New data from the American Horse Council (AHC) National Economic Impact Study shows Texas has the largest horse population with about 748,829 horses.

The study measured horse industry impacts, involvement and economic contributions while counting Texas horses in every pasture and paddock.

Data shows the equine industry has added $12.3 billion to the Texas economy.

“The equine industry significantly fuels Texas’s economy,” Dr. Chelsie Huseman, AgriLife Extension horse specialist, said. “However, the lack of concrete data makes it challenging to articulate our narrative and make informed decisions. This newfound data will greatly enhance our ability to support both the equine sector and its passionate enthusiasts statewide.”

Land owned or leased for horse-related uses in Texas is about 1.6 million acres or about 2.2 acres per horse.

“That’s always an interesting figure to consider, knowing how valuable land is and how it is becoming harder to come by due to urbanization,” Huseman said. “It shows that the horse industry plays a significant role in preserving agricultural land.”

The study found another area of interest is where the owners are raising their animals, and Huseman said that impacts AgriLife Extension’s educational programs.

“Focusing some of our programming and educational resources on how to manage a smaller herd on smaller acreage is one of the areas we’ve moved toward just in the last five to 10 years,” she said. “More people own just a few horses on five to 10 acres and fewer large operations or ranches run herds of horses.”

The survey also found 30.5% of households contain horse enthusiasts who do not necessarily own a horse. This provides opportunities to engage the public and educate them about horse ownership, Huseman said.

The non-owner participants and spectators are estimated to have spent $3 billion in Texas on travel, dining and lodging while participating in and attending events. Major industry segments that contribute to the Texas economy are racing, competition, recreation and working horses.

About 252,326 horses in Texas are used for recreational purposes, with trail riding as the main equine recreational activity, adding $1.6 billion to the Texas economy.

The AHC National Economic Impact Study is one of the most comprehensive studies for the nation’s equine industry, and AgriLife Extension plans to use the Texas data on horse industry impacts, involvement and economic contributions to guide education and outreach.

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Demand for meat goats continues to increase

Meat goat demand continues to rise, and prices are also increasing.

That’s been a consistent trend for the last decade, and as the U.S. population grows and more people immigrate to the U.S. from countries that regularly consume goat meat, the higher the demand for goat meat, one Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert said.

“Going back about 10 years, we can see average prices have increased from about $2 a pound to an average price now of about $3.50 a pound,” Dr. Jake Thorne, AgriLife Extension sheep and goat specialist, said.

Prices trend higher in late winter and early spring and drop in the middle of summer and early fall, Thorne said.

He noted there are indicators that consumption increases on seasonal trends, but there are no significant numbers that would help producers when marketing their product.

“The premiums that typically come with an increase in demand don’t always come to reality because of the sudden spike in supply,” he said.

Lower prices in the summer are related to the glut of 3-4-month-old goats born in the spring coupled with lower seasonal demand. But producers who raise fall-born goats can capitalize on the anticipated higher prices driven by fewer animals and increased demand in January, February and March.

Thorne said that while on the rise, meat goat market numbers are harder to track compared to other livestock.

“Meat goats do not typically follow the traditional livestock harvest pattern of other livestock. You don’t have large numbers going to a feedlot for several months, harvested at a large-scale commercial facility, and individual cuts distributed to retail grocery stores,” he said. “Some goats are fed and then processed at a heavier weight, but many are not. And it is common for whole carcasses to be sold as opposed to just individual cuts.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t track meat goats with the same detail as cattle, hogs or even lambs, making it more difficult to measure herd numbers and economics.

There are four main auctions in Texas for small ruminants like meat goats. Those are in San Angelo, Fredericksburg, Goldthwaite and Hamilton.

“That shows you there is a significant percentage of goats that aren’t being accounted for in the USDA report,” he said. “Texas accounts for 33% of the nation’s meat goat inventory, and those four auctions make up the bulk of Texas sales. So, it gives us a rough idea about total nationwide.”

The average herd size is 20, according to a 2019 goat industry study conducted by USDA.

But total herd numbers have dropped since the coronavirus pandemic. Numbers are down to 790,000, a decrease of 52,000 from 2019.

Although total numbers are down, Thorne noted more landowners are turning to raising goats due to small acreage sizes. They are a more feasible option for a production system of five to 50 acres and are also beneficial in some regions with more brushy plants for browsing rather than grazing forages. They’re also used in targeted grazing approaches where overgrowth is more common.

“They’re an excellent biological tool to graze land that is maybe overgrown or has the potential for wildfire,” Thorne said. “I don’t foresee the demand for goat meat, goat products or goat services doing anything but growing in the next decade.”

Although 90% of the U.S. goat inventory is raised for meat, other uses include milk, hair and livestock shows.