Goat meat demand increases during specific holidays. It is important to know these holidays and the type of goat often in demand. Websites such as www.sheepgoatmarketing.info and www.interfaithcalendar.org can help you learn holiday dates. Muslim holidays are based on the lunar calendar which is 11 days shorter than the solar calendar. This means the dates for these holidays move forward about 10 to 11 days each year depending on when the new moon is actually sighted.
Easter
Western or Roman Easter – The traditional Italian market is for a suckling kid weighing 18 – 35 lbs live. However, there is a growing demand for larger suckling kids, market kids, and curry goats by various ethnic families who also celebrate western Easter.
Greek or Orthodox Easter – The traditional market is again for suckling kids but a slightly larger weight range from 25 – 50 lbs live weight is usually desired.
Ramadan
Ramadan is a month long Muslim holiday to celebrate Muhammad receiving his divine revelation. Families tend to get together for celebrations at the beginning and end of the month of Ramadan and for festive meals each evening of the month. During Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat from sunrise until sunset of each day. The demand is for market kids with all their milk teeth weighing anywhere from 45 to 110 lbs live. The most popular weights are about 55 to 75 lbs live.
Festival of the Sacrifice or Id al Adha
The traditional goat for this Muslim holiday commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to Allah is a yearling or “one tooth” goat. “One tooth” refers to the fact that yearling goats have one set of adult teeth. However, large market kids and older goats are also used. The goat is larger than goats used at Ramadan because traditionally some of the meat is to be shared with the customer’s extended family and some is to be distributed to the needy. Because it symbolizes a family’s religious commitment, the animal must be unblemished. For some Muslims this means it should be healthy with no broken horns, open wounds, or lameness. For others, it should not be castrated nor have even a torn ear. Some families consider a goat with a small sac that has been castrated with a burdizzo, unblemished, and a “sac-less” goat castrated with a band, blemished. Others have no concern about castration if the goat is fully healed.
Cinco de Mayo and other Hispanic holidays
Some Mexican American families desire a small cabrito kid to celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spain. Others prefer a large market kid or yearling barbecued whole over a pit. Seco de Chivo or goat stew is a popular dish for other Latin American cultures for holidays such as Christmas.
Christmas and New Year
Christmas and New Year are holidays when suckling kids are popular. However, does must be bred when the days are long (outside the normal breeding season) to produce Christmas sucklings. The scarcity of young kids may result in excellent prices and more relaxed weight restrictions. The demand for “curry” goats and market kids also increases during this time as a wide variety of families get time off together.
Dassai
Dassai is a Hindu holiday celebrating the goddess Durga. Female goats are usually not acceptable for this holiday. There is often a preference for market wether kids. However, the size of the carcass varies depending on how many people are being fed.
Caribbean holidays
Several independence days and “Carifests” occur in the fall. The traditional dish is “curried goat” from intact market kids or bucks accompanied by a goat soup using the rest of the goat carcass. Many people hold the opinion that the smell of the male goat improves the flavor and potency of the soup. However, some families prefer castrated market kids or females.
Next
Module Home
Certification Table of Contents
Browsing Table of Contents