. Therefore, it is very important to select stock by their individual merits and not simply by the breed.Īlthough any breed of goat is a meat goat because most end up as meat, there are four major meat goat breeds that are raised in large numbers specifically for the production of meat. For instance, some individuals within a fast-growing breed will actually grow more slowly than some individuals of a slow-growing breed. Note that the characteristics listed are what the breed is known for, but within each breed there is a great deal of individual variation. As a beginning goat producer you need to identify specific breeds by name, appearance, and general characteristics. One of the first decisions about raising goats is which breed or breeds to raise.
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