This muster by John Zarro and Bob Hilton (red cap) of 150 bucks and 450 does was part of a typical 80,000 kilogram exportation of packed goat meat every week.

Philip Lynn tapped into the meat that feeds more people on the planet than any other in the early 1990s.

He has built a supply enterprise that first sold live deer and goat to Singapore 15 years ago, into an export goat meat company that now slaughters 5000 head per week for the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Taiwan.

That equates to about 80,000 kilograms of packed goat meat every week. Mr Lynn estimates his company’s share of the goat meat export market amongst eastern seaboard processors to be approximately 22 per cent, nationally 15pc.

Since 1992, he has operated a goat depot at his property, “Cherry Tree” at Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands, where the animals spend a short time in the paddocks before being trucked to various processors.

Mr Lynn is principal of Wallangarra Goat Processors Pty Ltd and co-director, together with Tim Caskey from Queensland.

The company is a tight-rein, shortodds business, running out of the town’s former TAB office.

Last year he established a processing agreement at the Wallangarra abattoir, 120 kilometres north, on the NSW-Queensland border.

The company now processes its goats for the export market on the second shift, after the abattoir has slaughtered 3000 sheep during the day.

Rangeland goats (once less politely called ‘feral’, formally ‘Australian bush’ goats) make up about 80 per cent of Wallangarra Goat Processors’ current trade – 90 per cent of these are from the Western Divisions of NSW and Queensland, some from the NSW slopes and plains.

“In this run of dry years, goats do so well, living on woody weeds, and have established themselves as a new and reliable livestock industry for the west,” Mr Lynn said.

As the stock come through their yards, he is seeing the influence of Boer cross goat genetics.

“Boers are a great meat goat.”

“There is mixed opinion in the market about whether Boers are suitable for the Western Division though.

“Rangeland goats do particularly come into their own in the west.

“They have adapted to the harsh climate but don’t grow as fast as the Boer.

“Rangelands are hardy and in trials a lot of people are now trying to infuse Boer genes to enhance both meat eating quality and weight for age.”

Export goat meat is more expensive - twice the price - than the comparable sheep product, mutton, because it is lean and is the religious preference for many sectors.

Glen Innes goat meat exporter Philip Lynn expects a trip he made to the US in February to bring in orders. The trip to the west coast - Los Angeles and San Francisco - was partly to cut the middleman, to overcome onselling into the US of product he exports elsewhere.

“This is great for Australian goat producers,” Mr Lynn said.

On the present market, most of the animals he buys return approximately $40 per head at the abattoir.

The average for a farm gate sale is approximately $34 per head in the Western Division.

“These prices tend to be stronger in the second half of the year due to the Asian demand for skin-on goat meat, a specialist process whereby the animal is de-haired like a pig, leaving a white skinned carcass, a very attractive product.”

“Goats are a low maintenance enterprise with such little input cost associated with raring.

“Lots of farmers are fencing their country to become more professional in breeding and marketing. “Rather than just do a feral muster, they can control numbers and market in a more organised way.”

Contact Philip Lynn, Glen Innes, (02) 6732 2144, phil@goatexports.com