Goat meat production, composition, and quality

Goats are prolific and resilient small ruminant livestock with a wide ecological adaptation. Production and consumption of goat meat are low despite the importance of the species, but this sector has huge potential to supply food for a growing human population. Goat meat serves as a major source of meat in developing countries while it is less popular in western countries. Nevertheless, the perceptions about goat meat are changing due to the health benefits of the consumption of lean meat with reduced fat and cholesterol content. Scientific research has been conducted on the quality and composition of goat meat as well as management, feeding, and genetic aspects of goat meat production. It is clear that, in future, goat production will have to focus on the use of technologies to improve productivity and efficiency. Improved transportation, pre-slaughter management, and optimum slaughter weights and conditions are essential to ensure consistently high quality meat from goats. The purpose of this article is to review goat meat production, composition, and quality.