Goat meat makes up a big part of all red meat eaten globally and Manawatu's Brendan Squire wants a share of that market.
The 20-year-old, who has been breeding goats since he was 14, has a flock of more than 300, mainly Cashmeres.
But in the past three years, he has been
building up a Boer flock. The fast-maturing South African breed has the potential to feed many of the world's goat meat eaters.
Mr Squire's flock of 50 Boers stands on his parents' 460ha sheep and beef property at Tokomaru, 21km southwest of Palmerston North.
Boer goats are gaining a following in New Zealand because of their good conformation and early maturity, which means more meat faster.
They are bred for meat only, unlike Cashmere and other breeds that provide fibre.
Mr Squire fits his goat business around his job as a road builder. That enables him to pay hefty stock prices, which can reach $1000 for a purebred animal.
His breeding programme is attracting attention, with a Boer Association conference in Palmerston North in May taking breeders to the Squire farm.
Boer goats have been in New Zealand since 1993.
The breed was established in the 1920s in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, with farmers seeking an animal that could eat bush and scrub and produce quality meat.
New Zealand still has a shortage of purebred stock. Only five stud does were on offer at January's breeder sale in Auckland, despite an estimated 3000 purebred animals nationwide.
- NZPA
