The Australian goatmeat industry has experienced strong growth over the past 20 years with over 1.6 million goats processed in 2011-12. This growth has been largely supported by the sale of goats sourced from the rangelands which accounts for more than 95% of production. To support further growth in the rangeland goat industry, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has released a new tool, the Going into Goats: A practical guide to producing goats in the rangelands.
The guide has been developed by producers for producers with consultative workshops and property visits across Australia’s rangelands.
During this consultation, rangeland producers identified the specific production issues that influence their productivity and profitability and detailed the processes and procedures that they use to maximise the potential of their enterprises. This guide focuses on these issues so that producers can learn from other producers’ experiences.
Rick Gates from the Goat Industry Council of Australia and a rangeland goat producer in his own right said of the guide; “Improving the productivity and profitability of the rangeland goat production sector promises to deliver significant benefit to the broader industry, including non-rangeland goat producers, through the creation of a more robust and resilient industry. This resource aims to do just that.”
The guide has been developed as an e-learning tool meaning it can be updated whenever new information becomes available and is available at www.rangelandgoats.com.au It can also be downloaded as a pdf and printed.
The guide deals with the key issues that contribute to running a successful goat production enterprise in the rangelands as identified by leading producers from around the country. These issues are grouped into five sections within the guide:
- Business Management
- Infrastructure
- Animal Health and Welfare
- Grazing Management
- Marketing
The inclusion of 20 case studies illustrating the key issues covered within the guide brings together this valuable resource.
To access the resource, visit www.rangelandgoats.com.au