Meat goat breeds
Compare breeds recorded with meat production as their primary purpose. Select a column heading to sort the table, then open a breed page for its sources and context.
| Breed | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median of the 6 breeds listed here. | – | – | 154 (6 of 6) | – |
| Boer | – | – | 190–230 lb | – |
| Fainting Goat (Myotonic) | – | – | 50–150 lb | 2–3 kids (typical) |
| Kalahari Red | 20 lb (9 kg) (typical) | 0.19 lb/day (84 g/day) (typical) | 165 lb (75 kg) (typical) | – |
| Kiko | – | – | 140–200 lb | – |
| Savanna | – | – | 143 lb (65 kg) (typical) | – |
| Spanish | – | – | 70–125 lb | – |
Some breeds here have few published figures. An empty cell means we looked and didn't find it, not that the figure is zero. Each cell says what we checked.
Other breeds sometimes kept for meat
Our records list meat as a secondary use for these breeds. Open their breed pages for the supporting sources and context. They are not included in the comparison table or its medians.
Choose a breed for your production plan
Start with your intended buyers and the animals they want. Penn State describes several routes to market, from farm sales to specialist buyers and commercial marketing firms. Its examples concern the United States; check demand and requirements in your own market before buying breeding stock.1
Our assessment: use the table to shortlist breeds that fit your plan, then ask breeders for records from animals raised under conditions similar to yours. A breed name alone does not establish performance.
What do the growth and weight figures mean?
Weaning weight, daily gain, adult doe weight and dressing percentage measure different things. Adult size is not a growth rate or a prediction of saleable meat. Check each breed page for the age, units and source context attached to a figure.
Penn State recommends combining performance records with inspection of structure and muscling. Management and environment affect individual performance alongside genetics, so a figure from one herd is not a guarantee for another.2
How should you compare Boer and Kiko?
Penn State describes Boer goats as heavily muscled and Kiko goats as selected for survival and growth. Those descriptions provide starting points for questions about breeding goals, rather than a universal winner.1
Open the breed records below, then compare the seller’s growth and breeding records and inspect the animals. Keep individual evidence separate from broad breed descriptions.
Sources (2)
- Meat Goat Production, Penn State Extension · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-13
- Buck Selection Principles for Meat Goats, Penn State Extension · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-13