Welfare considerations in meat goat production systems, covering housing, husbandry practices, transport, and slaughter standards for goats raised for chevon.
Meat goat production varies enormously in welfare quality worldwide, from extensive pastoral systems where goats express natural behaviors to intensive operations with chronic overcrowding and minimal enrichment. Key welfare issues include painful procedures performed without pain relief, social disruption from weaning and grouping practices, inadequate shelter from weather extremes, and substandard transport and slaughter conditions. Welfare certification programs for goat meat remain underdeveloped compared to other livestock species, making consumer-driven improvement challenging. Supporting higher welfare standards through purchasing choices and policy advocacy can drive meaningful change.