Since 2000, the number of goats has increased. Only in 2010 did it decrease due to goats being culled because of Q fever. In addition to the animals on farms with the farm type ‘goat farms’, at least 37 thousand goats are kept on other farms. Altogether, 629 thousand goats are registered on agricultural farms.
Both the number of goats and the number of farms with the farm type ‘goat farms’ have increased since 2000. However, the number of goats increased faster than the number of farms. There are 413 farms where goats are kept for milk or meat. In 2000, there were 287.
The number of goats per farm increased even more. In 2025, a goat farm has an average of 1,434 animals. In 2020, this was the same, but in 2000 it was 438.
Most goats are found in the eastern and central parts of the country. In Alphen-Chaam, there are 141 goats per square kilometer, the highest number per square kilometer in the Netherlands. Other municipalities with more than 100 goats per square kilometer are Renswoude, Culemborg, Beuningen, Maasdriel and Maashorst.
There are also 40 municipalities where no goats are registered on agricultural farms.
About three quarters of the goats are kept for milk production. In 2024, 459 million kilograms of goat milk were delivered to dairy processing companies. In 2020, this was still 402 million kilograms. Among other things, 27 million kilograms of goat cheese were made from this. Data on how much goat cheese was produced in 2024 are not available.
Besides milk, goats are also kept for meat production. In 2024, 211 thousand goats were slaughtered, together yielding nearly 3 million kilos of meat.
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