The Pygmy goat due to its small size was nearly as efficient as the Boer. It bears repeating that these figures are mostly conjectural and well-designed experiments must be conducted to adequately compare these breeds. Conclusions Several goat breeds are potential meat producers but some are lacking in some aspects of performance and others have not yet been tested in the North American production system. Producers need to emphasize adaptability and reproduction as the key traits for a meat goat enterprise. Growth rate and carcass quality are also traits of economic interest.
More scientific research is needed to thoroughly assess the productivity of the different breeds.
Literature Cited Casey, N.H. and Van Niekerk, W.A., 1988. The Boer goat. I. Origin, adaptability, performance testing, reproduction and milk production. Devendra, C. and Burns, M., 1983. Goat Production in the Tropics.