Abstract This study aimed to review goat production systems in Texas and identify gaps in our knowledge about producer demographics, herd distribution, herd management, and herd composition. A survey consisting of 47 questions was developed and reviewed by agricultural professionals for this purpose. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α, with values approaching 1.0 indicating strong internal consistency. The survey included sections covering demographics, herd management, and herd composition. Surveys were distributed to goat producers through the American and Texas Boer Goat Associations and through Texas A&M AgriLife Extension via email, social media, and mail. Only respondents located in Texas were included to ensure regional representation. Efforts were made to obtain proportional responses from each region of the state. Data collection occurred from May to July 2025 after Institutional Review Board approval in December 2024. Data was analyzed with SPSS, using a level of significance of 95%. Results indicate that the average goat herd size was 30.22 ± 5.091. Herds consist of 18.04 ± 2.70% one-to-three-year-old goats, and 5.60 ± 0.98% were six years or older. Generally, breeders kept bucks for 2.59 ± 0.90 years. The greatest concerns identified by goat keepers were theft (65.1%), predation by stray dogs (14.0%), and predation by hawks and wild hogs (4.7%). About 54.9% of respondents reported no predation problems. Producers make use of guardian animals, namely guard dogs (47.8%). Only 37.9% of goat keepers deworm goats regularly, and only 4.9% deworm them monthly. Only 48.9% of producers make use of fecal egg counts. Macrocyclic Lactones, Benzimidazoles, and Levamisole, represent the most used dewormers (24.5%), while 19.8% used Macrocyclic Lactones and Benzimidazoles. About 48.4% of producers treated internal parasites with a combination of a dewormer and anthelmintic. A concern is that 25.3% of producers reported internal parasite problems despite deworming their goats regularly. The findings from this survey will be used to conduct a follow-up to model goat production in Texas. As the leading U.S. state for goat production (USDA, 2024), Texas producers can benefit from research-based guidance on herd health, nutrition, and land use for goats. Reference: USDA. (2024). Sheep and Goats Report. National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Justin M McGriff (Wed,) studied this question.