U.S. Goat population Changes
According to the 2007 USDA-NASS, the U.S. goat population is little over 3 million heads. Goat numbers have increased more than 5 percent annually from 1985 to 2007 (Figure 1). More than 83 percent of goats in this country are meat goats, 10 percent are dairy goats and 7 percent are fiber goats (Table 6). While meat and dairy goats have increased in numbers, fiber goats numbers have been reduced by almost 50 percent and represent only 69 percent of their 2002 numbers.
Figure 1. U.S. goat population changes from 1985 to 2007.
Table 6. Goat industry profile in the U.S.
| 2002 numbers | 2002 % | 2007* numbers | 2007* % | % of 2002 | |
| All goats | 2,530,466 | 100 | 3,015,000 | 100 | 119.1 |
| Meat goats | 1,938,924 | 76.6 | 2,500,000 | 83 | 128.9 |
| Milk goats | 290,789 | 11.5 | 305,000 | 10 | 104.8 |
| Fiber goats | 300,756 | 11.9 | 210,000 | 7 | 69.8 |
- Reflects the 2007 USDA-NASS sample data.
