In recent years there has been a strong trend in the U.S. for the consumption of farm fresh products. According to industry-wide studies, this also holds true for ethnic markets as well. Most ethnic consumers originated from countries where meat does not travel very far or for a very long period of time. They either buy their meat daily at the local market or process their own meat at home for immediate consumption. Food storage in many countries is not as developed as it is here in the U.S.; therefore people from these areas are accustomed to fresher foods. They bring those preferences with them when they immigrate to the U.S.
There is a significant difference in the price of imported frozen goat meat vs. fresh domestic goat meat, the latter being noticeably more expensive. The difference in price is due largely to the fact that goat meat imported from New Zealand and Australia is the result of the periodically harvesting of feral goats. Producers in these countries have almost no cost in these animals. This puts them at an advantage where price is concerned. Here in the U.S., our domestic goat meat is more intensively managed, thus costing the producer more to get the goats to market.
In this writer’s opinion, U.S. producers could benefit from raising goats under more range-type conditions in many areas where there is available land to provide adequate grazing to meet the health and nutritional requirements of the animals. This would mean more intense culling of less hardy animals that need more care.
Superior motherability and the ability to kid unassisted in the field would also be valuable traits for this type of operation. Corn and other grains are reaching record prices due to the production of bio-fuels. It is imperative that farmers in all fields of animal production enhance grazing practices as an alternative to offset high grain prices.
These practices would lower the cost to the producer, enabling them to sell at a more competitive price. Studies have shown that consumers buying fresh goat meat actually prefer the flavor and texture of goats raised on pasture as compared with grain-fed goats. This is due in part to the fact that pasture-raised goats are leaner. Grain-fed goats have a tendency to develop more fat due to the concentrated feed stuffs.
Dr. Richard Stock of The Business Research Group at the University of Dayton in Ohio led a study on ethnic consumer preferences for meats with an emphasis on Halal products. Consumers who participated in this study indicated that, when given a choice of fresh or frozen goat meat, they would buy fresh, if they had a supply of good quality product. In fact, 85% of consumers in this study indicated that they would consume fresh goat meat on a weekly basis if readily available at affordable prices.
When asked if they were willing to pay more for fresh vs. frozen, most participants said they would be willing to pay more for fresh because of the superior quality of the meat. When meat is frozen and then thawed, the moisture within the cells of the meat is compromised. As the meat thaws, it releases the moisture (or water) in its cells. As a result the meat becomes drier and less tender. The longer meat is frozen, the drier and less tender it becomes. Flavor in frozen meat is also affected over time. These factors result in a product that requires longer cooking times.
The study also asked consumers how important the following attributes were to them when buying meat: antibiotic-free, hormone-free, organic, humanely raised, freshness and Halal. Freshness headed the list for the majority of the participants (tied with Halal, for Muslims).
Consumers in this study also indicated that they liked the convenience of fresh goat meat. Currently fresh goat meat is not available in many areas. Therefore many consumers travel to major metropolitan areas where they buy frozen goat meat in whole or half carcass quantity. Travelling to these markets takes up time as does getting the meat home, cutting it up and packaging it to be re-frozen. If fresh meat were available in the neighborhood grocery store, they could buy it in smaller quantities and desired cuts similar to any other kind of meat.
Many consumers preferred fresh meat because they like to be able to “feel” the meat. The older a goat is, the more fibrous the meat becomes, resulting in less tender cuts. Color and aroma of the meat are also indicators of the age of the animal. Young goats have a pale red color and mild odor; therefore, the darker the meat and stronger the odor, the older the animal. Consumers like to examine the fresh meat so they feel confident in the product being young and freshly processed. In fact, they like the fresh product so much that, in areas where fresh meat is available, they will often call the market to ask when the delivery dates are. Many place their order early to pick up the meat when it is the freshest. The majority of consumers consider fresh meat as being more desirable than the frozen imported variety.
Although consumers clearly prefer fresh to frozen, they are very price conscious. Most families today live on tight budgets. The goat industry as a whole would benefit from the development of management practices to insure that we can compete with the lower priced imported meat year-round. This concept would make it possible to sell fresh goat meat to consumers on a regular basis instead of the product being considered a splurge for special occasions. It is counter-productive for our industry if fresh goat meat is only available sporadically.
Close attention must also be paid to consumer preferences for the product. There is definitely a large market for fresh goat meat. The information obtained through consumer studies would suggest that U.S. goat producers clearly have a superior product when compared to frozen imported meat and would greatly benefit from developing marketing strategies to get a bigger piece of the pie. When producers pool together, a more consistent supply can be accomplished year-round at lower costs to the individual producer. Buyers and processors want to know that they can count on the number of goats they need in consistent supply. Working together in organized producer associations is one way we can accomplish these goals.